Shredder
Dogs like me
Too bad, but I like the idea.
I'd like to see it like roadside vegetable stands. Zucchini, tomatoes, and rosin? It's been a cottage industry for years, why not allow it? I guess no $$$ for the state that way
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Law Michigan MMJ
- Thread starter momofthegoons
- Start date
Too bad, but I like the idea.
I'd like to see it like roadside vegetable stands. Zucchini, tomatoes, and rosin? It's been a cottage industry for years, why not allow it? I guess no $$$ for the state that way
There used to be a couple of 'farmer's market' type situations here in Michigan but that went by the wayside when the state got involved and things went rec.
Rumor has it around here that if they start munking with the caregivers, and disallowing them, that there will be more delivery services on the horizon.
Shredder
Dogs like me
If they're " munking" with caregivers our AG needs to get involved. Our rights are in the state constitution.
I do expect a lot of objections, but if we ride it out until recreational, I think/hope we survive.
Mr Mellish
Well-Known Member
But why does it always take a year+ to get these things moving? Don't we have enough solid examples now to produce a viable plan quickly on move on? Evaluate Colorado, Washington, California, Nevada and see what works and what doesn't. Colorado just hit $1,000,000,000 in tax revenue from cannabis. Seems like they have a decent plan.
Shredder
Dogs like me
Good question, idk an answer, but it does seem our new gov is speeding things up. Recreational rules are coming this month I think, then sales should follow fairly soon I'd guess. If they allow both in one building that would really speed things, but if they want a lot of new rules, it'll be a while. Either way in the next year we should have recreational operational.
Mr Mellish
Well-Known Member
Right. "Next year" is the key. I will be amazed and astonished if there is a legitimate recreational option this calendar year (donation loophole not withstanding).
Shredder
Dogs like me
Even when there is recreational,it doesn't mean everyone can afford it. And big canna doesnt like competition But with people creating business using loopholes it will work to keep prices down. The new rules will be interesting, but afaik they will have a hard time to get rid of medical.
And there might be casualties if products don't move. Then they'll cry biggly, lol. But to move products they need to price it right.
If they don't price it right... hell.. handle it right overall, it will be like California and the black market will reign once again.
Shredder
Dogs like me
I guess there's a lot riding on the new rules. I noticed the new rules are temperary. Hopefully that means they can tweak them.
But in the end the market decides. $15 grams, $35 eighths, and $45 half gram concentrates ain't gonna cut it.
That's what I've heard are the Waters medical dispensary charges. And then they cry about caregivers, lol.
Detroit-based cannabis group plans 10 Michigan stores by end of 2020
A Detroit-born cannabis and lifestyle brand is planning to open several Michigan stores by the end of 2020.
Common Citizen announced this week plans to open the largest cannabis cultivation and processing facility in the state. The group, led by childhood friends Michael Elias, David Yostos and Joseph Jarvis, says they focus on a people-first approach.
"We recognized that the people of Michigan and across the United States – our common citizens – deserve better. They deserve access to safe, quality cannabis and they deserve it now," says CEO Michael Elias.
"Cannabis meets people's diverse common needs, such as the treatment of anxiety, reprieve from chronic pain, enhancing creativity and fitness pursuits or the freedom to de-stress after a hard week at work. The need for some form of relief is a fact of life everyone has in common. Through a commitment to operational excellence and patient safety, we're offering a wide range of human-centered cannabis products and experiences that will keep customer well-being at its core."
Common Citizen will be opening its manufacturing and R&D headquarters in Marshall, Michigan later this summer with a scale capacity up to 1.2-million-square-feet, which is estimated to create 400 jobs over the next five years.
The retail store and its eCommerce counterpart sell a variety of cannabis products such as flowers, oils, vape pens and edibles available in a variety of delivery methods.
In addition, Common Citizen sells non-cannabis products through the House of Commons, a coffee shop within the provisioning center where high quality branded merchandise can be purchased, while sipping on finely curated coffee and learning about cannabis in a relaxing environment.
Common Citizen said it's anticipating opening a total of five retail locations by the end of 2019, and another five by the end of 2020. They also plan to offer delivery.
Common Citizen also said it will create funding to provide a minimum of $100,000 annually towards needs across the communities they call home, starting with the following store openings in 2019:
A Detroit-born cannabis and lifestyle brand is planning to open several Michigan stores by the end of 2020.
Common Citizen announced this week plans to open the largest cannabis cultivation and processing facility in the state. The group, led by childhood friends Michael Elias, David Yostos and Joseph Jarvis, says they focus on a people-first approach.
"We recognized that the people of Michigan and across the United States – our common citizens – deserve better. They deserve access to safe, quality cannabis and they deserve it now," says CEO Michael Elias.
"Cannabis meets people's diverse common needs, such as the treatment of anxiety, reprieve from chronic pain, enhancing creativity and fitness pursuits or the freedom to de-stress after a hard week at work. The need for some form of relief is a fact of life everyone has in common. Through a commitment to operational excellence and patient safety, we're offering a wide range of human-centered cannabis products and experiences that will keep customer well-being at its core."
Common Citizen will be opening its manufacturing and R&D headquarters in Marshall, Michigan later this summer with a scale capacity up to 1.2-million-square-feet, which is estimated to create 400 jobs over the next five years.
The retail store and its eCommerce counterpart sell a variety of cannabis products such as flowers, oils, vape pens and edibles available in a variety of delivery methods.
In addition, Common Citizen sells non-cannabis products through the House of Commons, a coffee shop within the provisioning center where high quality branded merchandise can be purchased, while sipping on finely curated coffee and learning about cannabis in a relaxing environment.
Common Citizen said it's anticipating opening a total of five retail locations by the end of 2019, and another five by the end of 2020. They also plan to offer delivery.
Common Citizen also said it will create funding to provide a minimum of $100,000 annually towards needs across the communities they call home, starting with the following store openings in 2019:
- Flint, Michigan
- Lansing, Michigan
- Battle Creek, Michigan
- Hazel Park, Michigan
- Detroit, Michigan
This year's Cannabis Cup was a whiff of things to come for Michigan's new marijuana industry
Jesse Faatz
The first day of the first High Times Michigan Cannabis Cup since Michigan voted to legalize recreational marijuana may have given us a whiff of what the market will be like in Michigan. Previous High Times Cannabis Cups have been limited to medical marijuana patients and vendors. You had to have a state medical card to get in. This time, any adult could enter the event.
By all accounts, the crowd was at least double what it had ever been before. If attendance at a Cannabis Cup is any indicator, were medical marijuana provisioning centers allowed to sell adult-use recreational product anytime soon, their client base would at least double. Maybe more. Some folks I spoke with estimated that the crowd had tripled in size.
No matter the estimate, the Auto City Speedway where the Cannabis Cup took place was off the hook crowded, as indicated by the difficulty of finding a place to park. People half a mile away were selling spots on their front lawn for $15. Almost anywhere you could get a car squeezed in had a car squeezed in there. Then there was the hourlong wait in a massive line to get in. Of course the wait was made better by the folks who were freely passing joints and blunts around, or vaping on their preferred device. The prevailing opinion near me among folks in line was that the High Times organizers had somehow miscalculated and weren't ready for the big crowd.
However, once inside the speedway there were no problems, save maybe standing in a line to get at your vendor of choice. High Times obviously knows how to run a Cannabis Cup, and other than a little wait at the gate this celebration of all things cannabis seemed well-organized.
Once inside I almost immediately came across my favorite T-shirt of the day. Sons & Daughters United had one at their booth that declared "F*ck Cancer" with a cannabis leaf where the "u" would be. It was a great message for the continuing medicinal use of marijuana. They also had a handy one-sheet compilation of information on medical uses of cannabinoids and terpenes that deserves to be well-disseminated.
The huge crowd was out to have fun, and they seemed to be accomplishing the task as they checked out the wares of numerous vendors who offered flower, extracts, shatter, wax, dabs, edibles of all kinds, live plants, seeds, distillates, tinctures, and probably a few other things. There were so many free 5-milliliter gummy samples being handed out that a person might have a good time just walking around and taking samples.
But you don't drive to Clio and pay $45 general admission, plus parking, for the free samples — although you might for the music. Busta Rhymes, Lil Skies, Too $hort, Prof, Trick Trick, Willie J. Peso, and TNL were all scheduled to perform. A guy who handed me a joint while standing in line said this year's lineup was the best ever. Someone nearby chipped in his agreement.
Most folks were there for the weed, however — the ambience, the freedom to openly indulge with others in celebration. They were there to check out the products or hawk their wares. The marketplace is set to get real big real fast, and many vendors were there to try to catch someone's eye, to get their products on someone's shelves. And there were more vendors than usual. Many had their strains in any form you wanted — the same stuff as bud, extract, edible, plant, seed. As the day wore on, vendors would put a line through items on their menus for what was sold out. There was no shortage of marijuana at the place, just high-volume sales of the most popular items.
The proliferation of strains was confusing. Many folks were selling strains that I'd simply never heard of and had no idea what they were. Many folks breed something and give their highly creative name to it. I'm becoming a fan of the cannabinoid and terpene profile. Just tell me if it's sativa or indica, let me know which cannabinoids and terpenes are prevalent, and at what levels. That information plus a few whiffs with the old nose and that gives me some guidance on what I'd like.
Speaking of smells, it was a bud-sniffer's holiday. So many people were offering free smells of their jars of buds. It was fun, but after a while it was hard to tell one thing from the next.
Another aspect of the Cannabis Cup is the folks who find novel ways to show off their cannabis enthusiasm through their dress. A highlight of my day came when I met a guy, who came in from the west side of Michigan with his friends, sporting a five-point marijuana leaf design cut into his hair along with a "420." He said he'd previously been to six Cannabis Cups.
Although the crowd had swelled larger than ever before, almost everyone I asked claimed to have been to a previous Cannabis Cup. I finally did find a couple of guys who hadn't previously been to a Cannabis Cup. One of them cited the 420 festival in Denver as a better event. OK, but they've been at it longer than we have.
Busta Rhymes has been at his game for 28 years, which he pointed out to the crowd a few times during his set. All that's to say that he knew how to talk to the crowd about weed as he teased tunes and cut them off to build excitement. At one point he asked everyone who had some weed in the crowd to hold it up. Then he slammed into a crowd-pleasing "Pass the Courvoisier" to end the set. Everybody seemed happy, although someone should have told Busta that for all the weed in the house, alcohol was prohibited.
Jesse Faatz
The first day of the first High Times Michigan Cannabis Cup since Michigan voted to legalize recreational marijuana may have given us a whiff of what the market will be like in Michigan. Previous High Times Cannabis Cups have been limited to medical marijuana patients and vendors. You had to have a state medical card to get in. This time, any adult could enter the event.
By all accounts, the crowd was at least double what it had ever been before. If attendance at a Cannabis Cup is any indicator, were medical marijuana provisioning centers allowed to sell adult-use recreational product anytime soon, their client base would at least double. Maybe more. Some folks I spoke with estimated that the crowd had tripled in size.
No matter the estimate, the Auto City Speedway where the Cannabis Cup took place was off the hook crowded, as indicated by the difficulty of finding a place to park. People half a mile away were selling spots on their front lawn for $15. Almost anywhere you could get a car squeezed in had a car squeezed in there. Then there was the hourlong wait in a massive line to get in. Of course the wait was made better by the folks who were freely passing joints and blunts around, or vaping on their preferred device. The prevailing opinion near me among folks in line was that the High Times organizers had somehow miscalculated and weren't ready for the big crowd.
However, once inside the speedway there were no problems, save maybe standing in a line to get at your vendor of choice. High Times obviously knows how to run a Cannabis Cup, and other than a little wait at the gate this celebration of all things cannabis seemed well-organized.
Once inside I almost immediately came across my favorite T-shirt of the day. Sons & Daughters United had one at their booth that declared "F*ck Cancer" with a cannabis leaf where the "u" would be. It was a great message for the continuing medicinal use of marijuana. They also had a handy one-sheet compilation of information on medical uses of cannabinoids and terpenes that deserves to be well-disseminated.
The huge crowd was out to have fun, and they seemed to be accomplishing the task as they checked out the wares of numerous vendors who offered flower, extracts, shatter, wax, dabs, edibles of all kinds, live plants, seeds, distillates, tinctures, and probably a few other things. There were so many free 5-milliliter gummy samples being handed out that a person might have a good time just walking around and taking samples.
But you don't drive to Clio and pay $45 general admission, plus parking, for the free samples — although you might for the music. Busta Rhymes, Lil Skies, Too $hort, Prof, Trick Trick, Willie J. Peso, and TNL were all scheduled to perform. A guy who handed me a joint while standing in line said this year's lineup was the best ever. Someone nearby chipped in his agreement.
Most folks were there for the weed, however — the ambience, the freedom to openly indulge with others in celebration. They were there to check out the products or hawk their wares. The marketplace is set to get real big real fast, and many vendors were there to try to catch someone's eye, to get their products on someone's shelves. And there were more vendors than usual. Many had their strains in any form you wanted — the same stuff as bud, extract, edible, plant, seed. As the day wore on, vendors would put a line through items on their menus for what was sold out. There was no shortage of marijuana at the place, just high-volume sales of the most popular items.
The proliferation of strains was confusing. Many folks were selling strains that I'd simply never heard of and had no idea what they were. Many folks breed something and give their highly creative name to it. I'm becoming a fan of the cannabinoid and terpene profile. Just tell me if it's sativa or indica, let me know which cannabinoids and terpenes are prevalent, and at what levels. That information plus a few whiffs with the old nose and that gives me some guidance on what I'd like.
Speaking of smells, it was a bud-sniffer's holiday. So many people were offering free smells of their jars of buds. It was fun, but after a while it was hard to tell one thing from the next.
Another aspect of the Cannabis Cup is the folks who find novel ways to show off their cannabis enthusiasm through their dress. A highlight of my day came when I met a guy, who came in from the west side of Michigan with his friends, sporting a five-point marijuana leaf design cut into his hair along with a "420." He said he'd previously been to six Cannabis Cups.
Although the crowd had swelled larger than ever before, almost everyone I asked claimed to have been to a previous Cannabis Cup. I finally did find a couple of guys who hadn't previously been to a Cannabis Cup. One of them cited the 420 festival in Denver as a better event. OK, but they've been at it longer than we have.
Busta Rhymes has been at his game for 28 years, which he pointed out to the crowd a few times during his set. All that's to say that he knew how to talk to the crowd about weed as he teased tunes and cut them off to build excitement. At one point he asked everyone who had some weed in the crowd to hold it up. Then he slammed into a crowd-pleasing "Pass the Courvoisier" to end the set. Everybody seemed happy, although someone should have told Busta that for all the weed in the house, alcohol was prohibited.
Joint Venture: Weed is a lonely biz in the U.P., and Kroger gets into CBD products
Co-owner of Northern Specialty Health Penny Milkey, poses for a photo at her store in Houghton on Friday, May 31, 2019. It's the only licensed dispensary in the Upper Peninsula and attracts customers several hours away. (Photo: Kathleen Gray, The Detroit Free Press)
If you’re looking to become an expert in cannabis — both the chemistry and business sides of the business — the Upper Peninsula is the place to be.
Northern Michigan University in Marquette and Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie are among the few colleges in the nation to offer degree programs for students looking to break into the industry.
But if those graduates want to stay in the U.P. for a job in the industry or find a place to score some legal weed north of the Mackinac Bridge, good luck.
Only one medical marijuana dispensary in the U.P. has been licensed by the state.
Free Press reporter Kathleen Gray talked to co-owners Penny and Ryan Milkey, the couple behind Northern Specialty Health in Houghton, for a closer look at why weed is such a lonely business in the U.P.
Groceries and CBD products
Kroger is ready to sell CBD-infused products. (Photo: Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press)
Once you've picked up milk, bread and eggs at the grocery store, you can now buzz over to the health and beauty section for some CBD-infused products to calm your aching back.
Starting this week, Kroger will begin selling cannabidiol-infused products at stores in several states. Kroger joins national retailers across the country such as CVSand Walgreen's in selling CBD topical products.
So what kind of CBD products will you find at Kroger? Here's more on that — and a few other questions you may want answered.
Co-owner of Northern Specialty Health Penny Milkey, poses for a photo at her store in Houghton on Friday, May 31, 2019. It's the only licensed dispensary in the Upper Peninsula and attracts customers several hours away. (Photo: Kathleen Gray, The Detroit Free Press)
If you’re looking to become an expert in cannabis — both the chemistry and business sides of the business — the Upper Peninsula is the place to be.
Northern Michigan University in Marquette and Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie are among the few colleges in the nation to offer degree programs for students looking to break into the industry.
But if those graduates want to stay in the U.P. for a job in the industry or find a place to score some legal weed north of the Mackinac Bridge, good luck.
Only one medical marijuana dispensary in the U.P. has been licensed by the state.
Free Press reporter Kathleen Gray talked to co-owners Penny and Ryan Milkey, the couple behind Northern Specialty Health in Houghton, for a closer look at why weed is such a lonely business in the U.P.
Groceries and CBD products
Kroger is ready to sell CBD-infused products. (Photo: Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press)
Once you've picked up milk, bread and eggs at the grocery store, you can now buzz over to the health and beauty section for some CBD-infused products to calm your aching back.
Starting this week, Kroger will begin selling cannabidiol-infused products at stores in several states. Kroger joins national retailers across the country such as CVSand Walgreen's in selling CBD topical products.
So what kind of CBD products will you find at Kroger? Here's more on that — and a few other questions you may want answered.
Clinton Township joins growing list of communities opting out of marijuana sales
Clinton Township has joined the long list of Michigan communities who are saying no to marijuana sales - for now.
Michigan voters approved a proposal to legalize recreational marijuana in the state back in November.
Despite the passage, several Michigan communities have decided to opt out of legal marijuana sales. Cities have the choice to temporarily opt out of recreational marijuana sales.
This week, Clinton Township decided not to pursue an ordinance that would allow medical marijuana sales, according to Local 4's Nick Monacelli. They already opted out of recreational marijuana in April.
City leaders have cited many reasons for deciding to opt out. Most of them say it's a bad message for youth or something related to school safety.
Some have opted out because of concern for regulations and how things will eventually be handled, with the option to opt back in after things are sorted out.
Recreational marijuana became legal in Michigan on Dec. 6, but sales have not yet started and aren't likely to start until late this year at the earliest.
Municipalities that do decide to opt out are encouraged to notify LARA, but are not required to do so. Cities like Troy, Pontiac and Birmingham have opted out but are not on the list.
A list of the municipalities that have opted out can be found here.
Shredder
Dogs like me
Notice how they always say " not at this time". Since they have to officially opt in, what's the point of needing to opt out? I still say when $ flowing minds will be changed.
Where I used to live, Oscoda, they opted out. Then the neighboring community, Ausable, opted in. Oscoda then opted in and has a dispensary now, lol. Jealousy and hipocracy in action, lol.
Today's news says CO has now collected a billion dollars in mj taxes. That oughta open some eyes.
Michigan Governor Adds Voice to Push for Banking Access for Cannabis Businesses
Another lawmaker has joined the team to advance the SAFE Banking Act.
A bipartisan group of 20 state and territorial attorney generals has called for the passage of a federal bill that would give cannabis industry businesses access to the U.S. banking system. In a letter sent to leaders of both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on Thursday, the governors urged the passage of the Secure and Fare (SAFE) Banking Act of 2019 (H.R. 1595).
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, one of the governors who signed the letter, said that voters have made it clear that it is time for a new approach to cannabis policy.
“Michiganders turned out in historic numbers in this last election to legalize the use of recreational marijuana, and we must respect the will of the voters,” Whitmer said. “There is an inherent danger for businesses operating in an all-cash business because financial institutions are unable to accept the risks and penalties associated with providing service to this industry under current law. This letter sends a clear message to Congress that our states are looking for a real solution to a real problem, and we support them to get this done.”
Cannabis Industry Denied Access to Banking
Due to federal drug and money laundering regulations, even cannabis businesses operating in compliance with state laws are often unable to obtain financial services regularly used by other industries. As a result, companies in the cannabis industry often do business only in cash, creating extreme risk for the firms and their employees. The SAFE Banking Act would protect financial institutions and likely make more banks willing to serve the cannabis industry.
“Many of our states have implemented laws and regulations that ensure accountability of the cannabis industry,” wrote the governors in the letter. “However, without banking services, cannabis businesses are less able to obey the law, pay taxes, and follow these important regulations. The public safety risks posed by these cash-only businesses can be mitigated through access to banking service providers.”
The governors called on congressional leaders to join the states in supporting cannabis operators willing to leave the black market and subject their businesses to regulation and taxation.
“State and federal governments have a shared interest in upholding the rule of law, protecting public safety, and transitioning markets out of the shadows and into our transparent and regulated banking system. Without access to banking services, state-licensed cannabis businesses operate predominantly on a cash basis. This poses a significant public safety risk to customers and employees,” the letter reads.
Letter Signed by 20 Governors
In addition to Whitmer, the letter was signed by the governors of Colorado, Connecticut, Guam, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The governors’ action comes just over a month after the attorneys general of 33 states and five territories similarly called for the passage of the SAFE Banking Act. The bill was introduced by Democratic Rep. Ed Perlmutter of Colorado in March and approved by the House Financial Services Committee later that month. The legislation is pending further action in the House, where it has more than 200 cosponsors.
Another lawmaker has joined the team to advance the SAFE Banking Act.
A bipartisan group of 20 state and territorial attorney generals has called for the passage of a federal bill that would give cannabis industry businesses access to the U.S. banking system. In a letter sent to leaders of both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on Thursday, the governors urged the passage of the Secure and Fare (SAFE) Banking Act of 2019 (H.R. 1595).
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, one of the governors who signed the letter, said that voters have made it clear that it is time for a new approach to cannabis policy.
“Michiganders turned out in historic numbers in this last election to legalize the use of recreational marijuana, and we must respect the will of the voters,” Whitmer said. “There is an inherent danger for businesses operating in an all-cash business because financial institutions are unable to accept the risks and penalties associated with providing service to this industry under current law. This letter sends a clear message to Congress that our states are looking for a real solution to a real problem, and we support them to get this done.”
Cannabis Industry Denied Access to Banking
Due to federal drug and money laundering regulations, even cannabis businesses operating in compliance with state laws are often unable to obtain financial services regularly used by other industries. As a result, companies in the cannabis industry often do business only in cash, creating extreme risk for the firms and their employees. The SAFE Banking Act would protect financial institutions and likely make more banks willing to serve the cannabis industry.
“Many of our states have implemented laws and regulations that ensure accountability of the cannabis industry,” wrote the governors in the letter. “However, without banking services, cannabis businesses are less able to obey the law, pay taxes, and follow these important regulations. The public safety risks posed by these cash-only businesses can be mitigated through access to banking service providers.”
The governors called on congressional leaders to join the states in supporting cannabis operators willing to leave the black market and subject their businesses to regulation and taxation.
“State and federal governments have a shared interest in upholding the rule of law, protecting public safety, and transitioning markets out of the shadows and into our transparent and regulated banking system. Without access to banking services, state-licensed cannabis businesses operate predominantly on a cash basis. This poses a significant public safety risk to customers and employees,” the letter reads.
Letter Signed by 20 Governors
In addition to Whitmer, the letter was signed by the governors of Colorado, Connecticut, Guam, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The governors’ action comes just over a month after the attorneys general of 33 states and five territories similarly called for the passage of the SAFE Banking Act. The bill was introduced by Democratic Rep. Ed Perlmutter of Colorado in March and approved by the House Financial Services Committee later that month. The legislation is pending further action in the House, where it has more than 200 cosponsors.
"For the next several years, the state will take the first $20 million of the annual excise tax revenue for research into the health and social impacts of marijuana."
And the mystery of why the taxes wont cover the costs is.....?
Marijuna taxes not the boon some expect
AP Photo This Feb. 17, 2016 file photo shows marijuana plants at a home in Honolulu. A growing majority of Americans say marijuana should be legal, underscoring a national shift as more states embrace cannabis for medical or recreational use. Illinois lawmakers working to legalize recreational marijuana have hit a potential snag: whether to allow people to grow a few pot plants for personal use. The 10 states that have legalized recreational marijuana have different "home grow" rules, with Michigan allowing individuals to grow as many as 12 plants and Washington state not allowing them to grow any. Home grow opponents say it fuels the black market. Proponents say people should be able to grow it if businesses sell it.
ALPENA — Despite the arguments of some proponents and misconceptions of some voters, it appears legalization of recreational marijuana will not solve the financial ills of schools or local governments.
It will have a limited impact on roads across the state, as well.
Most will welcome tax revenue generated by the sale of marijuana, but large sums of money will still need to be pumped into education and street repairs, area officials said.
Municipalities should also brace for the possibility that current marijuana tax revenue projections could be too lofty.
Proposal 1, the November 2018 ballot question through which voters legalized the sale, possession and use of marijuana in Michigan, guaranteed that marijuana buyers will pay the normal 6% Michigan sales tax. Most of that revenue goes to schools.
The new law also set a 10% excise tax on the sale of the drug. That revenue is promised to roads, schools, and the general funds of communities that allow recreational marijuana businesses to operate in their boundaries.
But, based on current projections, that revenue will not equal major windfalls for anyone.
For the next several years, the state will take the first $20 million of the annual excise tax revenue for research into the health and social impacts of marijuana. What’s left will be divided this way:
∫ 35% will go to the state’s education budget, which is divvied up among school districts around the state,
∫ 35% will go to the state roads budget, which is used by state roads agency and public works departments in counties and local governments,
∫ 15% will go to municipalities that allow marijuana businesses,
∫ and 15% for the counties where those municipalities reside.
The state Senate Fiscal Agency estimates that, for the state’s 2020 fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, total tax revenue from marijuana will be about $82 million. Of that, $59 million is projected to be from sales tax — a paltry sum for the more than $12 billion School Aid Fund – and about $23 million is expected to come from the excise tax, to be divided among the state’s hundreds of school districts and amongst some of the state’s 1,773 municipalities, and 83 counties.
Even if marijuana tax income grows to $182 million by 2023, as the Senate Fiscal Agency projects, that would equate to just $17,699 per municipality and $292,771 per county.
That’s not much to most government budgets. The City of Alpena, for example, took in $9.9 million in fiscal 2018. Alpena County took in $9.3 million.
It’s difficult to project the actual amounts each government would receive, because the money will be doled out based on the number of marijuana businesses open in a county. So far, more than 400 municipalities have prohibited marijuana businesses – including Alpena and Alpena Township — and will not be eligible for a cut of the excise tax. When governments prohibit marijuana shops, that reduces the number of places people can purchase marijuana, which could drive down sales.
It’s also difficult to project school revenue, since the state pays schools based on enrollment. If the $182 million were handed out equally, each school system would receive $96,592. However, districts like Alpena Public Schools would receive far less, because more money would go to districts such as those in Detroit, Lansing or Grand Rapids, which have far more students.
APS has a roughly $42 million annual budget.
The state’s road fund would increase by $56.7 million if $182 million in marijuana tax comes in.
INFLATED PROJECTIONS?
Some, however, believe those projections are inflated.
One of those people is state Sen. Jim Stamas, R-Midland, who represents Northeast Michigan.
Stamas is chairman of the governing board for the Senate Fiscal Agency and chairman of the state Senate Appropriations Committee. He said people and municipalities should not depend on the excise tax revenue to be a big financial boom, at least for the first year or two.
“Everybody needs to remember, these are only projections, and, over the next few years, we’ll be able to see how the growth goes across the state,” Stamas said. “Right now, I think the numbers are high, especially for the first year, and then it will sort of be a wait-and-see approach for beyond that.”
Based on the 2019-20 estimates of $23 million in excise tax revenue, municipalities would receive only $327 and counties $5,421. Each school system would get $1,800. That’s if the money were divided equally. Again, more money would go to cities with more marijuana businesses and to schools with more students.
About $1 million would be added to state road funding.
In May, voters overwhelmingly rejected Alpena Public Schools’ request for a $63 million bond project that would have funded widespread renovations on area schools. Before the election, many people said on social media that the bonds weren’t needed because the schools would get so much money from the marijuana tax. But it’s clear from current projections the district would only receive a fraction of a fraction of the amount officials requested.
APS Superintendent John VanWagoner said he doesn’t believe that train of thought caused the proposal to fail, but said it is important for taxpayers to know marijuana revenue will not come close to what’s needed to make the improvements officials say the schools need.
The superintendent said too many people think the financial benefits in Michigan will mirror those in places like Colorado, but he cautioned people against making those comparisons, because Colorado has a higher excise tax, 15%, than Michigan.
“It isn’t going to generate the type of money people think, and it will be far less than what the lottery contributes,” VanWagoner said. “I think there is a large misconception out there about how much of an impact (marijuana) will have on the schools, municipalities and roads.”
The Michigan lottery provides about $940 million for schools in the state.
‘A LOT OF INTEREST’
Josh Hovey, who was employed by the Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol group during the campaign for legalization in Michigan, is now employed by Michigan Cannabis Industry Association. He said he expects municipalities that already allow medical marijuana sales – marijuana was legalized for medicinal purposes in 2008 — to also allow recreational pot businesses. He said he also believes other communities who have prohibited marijuana sales will sit on the sidelines for a spell to see how the law is rolled out and then opt back in at some point.
“There is only about 40 percent of the state’s population in the municipalities which have chosen to opt out, and that is about in-line with the percentages that voted no for the legalization,” he said. “Overall, we’re seeing a lot of interest from communities who want to take advantage of the jobs and tax revenue.”
Hovey said the amount of revenue generated from marijuana sales will be determined by how quickly the state grants licenses. He said the years-long rollout of medical marijuana regulations was filled with pitfalls, but he’s confident the state has learned from that experience and recreational marijuana regulations will go more smoothly.
The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs’ Marijuana Regulatory Agency will lead the implementation of the application and licensing process for the sale and distribution of the drug. Agency spokesman Dave Harns said he believes the rollout of the new law will go smoothly and on time.
He said emergency rules should be established in the next few weeks and applications should begin to be accepted in October. Harns expects the first licenses should be issued before the end of the year.
Harns said that, for the time being, business owners who have medical marijuana businesses will be the only ones eligible to get a license to sell recreational marijuana.
“They will get preference for the first two years,” Harns said. “I think that will actually help streamline the process, because we know these people, they know us and know what we expect.”
It wasn’t immediately clear how many medical marijuana shops were open in the state. One, Meds Cafe, opened this spring in Presque Isle County’s Rogers Township.
Still, the elephant in the room is whether the money captured from taxes on marijuana will live up to the promises made by those who encouraged its legalization.
Stamas said every little bit of added revenue helps, but warned the money will not be enough to address all the needs of Michigan roads and schools.
“It is not the total solution, by no means,” he said. “It is only going to be a very small slice of a very large pie, in terms of funding.”
And the mystery of why the taxes wont cover the costs is.....?
Marijuna taxes not the boon some expect
AP Photo This Feb. 17, 2016 file photo shows marijuana plants at a home in Honolulu. A growing majority of Americans say marijuana should be legal, underscoring a national shift as more states embrace cannabis for medical or recreational use. Illinois lawmakers working to legalize recreational marijuana have hit a potential snag: whether to allow people to grow a few pot plants for personal use. The 10 states that have legalized recreational marijuana have different "home grow" rules, with Michigan allowing individuals to grow as many as 12 plants and Washington state not allowing them to grow any. Home grow opponents say it fuels the black market. Proponents say people should be able to grow it if businesses sell it.
ALPENA — Despite the arguments of some proponents and misconceptions of some voters, it appears legalization of recreational marijuana will not solve the financial ills of schools or local governments.
It will have a limited impact on roads across the state, as well.
Most will welcome tax revenue generated by the sale of marijuana, but large sums of money will still need to be pumped into education and street repairs, area officials said.
Municipalities should also brace for the possibility that current marijuana tax revenue projections could be too lofty.
Proposal 1, the November 2018 ballot question through which voters legalized the sale, possession and use of marijuana in Michigan, guaranteed that marijuana buyers will pay the normal 6% Michigan sales tax. Most of that revenue goes to schools.
The new law also set a 10% excise tax on the sale of the drug. That revenue is promised to roads, schools, and the general funds of communities that allow recreational marijuana businesses to operate in their boundaries.
But, based on current projections, that revenue will not equal major windfalls for anyone.
For the next several years, the state will take the first $20 million of the annual excise tax revenue for research into the health and social impacts of marijuana. What’s left will be divided this way:
∫ 35% will go to the state’s education budget, which is divvied up among school districts around the state,
∫ 35% will go to the state roads budget, which is used by state roads agency and public works departments in counties and local governments,
∫ 15% will go to municipalities that allow marijuana businesses,
∫ and 15% for the counties where those municipalities reside.
The state Senate Fiscal Agency estimates that, for the state’s 2020 fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, total tax revenue from marijuana will be about $82 million. Of that, $59 million is projected to be from sales tax — a paltry sum for the more than $12 billion School Aid Fund – and about $23 million is expected to come from the excise tax, to be divided among the state’s hundreds of school districts and amongst some of the state’s 1,773 municipalities, and 83 counties.
Even if marijuana tax income grows to $182 million by 2023, as the Senate Fiscal Agency projects, that would equate to just $17,699 per municipality and $292,771 per county.
That’s not much to most government budgets. The City of Alpena, for example, took in $9.9 million in fiscal 2018. Alpena County took in $9.3 million.
It’s difficult to project the actual amounts each government would receive, because the money will be doled out based on the number of marijuana businesses open in a county. So far, more than 400 municipalities have prohibited marijuana businesses – including Alpena and Alpena Township — and will not be eligible for a cut of the excise tax. When governments prohibit marijuana shops, that reduces the number of places people can purchase marijuana, which could drive down sales.
It’s also difficult to project school revenue, since the state pays schools based on enrollment. If the $182 million were handed out equally, each school system would receive $96,592. However, districts like Alpena Public Schools would receive far less, because more money would go to districts such as those in Detroit, Lansing or Grand Rapids, which have far more students.
APS has a roughly $42 million annual budget.
The state’s road fund would increase by $56.7 million if $182 million in marijuana tax comes in.
INFLATED PROJECTIONS?
Some, however, believe those projections are inflated.
One of those people is state Sen. Jim Stamas, R-Midland, who represents Northeast Michigan.
Stamas is chairman of the governing board for the Senate Fiscal Agency and chairman of the state Senate Appropriations Committee. He said people and municipalities should not depend on the excise tax revenue to be a big financial boom, at least for the first year or two.
“Everybody needs to remember, these are only projections, and, over the next few years, we’ll be able to see how the growth goes across the state,” Stamas said. “Right now, I think the numbers are high, especially for the first year, and then it will sort of be a wait-and-see approach for beyond that.”
Based on the 2019-20 estimates of $23 million in excise tax revenue, municipalities would receive only $327 and counties $5,421. Each school system would get $1,800. That’s if the money were divided equally. Again, more money would go to cities with more marijuana businesses and to schools with more students.
About $1 million would be added to state road funding.
In May, voters overwhelmingly rejected Alpena Public Schools’ request for a $63 million bond project that would have funded widespread renovations on area schools. Before the election, many people said on social media that the bonds weren’t needed because the schools would get so much money from the marijuana tax. But it’s clear from current projections the district would only receive a fraction of a fraction of the amount officials requested.
APS Superintendent John VanWagoner said he doesn’t believe that train of thought caused the proposal to fail, but said it is important for taxpayers to know marijuana revenue will not come close to what’s needed to make the improvements officials say the schools need.
The superintendent said too many people think the financial benefits in Michigan will mirror those in places like Colorado, but he cautioned people against making those comparisons, because Colorado has a higher excise tax, 15%, than Michigan.
“It isn’t going to generate the type of money people think, and it will be far less than what the lottery contributes,” VanWagoner said. “I think there is a large misconception out there about how much of an impact (marijuana) will have on the schools, municipalities and roads.”
The Michigan lottery provides about $940 million for schools in the state.
‘A LOT OF INTEREST’
Josh Hovey, who was employed by the Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol group during the campaign for legalization in Michigan, is now employed by Michigan Cannabis Industry Association. He said he expects municipalities that already allow medical marijuana sales – marijuana was legalized for medicinal purposes in 2008 — to also allow recreational pot businesses. He said he also believes other communities who have prohibited marijuana sales will sit on the sidelines for a spell to see how the law is rolled out and then opt back in at some point.
“There is only about 40 percent of the state’s population in the municipalities which have chosen to opt out, and that is about in-line with the percentages that voted no for the legalization,” he said. “Overall, we’re seeing a lot of interest from communities who want to take advantage of the jobs and tax revenue.”
Hovey said the amount of revenue generated from marijuana sales will be determined by how quickly the state grants licenses. He said the years-long rollout of medical marijuana regulations was filled with pitfalls, but he’s confident the state has learned from that experience and recreational marijuana regulations will go more smoothly.
The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs’ Marijuana Regulatory Agency will lead the implementation of the application and licensing process for the sale and distribution of the drug. Agency spokesman Dave Harns said he believes the rollout of the new law will go smoothly and on time.
He said emergency rules should be established in the next few weeks and applications should begin to be accepted in October. Harns expects the first licenses should be issued before the end of the year.
Harns said that, for the time being, business owners who have medical marijuana businesses will be the only ones eligible to get a license to sell recreational marijuana.
“They will get preference for the first two years,” Harns said. “I think that will actually help streamline the process, because we know these people, they know us and know what we expect.”
It wasn’t immediately clear how many medical marijuana shops were open in the state. One, Meds Cafe, opened this spring in Presque Isle County’s Rogers Township.
Still, the elephant in the room is whether the money captured from taxes on marijuana will live up to the promises made by those who encouraged its legalization.
Stamas said every little bit of added revenue helps, but warned the money will not be enough to address all the needs of Michigan roads and schools.
“It is not the total solution, by no means,” he said. “It is only going to be a very small slice of a very large pie, in terms of funding.”
CarolKing
Always in search of the perfect vaporizer
Originally in WA state all the money from cannabis was suppose to go for schools. Now I’m not sure where it goes? Maybe the general fund? It’s not just going to schools.
I checked some goes to drug education and to cover Medicaid for folks that need medical insurance. Which are great places. Maybe I should have put this elsewhere. Just wanted to add to the conversation.
I checked some goes to drug education and to cover Medicaid for folks that need medical insurance. Which are great places. Maybe I should have put this elsewhere. Just wanted to add to the conversation.
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Shredder
Dogs like me
Way back when we voted to allow for lotteries the money was ear marked for schools. And it did, BUT, they took an identical amount out of the school budget. The cynical bastards that they are.
Now in the article their number one priority is to fund research to tell us how bad mj is, lol. If you want money for roads or schools stop the bull shit and just do it, without the political games. When you give all the money to cops don't expect good schools.
I'd like to see local tax money to go to schools but on top of current funding. And to keep it out of political hands.
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Baron23
Well-Known Member
Michigan will not allow young adults to work in cannabis
Marijuana laws can be tricky. Most of these statutes have strict possession limits and an offense can lead to legal struggles up to and including jail. The language of these laws might also allow some pot consumers to grow two plants, four plants, zero plants, and some, admittedly the strictest of the batch, won’t even allow adults access to products they can smoke. It seems that everyone has their own idea of what marijuana legalization should look like. Law enforcement and legislators seem to believe if these laws are not obeyed to the letter, well, society, as a whole, is doomed to rot in a cesspool of its own THC-induced squalor in the days to come.
Perhaps one of the strangest marijuana laws that we’ve picked up on in a while is in Michigan. Get this, while it is perfectly acceptable for adults 18 and over to sling alcoholic beverages at any given restaurant chain, those same people are not allowed to hold jobs in the up and coming cannabis industry. At least not if the position is associated with “recreational” reefer.
Anyone who wants to grow or sell weed in Michigan for the pot partiers of the state must wait until they are at least 21 years old before that is possible. However, the same restriction does not apply if their green thumb interests are in the medicinal sector. People with dreams of cultivating the herb exclusively for the sick and dying have the freedom to do so. Just as long as regulators don’t catch them near the recreational stuff.
You see, when Michigan voters headed to the polls a couple of years back to approve the recreational marijuana initiative, many failed to recognize, or maybe they just didn’t give two-flying bucks, that the document came with age restrictions. “No marihuana establishment may allow a person under 21 years of age to volunteer or work for the marihuana establishment,” the ballot measure read. This means if you just graduated high school and were hoping to skip all of that college business to get in on the ground floor of the Michigan marijuana scene, you’re going to have to wait a few years. (Might we suggest putting your application in down at the neighborhood Chilis? It seems to be a favorite Michigan hangout, and learning how to sell top-shelf margs, man, that’s a solid trade.)
Some members of the cannabis industry believe the law, as it is written, is just about as idiotic as it gets. The state has allowed people under the age of 21 to work in the medical marijuana sector for years. But now that the plant is set to be grown for the purpose of getting Michiganders red-eyed and ripped, younger adults are forbidden from working in this environment.
“You can serve alcohol at 18 and go to war at 18,” Jerry Millen, owner of the GreenHouse medical marijuana dispensary, told the Detroit Free Press. “Why are they treating marijuana like some sort of nuclear material?”
Well, weed IS the bomb.
Nevertheless, the problem here is a lot of medical marijuana companies are also interested in participating in the recreational sector. This crossover between therapy and good times is happening in nearly every state that eventually makes the transition to adult use. But any employees these places have on the payroll that are not 21 – and there are plenty – will now be forced to work strictly with medicinal plants. These businesses might have to divide their cultivation centers into two separate entities — medicinal and recreational — and assign work duties according to age.
It’s not a huge hiccup, some say, but it is just one of those annoying fine-print-details that the industry must endure.
Michigan also prevents anyone under 21 from growing weed at home. Incidentally, as with all of the pot laws passed so far in the United States, this is also the legal age for anyone wishing to buy pot from a retail outlet. But considering that the law allows residents 21 and over to grow up to 12 plants (twelve… T-W-E-L-V-E) for personal use, we seriously doubt that anyone in Michigan who wants to be high will have any trouble finding a friend to hook them up. We are even going out on a limb to say that so much weed is going to be produced soon in Michigan that you can bet your butt that all of the youngsters slaving it out at the Chilis will be stoned.
Think about that in the coming months when you order cheese fries at a restaurant and the server thinks you are saying, “We’s high.” Just don’t be surprised when he or she responds with something like, “Me too.” Also, don’t be shocked if when you do finally receive your order, it is a few fries light.
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