Basement Farmer
Well-Known Member
Roughly, what is the going black market price in MI?
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Law Michigan MMJ
- Thread starter momofthegoons
- Start date
Roughly, what is the going black market price in MI?
Baron23
Well-Known Member
Anywhere from $170 - $300 an ounce.
Shredder
Dogs like me
$150-200 in my area, but mostly questionable quality. You have to know someone (not me lol) to get the good stuff.
Caregivers that I know generally have patients and stay out of the black market.
A lot of local weed is outdoor grown and iffy quality.
Basement Farmer
Well-Known Member
Thanx guys,
My last experience I think was $120 a 1\2 (friend's friend of a friend) at discount. Seems like it was closer to $160 to strangers. It stunk bad but was potent.
Sometimes I question the economics of growing. Was recently in a flyover state with no legal laws and was impressed with their $10 grams. If I had reliable source I'm pretty sure I could live with the status quo (black market). Let the cul de sac dwellers make their purchases in neon lit boutiques while the rest of us benefit from the economics of decriminalization.
Baron23
Well-Known Member
If you agree that this situation is unacceptable, then find out how your local politicians voted and based on that, TAKE ACTION and make the paternalistic and patronizing prohibitionists and make them pay a price at the polls.
It might be good for them to have to go make an honest living, right? haha
Frustrated, Michigan? Here’s why there’s no cannabis store near you
Greetings, Michiganders! So you’re seeing news reports about the legal cannabis sales that began Dec. 1. You’re hearing that more than $200,000 worth of products went out the door on the first day of business on Sunday.
You’re thinking, “Hey, I can just drive down the street and…”
Then you realize there’s no store within a four-hour drive.
If you’re like most residents of this state just looking for a good legal bowl to smoke, you’ve felt the pain. Here are the top three reasons you don’t have a cannabis store near you, and what you can do to change that.
1. You’re in Detroit
The Detroit City Council had a full year to debate what it would look like to allow adult-use cannabis stores. They’re not unfamiliar with the product. The city and its surrounding areas already have 39 medical dispensaries, the most in the state. However, at its Nov. 5 meeting, the council decided to prohibit legal cannabis shops until at least Jan. 31, 2020, to give the city more time to craft regulations. This, despite the fact that Michigan voters approved legal cannabis stores more than a year ago.
Related
Michigan retail cannabis sales start Dec. 1: Here’s what you need to know
The end result? Urban and suburban Detroit residents won’t be able to saunter into a store near them any time soon. There is a ray of hope, however. Michigan began accepting license applications on Nov. 1, and Detroit didn’t prohibit stores until Nov. 5. In that five-day window, savvy entrepreneurs got their paperwork in to the state. So as far as state officials are concerned, they’ll be legal, and those licenses are likely to kick in before the end of the year.
2. You live in a cannabis desert
With just five recreational dispensaries open across the state for now, and all but one of them in Ann Arbor (the sole exception being Michigan Supply and Provisions in Morenci), it can be a pain to drive all that way to enjoy the fruits of nature’s labor. And even then, some of the operating shops are offering only limited selections and quantities for now.
Here’s the hard truth: Nearly 80% of cities and townships have banned adult-use cannabis stores entirely. That leaves medical dispensaries as the only option for a lot of folks. To get past the front door, you’ll need a card that costs anywhere from $60 to $150, after a process that involves getting certified by a doctor. (See Leafly’s guide to how to get your medical card in Michigan.)
Barring that, you might be left with buying weed from … you know, “Jerry’s brother.” The “not in our town” attitude that most municipalities have adopted leaves many consumers reliant on the illicit market.
Related
Michigan celebrates first legal cannabis purchases
3. Stores in your area are coming, but not yet approved
Patience, my dear patients. The state is approving new retail cannabis licenses every day. Like every state that has legalized cannabis for adult use, this initial process will evolve into a more efficient system. Product variety will explode, and prices will come down.
If you find yourself stuck in a cannabis desert, there are things you can do. You’re going to have to force a change.
Related
6 Ways to Beat a Local Cannabis Ban
What you can do about it
Related
Leafly study debunks dispensary myths around crime & teen use
It took good old-fashioned organizing and people hitting the streets to get us here in the first place. It might take more of that to get us over the finish line in Michigan.
It might be good for them to have to go make an honest living, right? haha
Frustrated, Michigan? Here’s why there’s no cannabis store near you
Greetings, Michiganders! So you’re seeing news reports about the legal cannabis sales that began Dec. 1. You’re hearing that more than $200,000 worth of products went out the door on the first day of business on Sunday.
You’re thinking, “Hey, I can just drive down the street and…”
Then you realize there’s no store within a four-hour drive.
If you’re like most residents of this state just looking for a good legal bowl to smoke, you’ve felt the pain. Here are the top three reasons you don’t have a cannabis store near you, and what you can do to change that.
1. You’re in Detroit
The Detroit City Council had a full year to debate what it would look like to allow adult-use cannabis stores. They’re not unfamiliar with the product. The city and its surrounding areas already have 39 medical dispensaries, the most in the state. However, at its Nov. 5 meeting, the council decided to prohibit legal cannabis shops until at least Jan. 31, 2020, to give the city more time to craft regulations. This, despite the fact that Michigan voters approved legal cannabis stores more than a year ago.
Related
Michigan retail cannabis sales start Dec. 1: Here’s what you need to know
The end result? Urban and suburban Detroit residents won’t be able to saunter into a store near them any time soon. There is a ray of hope, however. Michigan began accepting license applications on Nov. 1, and Detroit didn’t prohibit stores until Nov. 5. In that five-day window, savvy entrepreneurs got their paperwork in to the state. So as far as state officials are concerned, they’ll be legal, and those licenses are likely to kick in before the end of the year.
2. You live in a cannabis desert
With just five recreational dispensaries open across the state for now, and all but one of them in Ann Arbor (the sole exception being Michigan Supply and Provisions in Morenci), it can be a pain to drive all that way to enjoy the fruits of nature’s labor. And even then, some of the operating shops are offering only limited selections and quantities for now.
Here’s the hard truth: Nearly 80% of cities and townships have banned adult-use cannabis stores entirely. That leaves medical dispensaries as the only option for a lot of folks. To get past the front door, you’ll need a card that costs anywhere from $60 to $150, after a process that involves getting certified by a doctor. (See Leafly’s guide to how to get your medical card in Michigan.)
Barring that, you might be left with buying weed from … you know, “Jerry’s brother.” The “not in our town” attitude that most municipalities have adopted leaves many consumers reliant on the illicit market.
Related
Michigan celebrates first legal cannabis purchases
3. Stores in your area are coming, but not yet approved
Patience, my dear patients. The state is approving new retail cannabis licenses every day. Like every state that has legalized cannabis for adult use, this initial process will evolve into a more efficient system. Product variety will explode, and prices will come down.
If you find yourself stuck in a cannabis desert, there are things you can do. You’re going to have to force a change.
Related
6 Ways to Beat a Local Cannabis Ban
What you can do about it
- You can start by attending city council meetings. Bring the issue of cannabis to the council. Voice your opinion. Bring hard data that show the revenue and tax base available to your town. Direct town leaders to studies that found the presence of legal, regulated cannabis stores did not increase crime, did not increase underage use, and had a positive effect on nearby property values. Bring friends who agree with you, and speak up. Show your elected officials that cannabis advocates are upstanding citizens who vote.
Related
Leafly study debunks dispensary myths around crime & teen use
- Running for office is also worth considering. If your entire city council is made up of people who don’t know cannabis from rhubarb, and they’re scared of enacting the people’s will (remember that statewide legalization initiative?), run against them in the next election. It’s not that hard. You can educate people along the way, and as we’ve seen in the last few years, it can upset the apple cart and get some wheels of progress in motion.
- Petition drives are also effective. After all, it’s what got us here in the first place!
- Talk with the owner of your local medical dispensary. Find out what’s keeping them from offering adult-use products. The state is basically giving these licenses away now in the townships that allow them. Aside from partitioning their operation in some fashion to divide medical from adult-use sales, it’s really not that much of a lift for them. The increased sales alone should make it very much worth it. Let the dispensary owner know there are citizens who will support them, publicly and vocally.
It took good old-fashioned organizing and people hitting the streets to get us here in the first place. It might take more of that to get us over the finish line in Michigan.
Baron23
Well-Known Member
Purchase limits imposed as Michigan recreational marijuana shops are overwhelmed with demand
Michigan marijuana shops are slammed with business.
“Due to the high volume of customers we are currently serving, we are not able to answer your call at this time,” says the recorded message heard Wednesday when calling Arbors Wellness in Ann Arbor.
They are not alone. Ever since recreational sales commenced Sunday, Dec. 1, each of the four operating retailers have had to turn away customers at some point. Four shops generated a total of $221,000 in sales the first day.
“We’ve sustained a line all day,” Arbors Wellness owner James Daly said Wednesday. “We are working through the lines very efficiently. There’s about a 40- minute wait.”
Employees at Greenstone Provisions in Ann Arbor said there was a 2-hour wait to get into the shop as of 1 p.m. Wednesday. On Tuesday afternoon, there was an estimated 3- to 4-hour wait in order to get into Exclusive Brands Ann Arbor dispensary.
While Michigan Supply and Provisions in Morenci along the Ohio border is experiencing a “steady” flow of customers, there was no line Wednesday afternoon.
Greentone Provisions ran out of marijuana flower for sale on Sunday and Monday, forcing them to turn away hundreds of would-be customers. They’ve restocked daily.
The heavy demand has led most marijuana shops to institute purchase limits. Greenstone Provisions and Michigan Supply and Provisions in Morenci were limiting flower sales to a total of 7 grams.
Arbors Wellness is capping flower sales to an eighth of an ounce. There’s a purchase limit of 15 vaping cartridges, seven pre-rolled joints and two edible products.
The exception is Exclusive Brands.
“We’re not running out and we’re not limiting (sale) of any of our products,” co-owner Omar Hishmeh said Wednesday. “We are fully stocked and are actively adding product to the system. We will not run out of product.”
The law limits sales to 2.5 ounces of flower, including up to 15 grams of concentrate.
While business owners insist there is no imminent product shortage, the pace at which in-store inventory is leaving makes real-time resupplying difficult.
There are currently only three licensed recreational marijuana processing facilities and one licensed secure transportation business in the state.
Businesses like Greenstone Provisions and Michigan Supply and Provisions are at the mercy of their competiton for much of their inventory. The three existing processors are owned by competitors. Exclusive Brands and Arbors Wellness each have own a processing facility. The third is owned by Green Peak, one of the state’s largest marijuana industry players. Green Peak is preparing to launch retail locations across the state, including one already licensed in Ann Arbor, although the Ann Arbor locations, Skymint, 1958 S. Industrial Hwy., has yet to accept recreational business.
Lit Provisioning Centers in Evart plan to open to recreational customers Friday, Dec. 6 and the state licensed White Cloud Wellness, 194 n. Charles in White Cloud, 231-792-6080, for retail sales Wednesday. It’s not yet clear when they’ll begin accepting recreational customers.
Michigan marijuana shops are slammed with business.
“Due to the high volume of customers we are currently serving, we are not able to answer your call at this time,” says the recorded message heard Wednesday when calling Arbors Wellness in Ann Arbor.
They are not alone. Ever since recreational sales commenced Sunday, Dec. 1, each of the four operating retailers have had to turn away customers at some point. Four shops generated a total of $221,000 in sales the first day.
“We’ve sustained a line all day,” Arbors Wellness owner James Daly said Wednesday. “We are working through the lines very efficiently. There’s about a 40- minute wait.”
Employees at Greenstone Provisions in Ann Arbor said there was a 2-hour wait to get into the shop as of 1 p.m. Wednesday. On Tuesday afternoon, there was an estimated 3- to 4-hour wait in order to get into Exclusive Brands Ann Arbor dispensary.
While Michigan Supply and Provisions in Morenci along the Ohio border is experiencing a “steady” flow of customers, there was no line Wednesday afternoon.
Greentone Provisions ran out of marijuana flower for sale on Sunday and Monday, forcing them to turn away hundreds of would-be customers. They’ve restocked daily.
The heavy demand has led most marijuana shops to institute purchase limits. Greenstone Provisions and Michigan Supply and Provisions in Morenci were limiting flower sales to a total of 7 grams.
Arbors Wellness is capping flower sales to an eighth of an ounce. There’s a purchase limit of 15 vaping cartridges, seven pre-rolled joints and two edible products.
The exception is Exclusive Brands.
“We’re not running out and we’re not limiting (sale) of any of our products,” co-owner Omar Hishmeh said Wednesday. “We are fully stocked and are actively adding product to the system. We will not run out of product.”
The law limits sales to 2.5 ounces of flower, including up to 15 grams of concentrate.
While business owners insist there is no imminent product shortage, the pace at which in-store inventory is leaving makes real-time resupplying difficult.
There are currently only three licensed recreational marijuana processing facilities and one licensed secure transportation business in the state.
Businesses like Greenstone Provisions and Michigan Supply and Provisions are at the mercy of their competiton for much of their inventory. The three existing processors are owned by competitors. Exclusive Brands and Arbors Wellness each have own a processing facility. The third is owned by Green Peak, one of the state’s largest marijuana industry players. Green Peak is preparing to launch retail locations across the state, including one already licensed in Ann Arbor, although the Ann Arbor locations, Skymint, 1958 S. Industrial Hwy., has yet to accept recreational business.
Lit Provisioning Centers in Evart plan to open to recreational customers Friday, Dec. 6 and the state licensed White Cloud Wellness, 194 n. Charles in White Cloud, 231-792-6080, for retail sales Wednesday. It’s not yet clear when they’ll begin accepting recreational customers.
Yeah.... no one saw this coming.
There's a news clip that couldn't be embedded.... follow title link to view
Evart Recreational Marijuana Business Opens Doors
The sale of marijuana is legal in Michigan. On Friday, hundreds of people filled a recreational marijuana shop in Osceola County for their first day of sales.
Lit Provisioning Centers in Evart is the first in northern Michigan to sell legal, recreational marijuana.
Their opening comes more than a year after voters in Michigan approved legalizing marijuana.
Lisa Higgins was one of the hundreds of people who drove hundreds of miles to stand in line for a chance to be one of the first to buy legal recreational marijuana in Evart.
“I got the gummies and some flower so that’s really the options for today,” said Higgins.
From the second the store opened, it was filled with customers eager for a chance to buy the now legal product.
“I don’t know really what to say, it’s just a big deal, we’ve been waiting a long time and I just wanted to support small businesses too since they support me,” said Higgins.
Lume Cannabis President and COO Doug Hellyar says within an hour of opening the store did $2,500 in sales.
“I think it shows that there’s a lot of pent up demand in Michigan for high quality 100 percent compliant tested safe product, and we expect to have heavy volume going forward,” said Hellyar.
And Hellyar says he’s already working to grow the recreational marijuana industry in Evart.
“We have 4,600 square feet of cultivation, but we’re in the process of tripling that in the coming year and that’s all going to be right here in Evart. We employ 60 people now here in Evart that will be in the 100s in the next couple of years,” said Hellyar.
But for people like Lisa, Friday was about embracing change, and doing something she’s waited years for.
“We just relocated back from Texas and we moved in August and the vote was in November it was just exciting. It has a bad rap, and I think a lot of people have known for a long time that it was okay but now we’re here,” said Higgins.
Evart Recreational Marijuana Business Opens Doors
The sale of marijuana is legal in Michigan. On Friday, hundreds of people filled a recreational marijuana shop in Osceola County for their first day of sales.
Lit Provisioning Centers in Evart is the first in northern Michigan to sell legal, recreational marijuana.
Their opening comes more than a year after voters in Michigan approved legalizing marijuana.
Lisa Higgins was one of the hundreds of people who drove hundreds of miles to stand in line for a chance to be one of the first to buy legal recreational marijuana in Evart.
“I got the gummies and some flower so that’s really the options for today,” said Higgins.
From the second the store opened, it was filled with customers eager for a chance to buy the now legal product.
“I don’t know really what to say, it’s just a big deal, we’ve been waiting a long time and I just wanted to support small businesses too since they support me,” said Higgins.
Lume Cannabis President and COO Doug Hellyar says within an hour of opening the store did $2,500 in sales.
“I think it shows that there’s a lot of pent up demand in Michigan for high quality 100 percent compliant tested safe product, and we expect to have heavy volume going forward,” said Hellyar.
And Hellyar says he’s already working to grow the recreational marijuana industry in Evart.
“We have 4,600 square feet of cultivation, but we’re in the process of tripling that in the coming year and that’s all going to be right here in Evart. We employ 60 people now here in Evart that will be in the 100s in the next couple of years,” said Hellyar.
But for people like Lisa, Friday was about embracing change, and doing something she’s waited years for.
“We just relocated back from Texas and we moved in August and the vote was in November it was just exciting. It has a bad rap, and I think a lot of people have known for a long time that it was okay but now we’re here,” said Higgins.
Mt. Morris business to sell recreational marijuana next month
Recreational marijuana will soon be available in Mid-Michigan.
Less than a week after recreational sales began for the first time in Michigan, the state has issued more licenses across the state.
A dispensary in Mid-Michigan may be the next to see long lines of eager customers.
“Well I thought it was great,” said Chad Wurtzel, owner of Elite Wellness in Mt. Morris. “It’s going to be a great thing for the community and the area that we live in.”
Wurtzel’s business just obtained its marijuana retailer license from the state of Michigan, paving the way for sales of recreational marijuana to start soon.
“We will have multiple strains of flour,” Wurtzel said. “We will have state tested vape cartridges that will be cleared of the vitamin E incident. We will also have gummies, edibles, topicals, capsules. You name it. If they make it, we’ll have it.”
Wurtzel said he will start selling recreational marijuana on Jan. 1.
He said waiting a few weeks will ensure that there is enough marijuana for those with medical marijuana cards and recreational customers.
“We believe that the supply chain will be filled up by then,” Wurtzel said. “Our ultimate goal is to meet the needs of the parents.”
The sale of recreational marijuana also means new opportunities for employment at the business.
“We’re going to create more jobs here,” Wurtzel said. “In the near future, we’ll probably bring on 10 to 15 more. And then down the road when the processor opens up as well as the grow it could be 50 plus.”
Wurtzel believes that this is a great time to be in the marijuana business.
He thinks this is the beginning of an economic boom for the Great Lakes state.
“It’s going to create many new opportunities in this area and I think it’s just going to do really good for the state of Michigan,” Wurtzel said.
Recreational marijuana will soon be available in Mid-Michigan.
Less than a week after recreational sales began for the first time in Michigan, the state has issued more licenses across the state.
A dispensary in Mid-Michigan may be the next to see long lines of eager customers.
“Well I thought it was great,” said Chad Wurtzel, owner of Elite Wellness in Mt. Morris. “It’s going to be a great thing for the community and the area that we live in.”
Wurtzel’s business just obtained its marijuana retailer license from the state of Michigan, paving the way for sales of recreational marijuana to start soon.
“We will have multiple strains of flour,” Wurtzel said. “We will have state tested vape cartridges that will be cleared of the vitamin E incident. We will also have gummies, edibles, topicals, capsules. You name it. If they make it, we’ll have it.”
Wurtzel said he will start selling recreational marijuana on Jan. 1.
He said waiting a few weeks will ensure that there is enough marijuana for those with medical marijuana cards and recreational customers.
“We believe that the supply chain will be filled up by then,” Wurtzel said. “Our ultimate goal is to meet the needs of the parents.”
The sale of recreational marijuana also means new opportunities for employment at the business.
“We’re going to create more jobs here,” Wurtzel said. “In the near future, we’ll probably bring on 10 to 15 more. And then down the road when the processor opens up as well as the grow it could be 50 plus.”
Wurtzel believes that this is a great time to be in the marijuana business.
He thinks this is the beginning of an economic boom for the Great Lakes state.
“It’s going to create many new opportunities in this area and I think it’s just going to do really good for the state of Michigan,” Wurtzel said.
Small Town Politics Punt on Pot: No Pro-Cannabis Members on Grand Haven’s City Council
Cannabis advocate Jamie Cooper is passed over for appointed seat on the Grand Haven City Council.
Cannabis advocate-turned small town politician Jamie Cooper fought a hard race for a seat on her hometown of Grand Haven’s City Council. Her progressive platform included education on cannabis in Michigan’s emerging market, and her perspective as a woman, wife, mother, and businesswoman, for positive change in her community. And, though she lost out to male counterparts with a 22.8 percent margin, she shook the tree by stepping up and advocating for cannabis.
Cooper, who holds a BS in Mass Communication from West Texas A&M University, initially worked as a television news producer. She also worked in travel and tourism, hoping to add to the county’s tourism dollars. With experience in marketing, sales, and business coaching, she founded and is CEO of Cannabiz Connection, a networking organization in the cannabis space that holds Chamber of Commerce-type mixers for the industry throughout the state. She’s also the Publisher of Detroit’s Sensi Magazine, a national cannabis publication.
Knocking on doors with her young son, Cooper challenged Michigan’s most conservative region, challenging Ottawa County voters face-to-face, discussing community concerns, with a bonus of being fully educated on the fastest growing, multi-billion dollar industry in the country—cannabis.
After the race ended, a spot was left open on the five member council, with Cooper’s supporters vocal that she be appointed both locally and on social media within the national cannabis community.
Fellow running mate, Collin Beighley, who garnered just 9.1 percent in the general election, then declined to interview for the appointed seat, stating he’d try again in the next election, and could do more for the community sitting on one of its many boards until then.
Beighley spoke out for Cooper, stating, “I would also like to put my support behind Jamie Cooper, she has shown an aptitude for this work— and she was [third] in votes during the actual election.”
Another strong supporter was Ann Haruki, Communications Director for Grand Haven Area Public Schools, sharing, “I encourage my City Council to appoint Jamie Cooper. She put time and effort into her campaign. Clearly there is support for Jamie to have a seat at the table.”
Popular Grand Haven Holistic Healthcare Practitioner and licensed massage therapist, Rebecca Neil, spoke out in favor of Cooper via a Letter to the Editor of the Grand Haven Tribune, “I would like to see a woman appointed to the open seat… Jamie has a huge vision—one that instills diversity, inclusion, and the expansion of our community from lifelong experiences, passion, and more. I believe change is something we are in need of.”
President and 20-year member of the Board of Education for the Grand Haven Area Public Schools, John Siemion, wrote a letter to council members urging them to give Cooper the seat, writing, in part, “Fortunately, this is not a popularity contest and you get the chance to appoint someone best suited to fill that empty seat. I feel that Jamie Cooper has those qualities. As it is right now there are no women on the city council and I personally feel that there should be at least one on… I urge you to appoint Jamie to the open seat.”
Mike Fritz has occupied his seat on the council for 16 years, winning another term that will eventually make him a 20-year veteran of local politics. An unnamed source close to the race informed that Fritz was so confident of his seat he didn’t campaign and failed to attend all three hosted forums with the other candidates.
Courtesy of Jamie Cooper
The Cannabis Challenge in Conservative Communities
Change is a slow progression in a conservative state. And though the country’s more conservative areas have surprised everyone with seats going to progressive politicians, it seems Grand Haven’s popularity contest is alive and well.
Shunning respected members of the community urging that the Grand Haven City Council appoint a woman to the seat, the council remains all-male, with the pick for the appointed seat given to Mike Dora, who nearly ran for the set, but then declined due to personal reasons.
He’s sat on the City Planning Commission since 2015, but several searches came up dry for any information on his work history, with no social media accounts or newsworthy mentions of him in the community to be found, though he’s a lifelong resident.
Interesting to note, the source went on to say, Cooper worked as a member of the Musical Fountain Committee nearly as long as Dora’s stint on the planning commission. While Dora was openly praised prior to the appointment for his service as a deciding factor; there was no mention of Cooper’s community service, or her extensive work in the community regarding cannabis, or her work advancing education statewide.
So, why would the council appoint a man who never ran for anything, as opposed to a woman who showed up and did the work with recognized intent? Word on the street is the good old boy faction is alive and well in Grand Haven, with supporters posting their disbelief on social media, regarding Dora’s appointment.
“In a city that wasn’t run by white haired, white men, you would have easily won,” Rob Corbett, CEO of Bodhi Media, said of her pass in a county where women make up more than 50 percent of the population (July 2018 Census).
We’ll never know if Cooper’s platform for cannabis education was an issue. We in the cannabis community only know the truth of her message. One thing is certain, she started the conversation in a very big way, opening up doors and minds for others to follow.
“I’m a little disappointed there won’t be a female perspective, or someone with a young family on the council, but the deed is done and it is what it is,” she wrote in concession via social media. “I’m unsure what my next steps will be, as far as community involvement and politics, but my goal is the same – to help make Grand Haven a better place to live – a more progressive place to live.”
Cannabis advocate Jamie Cooper is passed over for appointed seat on the Grand Haven City Council.
Cannabis advocate-turned small town politician Jamie Cooper fought a hard race for a seat on her hometown of Grand Haven’s City Council. Her progressive platform included education on cannabis in Michigan’s emerging market, and her perspective as a woman, wife, mother, and businesswoman, for positive change in her community. And, though she lost out to male counterparts with a 22.8 percent margin, she shook the tree by stepping up and advocating for cannabis.
Cooper, who holds a BS in Mass Communication from West Texas A&M University, initially worked as a television news producer. She also worked in travel and tourism, hoping to add to the county’s tourism dollars. With experience in marketing, sales, and business coaching, she founded and is CEO of Cannabiz Connection, a networking organization in the cannabis space that holds Chamber of Commerce-type mixers for the industry throughout the state. She’s also the Publisher of Detroit’s Sensi Magazine, a national cannabis publication.
Knocking on doors with her young son, Cooper challenged Michigan’s most conservative region, challenging Ottawa County voters face-to-face, discussing community concerns, with a bonus of being fully educated on the fastest growing, multi-billion dollar industry in the country—cannabis.
After the race ended, a spot was left open on the five member council, with Cooper’s supporters vocal that she be appointed both locally and on social media within the national cannabis community.
Fellow running mate, Collin Beighley, who garnered just 9.1 percent in the general election, then declined to interview for the appointed seat, stating he’d try again in the next election, and could do more for the community sitting on one of its many boards until then.
Beighley spoke out for Cooper, stating, “I would also like to put my support behind Jamie Cooper, she has shown an aptitude for this work— and she was [third] in votes during the actual election.”
Another strong supporter was Ann Haruki, Communications Director for Grand Haven Area Public Schools, sharing, “I encourage my City Council to appoint Jamie Cooper. She put time and effort into her campaign. Clearly there is support for Jamie to have a seat at the table.”
Popular Grand Haven Holistic Healthcare Practitioner and licensed massage therapist, Rebecca Neil, spoke out in favor of Cooper via a Letter to the Editor of the Grand Haven Tribune, “I would like to see a woman appointed to the open seat… Jamie has a huge vision—one that instills diversity, inclusion, and the expansion of our community from lifelong experiences, passion, and more. I believe change is something we are in need of.”
President and 20-year member of the Board of Education for the Grand Haven Area Public Schools, John Siemion, wrote a letter to council members urging them to give Cooper the seat, writing, in part, “Fortunately, this is not a popularity contest and you get the chance to appoint someone best suited to fill that empty seat. I feel that Jamie Cooper has those qualities. As it is right now there are no women on the city council and I personally feel that there should be at least one on… I urge you to appoint Jamie to the open seat.”
Mike Fritz has occupied his seat on the council for 16 years, winning another term that will eventually make him a 20-year veteran of local politics. An unnamed source close to the race informed that Fritz was so confident of his seat he didn’t campaign and failed to attend all three hosted forums with the other candidates.
Courtesy of Jamie Cooper
The Cannabis Challenge in Conservative Communities
Change is a slow progression in a conservative state. And though the country’s more conservative areas have surprised everyone with seats going to progressive politicians, it seems Grand Haven’s popularity contest is alive and well.
Shunning respected members of the community urging that the Grand Haven City Council appoint a woman to the seat, the council remains all-male, with the pick for the appointed seat given to Mike Dora, who nearly ran for the set, but then declined due to personal reasons.
He’s sat on the City Planning Commission since 2015, but several searches came up dry for any information on his work history, with no social media accounts or newsworthy mentions of him in the community to be found, though he’s a lifelong resident.
Interesting to note, the source went on to say, Cooper worked as a member of the Musical Fountain Committee nearly as long as Dora’s stint on the planning commission. While Dora was openly praised prior to the appointment for his service as a deciding factor; there was no mention of Cooper’s community service, or her extensive work in the community regarding cannabis, or her work advancing education statewide.
So, why would the council appoint a man who never ran for anything, as opposed to a woman who showed up and did the work with recognized intent? Word on the street is the good old boy faction is alive and well in Grand Haven, with supporters posting their disbelief on social media, regarding Dora’s appointment.
“In a city that wasn’t run by white haired, white men, you would have easily won,” Rob Corbett, CEO of Bodhi Media, said of her pass in a county where women make up more than 50 percent of the population (July 2018 Census).
We’ll never know if Cooper’s platform for cannabis education was an issue. We in the cannabis community only know the truth of her message. One thing is certain, she started the conversation in a very big way, opening up doors and minds for others to follow.
“I’m a little disappointed there won’t be a female perspective, or someone with a young family on the council, but the deed is done and it is what it is,” she wrote in concession via social media. “I’m unsure what my next steps will be, as far as community involvement and politics, but my goal is the same – to help make Grand Haven a better place to live – a more progressive place to live.”
Baron23
Well-Known Member
22% sounds more like a rout than a margin....wow, tha's sure shaking some tree dere', tink! haha
Shredder
Dogs like me
Small Town Politics Punt on Pot: No Pro-Cannabis Members on Grand Haven’s City Council
Cannabis advocate Jamie Cooper is passed over for appointed seat on the Grand Haven City Council.
Cannabis advocate-turned small town politician Jamie Cooper fought a hard race for a seat on her hometown of Grand Haven’s City Council. Her progressive platform included education on cannabis in Michigan’s emerging market, and her perspective as a woman, wife, mother, and businesswoman, for positive change in her community. And, though she lost out to male counterparts with a 22.8 percent margin, she shook the tree by stepping up and advocating for cannabis.
Cooper, who holds a BS in Mass Communication from West Texas A&M University, initially worked as a television news producer. She also worked in travel and tourism, hoping to add to the county’s tourism dollars. With experience in marketing, sales, and business coaching, she founded and is CEO of Cannabiz Connection, a networking organization in the cannabis space that holds Chamber of Commerce-type mixers for the industry throughout the state. She’s also the Publisher of Detroit’s Sensi Magazine, a national cannabis publication.
Knocking on doors with her young son, Cooper challenged Michigan’s most conservative region, challenging Ottawa County voters face-to-face, discussing community concerns, with a bonus of being fully educated on the fastest growing, multi-billion dollar industry in the country—cannabis.
After the race ended, a spot was left open on the five member council, with Cooper’s supporters vocal that she be appointed both locally and on social media within the national cannabis community.
Fellow running mate, Collin Beighley, who garnered just 9.1 percent in the general election, then declined to interview for the appointed seat, stating he’d try again in the next election, and could do more for the community sitting on one of its many boards until then.
Beighley spoke out for Cooper, stating, “I would also like to put my support behind Jamie Cooper, she has shown an aptitude for this work— and she was [third] in votes during the actual election.”
Another strong supporter was Ann Haruki, Communications Director for Grand Haven Area Public Schools, sharing, “I encourage my City Council to appoint Jamie Cooper. She put time and effort into her campaign. Clearly there is support for Jamie to have a seat at the table.”
Popular Grand Haven Holistic Healthcare Practitioner and licensed massage therapist, Rebecca Neil, spoke out in favor of Cooper via a Letter to the Editor of the Grand Haven Tribune, “I would like to see a woman appointed to the open seat… Jamie has a huge vision—one that instills diversity, inclusion, and the expansion of our community from lifelong experiences, passion, and more. I believe change is something we are in need of.”
President and 20-year member of the Board of Education for the Grand Haven Area Public Schools, John Siemion, wrote a letter to council members urging them to give Cooper the seat, writing, in part, “Fortunately, this is not a popularity contest and you get the chance to appoint someone best suited to fill that empty seat. I feel that Jamie Cooper has those qualities. As it is right now there are no women on the city council and I personally feel that there should be at least one on… I urge you to appoint Jamie to the open seat.”
Mike Fritz has occupied his seat on the council for 16 years, winning another term that will eventually make him a 20-year veteran of local politics. An unnamed source close to the race informed that Fritz was so confident of his seat he didn’t campaign and failed to attend all three hosted forums with the other candidates.
Courtesy of Jamie Cooper
The Cannabis Challenge in Conservative Communities
Change is a slow progression in a conservative state. And though the country’s more conservative areas have surprised everyone with seats going to progressive politicians, it seems Grand Haven’s popularity contest is alive and well.
Shunning respected members of the community urging that the Grand Haven City Council appoint a woman to the seat, the council remains all-male, with the pick for the appointed seat given to Mike Dora, who nearly ran for the set, but then declined due to personal reasons.
He’s sat on the City Planning Commission since 2015, but several searches came up dry for any information on his work history, with no social media accounts or newsworthy mentions of him in the community to be found, though he’s a lifelong resident.
Interesting to note, the source went on to say, Cooper worked as a member of the Musical Fountain Committee nearly as long as Dora’s stint on the planning commission. While Dora was openly praised prior to the appointment for his service as a deciding factor; there was no mention of Cooper’s community service, or her extensive work in the community regarding cannabis, or her work advancing education statewide.
So, why would the council appoint a man who never ran for anything, as opposed to a woman who showed up and did the work with recognized intent? Word on the street is the good old boy faction is alive and well in Grand Haven, with supporters posting their disbelief on social media, regarding Dora’s appointment.
“In a city that wasn’t run by white haired, white men, you would have easily won,” Rob Corbett, CEO of Bodhi Media, said of her pass in a county where women make up more than 50 percent of the population (July 2018 Census).
We’ll never know if Cooper’s platform for cannabis education was an issue. We in the cannabis community only know the truth of her message. One thing is certain, she started the conversation in a very big way, opening up doors and minds for others to follow.
“I’m a little disappointed there won’t be a female perspective, or someone with a young family on the council, but the deed is done and it is what it is,” she wrote in concession via social media. “I’m unsure what my next steps will be, as far as community involvement and politics, but my goal is the same – to help make Grand Haven a better place to live – a more progressive place to live.”
Having worked in that area, I gotta agree with the author. White and Christian with all the predigest that could possibly imply.
How Do Activists in Michigan Feel About the Rollout of Adult-Use Marijuana Sales?
With the recent start of adult-use marijuana sales in Michigan, the eyes of many in the cannabis community have been on the state. A successful rollout there is not only obviously important to cannabis consumers in the state, but also to activists and consumers around the country. Lawmakers in other states – like Illinois, in particular – are watching to see what goes right and wrong with the start of sales.
“From my view, the rollout of the recreational market has been a rollercoaster ride,” Josh Hovey, who served as a spokesperson on the 2018 legalization campaign, told The Marijuana Times. “On the upside, the state worked pretty quickly to develop the rules and regulations for the adult-use market and began accepting applications a month earlier than required by the passage of Proposal 1 in 2018.
“On the downside, there are a lot of issues that are preventing the licensed market from taking shape. Too many municipalities have been slow to adopt their own zoning and local licensing laws. Every community that opts to ban adult-use marijuana businesses is essentially encouraging the proliferation of the black market.”
Others are not happy with the way the state decided to structure the rollout of recreational sales. “Our members were very disappointed with the roll out of Michigan’s adult-use sales,” Robin Schneider, Executive Director of Michigan Cannabis Industry Association, told us. “The Marijuana Regulatory Agency repeatedly publicly stated that due to the product shortage in our medical program they would not allow for the transfer of medical marijuana to be used for recreational sales. Their sudden announcement that recreational facilities could transfer up to 50% of their medical inventory beginning on December 1st created a statewide inventory crisis for Provisioning Centers in medical only cities.
“The increased demand for product in Ann Arbor has caused the wholesale price on cannabis to increase to over $5000 per pound and has further depleted our scarce medical supply. Our members had been planning and projecting for the adult-use sales to begin when the recreational plants were grown and harvested, closer to spring of 2020. We do not view using the limited supply of medical marijuana that was grown under the pretense as ‘safe access’ for patients to be used to launch the recreational program early as the responsible roll-out of an adult-use program.” Robin anticipates that wholesale prices will continue to increase statewide and that stores will continue to run out of product and both adult-use consumers and patients will be forced back to the illicit market due to the fact that there are only about 100,000 plants tagged in the state’s medical marijuana tracking system with no recreational grows online as of yet.
“The state should have stuck to their original plan and built the infrastructure for a sustainable supply rather than launching recreational sales early using medical marijuana,” Robin said.
Josh agrees that more time would likely have been beneficial. “I also think the state could have been more fair in the way it is allowing the adult-use market to rollout,” he said. “Instead of licensing only a few businesses at the start of recreational sales, I would have preferred that the state waited until there were 20-30 businesses ready and then allowed all of them to open at the same time. By opening sales on Dec. 1 with only three stores open, they have given a huge advantage to a very select group of businesses.”
Problems are to be expected in the beginning of an undertaking like this, but too many problems can do real and lasting damage to the industry in the long-term, which is not good for consumers. It looks like it will be a long time before Michigan has anything approaching a decent legal cannabis industry.
With the recent start of adult-use marijuana sales in Michigan, the eyes of many in the cannabis community have been on the state. A successful rollout there is not only obviously important to cannabis consumers in the state, but also to activists and consumers around the country. Lawmakers in other states – like Illinois, in particular – are watching to see what goes right and wrong with the start of sales.
“From my view, the rollout of the recreational market has been a rollercoaster ride,” Josh Hovey, who served as a spokesperson on the 2018 legalization campaign, told The Marijuana Times. “On the upside, the state worked pretty quickly to develop the rules and regulations for the adult-use market and began accepting applications a month earlier than required by the passage of Proposal 1 in 2018.
“On the downside, there are a lot of issues that are preventing the licensed market from taking shape. Too many municipalities have been slow to adopt their own zoning and local licensing laws. Every community that opts to ban adult-use marijuana businesses is essentially encouraging the proliferation of the black market.”
Others are not happy with the way the state decided to structure the rollout of recreational sales. “Our members were very disappointed with the roll out of Michigan’s adult-use sales,” Robin Schneider, Executive Director of Michigan Cannabis Industry Association, told us. “The Marijuana Regulatory Agency repeatedly publicly stated that due to the product shortage in our medical program they would not allow for the transfer of medical marijuana to be used for recreational sales. Their sudden announcement that recreational facilities could transfer up to 50% of their medical inventory beginning on December 1st created a statewide inventory crisis for Provisioning Centers in medical only cities.
“The increased demand for product in Ann Arbor has caused the wholesale price on cannabis to increase to over $5000 per pound and has further depleted our scarce medical supply. Our members had been planning and projecting for the adult-use sales to begin when the recreational plants were grown and harvested, closer to spring of 2020. We do not view using the limited supply of medical marijuana that was grown under the pretense as ‘safe access’ for patients to be used to launch the recreational program early as the responsible roll-out of an adult-use program.” Robin anticipates that wholesale prices will continue to increase statewide and that stores will continue to run out of product and both adult-use consumers and patients will be forced back to the illicit market due to the fact that there are only about 100,000 plants tagged in the state’s medical marijuana tracking system with no recreational grows online as of yet.
“The state should have stuck to their original plan and built the infrastructure for a sustainable supply rather than launching recreational sales early using medical marijuana,” Robin said.
Josh agrees that more time would likely have been beneficial. “I also think the state could have been more fair in the way it is allowing the adult-use market to rollout,” he said. “Instead of licensing only a few businesses at the start of recreational sales, I would have preferred that the state waited until there were 20-30 businesses ready and then allowed all of them to open at the same time. By opening sales on Dec. 1 with only three stores open, they have given a huge advantage to a very select group of businesses.”
Problems are to be expected in the beginning of an undertaking like this, but too many problems can do real and lasting damage to the industry in the long-term, which is not good for consumers. It looks like it will be a long time before Michigan has anything approaching a decent legal cannabis industry.
There's a short news clip that couldn't be embedded. To view follow title link.
Group pushes for inclusion, equality in Michigan marijuana industry
New bill would streamline expungement
DETROIT – With recreational marijuana recently becoming legal in Michigan, a group is pushing for opportunities for those sent to prison because of pot.
“It’s sick that hundreds of millions of dollars are about to be made, but the people that have been hurt the most have been shut out,” Rep. Isaac Robinson (D-Detroit) said.
Robinson, Rep. Jewell Jones (D-Inkster) and a former cocaine kingpin, “Freeway” Rick Ross, teamed up Monday to rally for inclusion and equality in the cannabis industry.
“When I found out that cocaine was destroying my community, I feel that I had made a mistake. But now here with marijuana it’s a totally different,” Ross said. “Not only do I want to make sure that I’m able to win but I want to make sure that other people who look like me, who think like me, that we’re allowed to keep up with this process."
Ross was sentenced to a life sentence behind bars, but he was released and now hopes to help other people. That begins with a new bill that would include criminal justice reform benefiting those in prison for marijuana convictions.
“Our bill, House Bill 5120, will streamline the expungement process for over 235,000 marijuana convictions within 60 days of someone filling out an application,” Robinson said. “People who suffered from the war on drugs are going make millions, too. It’s all about everybody in and nobody out.”
The bill has passed in the House and now needs to pass in the Senate. A bill addressing social equality in regards to marijuana is also in the works.
Group pushes for inclusion, equality in Michigan marijuana industry
New bill would streamline expungement
DETROIT – With recreational marijuana recently becoming legal in Michigan, a group is pushing for opportunities for those sent to prison because of pot.
“It’s sick that hundreds of millions of dollars are about to be made, but the people that have been hurt the most have been shut out,” Rep. Isaac Robinson (D-Detroit) said.
Robinson, Rep. Jewell Jones (D-Inkster) and a former cocaine kingpin, “Freeway” Rick Ross, teamed up Monday to rally for inclusion and equality in the cannabis industry.
“When I found out that cocaine was destroying my community, I feel that I had made a mistake. But now here with marijuana it’s a totally different,” Ross said. “Not only do I want to make sure that I’m able to win but I want to make sure that other people who look like me, who think like me, that we’re allowed to keep up with this process."
Ross was sentenced to a life sentence behind bars, but he was released and now hopes to help other people. That begins with a new bill that would include criminal justice reform benefiting those in prison for marijuana convictions.
“Our bill, House Bill 5120, will streamline the expungement process for over 235,000 marijuana convictions within 60 days of someone filling out an application,” Robinson said. “People who suffered from the war on drugs are going make millions, too. It’s all about everybody in and nobody out.”
The bill has passed in the House and now needs to pass in the Senate. A bill addressing social equality in regards to marijuana is also in the works.
There's a news clip that couldn't be embedded. Follow title link to view.
UPDATE: Leoni Twp. board approves recreational marijuana licenses for two businesses
LEONI TWP., MI – Two Jackson County businesses took another step, in joining the growing list of recreational marijuana businesses opening in Michigan.
Three recreational marijuana licenses were up for discussion at the Tuesday night Leoni Township Board of Trustees meeting.
The board considered two licenses for Choice Labs– one for retail and one for processing, and a secure transport license for Evergreen Logistics.
The licenses are the first locally approved in Jackson county.
“I’m very much in favor of it. I have been a medical marijuana patient for five years. I think it will be a boom to Leoni township bringing in outside people that will support our local businesses,” Pearl Sullivan, a Leoni Township resident of 36 years said.
Kurt Cole was one of the trustees who voted no.
“The state still hasn’t released their final laws and rules they were going to set forth to govern this,” Cole said, adding that he felt like it was a risk to residents to opt into something if they don’t know exactly what they’re opting into.
According to Cole, Leoni Township is the only township in the state of Michigan that has its own police enforcement over those licenses. That person, Sergeant Steve Stowe said so far there hasn’t been anything to worry about.
“I think most residents just want to know that they’re safe. We have seen no noticeable increase in crime since we started this,” Sgt. Cole said.
The businesses now only need to get final approval from state regulators, They’ve got 90 days to decide on applications, per state law.
Ten businesses have obtained retail licenses for recreational marijuana in Michigan so far and half are based in Ann Arbor.
If Choice Labs is approved for retails sales, the businesses would be at the same location as its medical marijuana store, 3331 Page Ave, according to our media partners at MLIVE.com
UPDATE: Leoni Twp. board approves recreational marijuana licenses for two businesses
LEONI TWP., MI – Two Jackson County businesses took another step, in joining the growing list of recreational marijuana businesses opening in Michigan.
Three recreational marijuana licenses were up for discussion at the Tuesday night Leoni Township Board of Trustees meeting.
The board considered two licenses for Choice Labs– one for retail and one for processing, and a secure transport license for Evergreen Logistics.
The licenses are the first locally approved in Jackson county.
“I’m very much in favor of it. I have been a medical marijuana patient for five years. I think it will be a boom to Leoni township bringing in outside people that will support our local businesses,” Pearl Sullivan, a Leoni Township resident of 36 years said.
Kurt Cole was one of the trustees who voted no.
“The state still hasn’t released their final laws and rules they were going to set forth to govern this,” Cole said, adding that he felt like it was a risk to residents to opt into something if they don’t know exactly what they’re opting into.
According to Cole, Leoni Township is the only township in the state of Michigan that has its own police enforcement over those licenses. That person, Sergeant Steve Stowe said so far there hasn’t been anything to worry about.
“I think most residents just want to know that they’re safe. We have seen no noticeable increase in crime since we started this,” Sgt. Cole said.
The businesses now only need to get final approval from state regulators, They’ve got 90 days to decide on applications, per state law.
Ten businesses have obtained retail licenses for recreational marijuana in Michigan so far and half are based in Ann Arbor.
If Choice Labs is approved for retails sales, the businesses would be at the same location as its medical marijuana store, 3331 Page Ave, according to our media partners at MLIVE.com
Two Marijuana 'Speakeasies' Busted By Michigan State Police
GENESEE TWP. (WWJ) - Michigan State Police have busted a couple of Flint-area marijuana speakeasies that were allegedly selling untested products over the counter.
The MSP's Marijuana and Tobacco Enforcement Division executed search warrants at Liberty Meds Lounge, on Center Road in Genesee Township, and The Rec Center, on Dort Highway in Mt. Morris Township, after receiving tips from the community that marijuana was being sold out in the open and without a license.
"There was no ruse. You could basically go in and buy marijuana. I mean, you didn't have to have a medical card. You were just able to go in and purchase marijuana over the counter like you were buying a beer," Lt. David Kaiser told WWJ's Zach Clark.
Kaiser said licensed shops must test their products, making them safer for consumers -- which has been an issue as of late.
"When you have a state license, part of the licensing process is the product you're selling has to be tested in a lab. The stuff you're buying off the street, you don't know what you're getting," he said. "We've had a lot of deaths here in Michigan where a lot of the different drugs, the marijuana and heroin, has been laced with fentanyl."
Investigators are expected to submit their report for charges to the Genesee County Prosecutor's Office in the next few days. Charges could range from operating a business without a license to operating a criminal enterprise, which is far more severe.
"You know, the sad part is you can legally sell marijuana," said Kaiser. "All you have to do is submit the application and go through the process like so many others have done."
GENESEE TWP. (WWJ) - Michigan State Police have busted a couple of Flint-area marijuana speakeasies that were allegedly selling untested products over the counter.
The MSP's Marijuana and Tobacco Enforcement Division executed search warrants at Liberty Meds Lounge, on Center Road in Genesee Township, and The Rec Center, on Dort Highway in Mt. Morris Township, after receiving tips from the community that marijuana was being sold out in the open and without a license.
"There was no ruse. You could basically go in and buy marijuana. I mean, you didn't have to have a medical card. You were just able to go in and purchase marijuana over the counter like you were buying a beer," Lt. David Kaiser told WWJ's Zach Clark.
Kaiser said licensed shops must test their products, making them safer for consumers -- which has been an issue as of late.
"When you have a state license, part of the licensing process is the product you're selling has to be tested in a lab. The stuff you're buying off the street, you don't know what you're getting," he said. "We've had a lot of deaths here in Michigan where a lot of the different drugs, the marijuana and heroin, has been laced with fentanyl."
Investigators are expected to submit their report for charges to the Genesee County Prosecutor's Office in the next few days. Charges could range from operating a business without a license to operating a criminal enterprise, which is far more severe.
"You know, the sad part is you can legally sell marijuana," said Kaiser. "All you have to do is submit the application and go through the process like so many others have done."
Shredder
Dogs like me
I'd love to be on that jury.....
THC cartridges return to Michigan dispensaries after vitamin E acetate scare
The wait is finally over, cannabis vapers.
Cannabis cartridges are returning to the shelves of dispensaries after the state’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) began requiring labs on Nov. 22 to test the products for vitamin E acetate, the chemical additive linked to the vaping-related lung illness.
The process took several weeks because only one of the state’s six licensed labs – PSI Labs in Ann Arbor – has been approved to do the testing, but “others are close,” David Harns, MRA spokesman, tells Metro Times.
As of Monday, PSI Labs CEO Benjamin Rossman said his facility has tested nearly 1,000 cartridges for vitamin E acetate, a gooey substance often used in the black market to "cut" or dilute cannabis oil to maximize profits.
But Metro Times has learned that the state is not requiring cartridges to be tested for vitamin E acetate if they were made after the Nov. 22 ban.
"If a cartridge goes through the state process, it is not allowed to have vitamin E acetate," Harns tells Metro Times. "If the cartridge was produced before the ban, it has to be tested."
To ensure compliance, Harns said the state "will be conducting inspections at manufacturing facilities more often."
But without mandatory vitamin E testing, there's no way to guarantee a manufacturer is complying with the law.
"Up until now, we have been able to confidently say cannabis is a safe substance, but now for the first time, there is a legitimate health concern in the cannabis industry, so we should be doing everything in our power to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again," Rossman says. "A mandatory test for vitamin e acetate is a no-brainer."
It's too early to tell whether the lack of vitamin E testing will discourage some people from using cartridges, which have become one of the most popular products at dispensaries because they're compact, discreet, and easy to use. They generally range in price from $30 to $70 for a one-gram cartridge.
"They're wildly popular in Michigan," Rossman says. "The trend has been moving toward concentrates in general and cartridges specifically."
The lung illness linked to vitamin E acetate has caused the deaths of more than 50 people and sickened more than 2,500 others nationwide. Two of those deaths were in Michigan.
The wait is finally over, cannabis vapers.
Cannabis cartridges are returning to the shelves of dispensaries after the state’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) began requiring labs on Nov. 22 to test the products for vitamin E acetate, the chemical additive linked to the vaping-related lung illness.
The process took several weeks because only one of the state’s six licensed labs – PSI Labs in Ann Arbor – has been approved to do the testing, but “others are close,” David Harns, MRA spokesman, tells Metro Times.
As of Monday, PSI Labs CEO Benjamin Rossman said his facility has tested nearly 1,000 cartridges for vitamin E acetate, a gooey substance often used in the black market to "cut" or dilute cannabis oil to maximize profits.
But Metro Times has learned that the state is not requiring cartridges to be tested for vitamin E acetate if they were made after the Nov. 22 ban.
"If a cartridge goes through the state process, it is not allowed to have vitamin E acetate," Harns tells Metro Times. "If the cartridge was produced before the ban, it has to be tested."
To ensure compliance, Harns said the state "will be conducting inspections at manufacturing facilities more often."
But without mandatory vitamin E testing, there's no way to guarantee a manufacturer is complying with the law.
"Up until now, we have been able to confidently say cannabis is a safe substance, but now for the first time, there is a legitimate health concern in the cannabis industry, so we should be doing everything in our power to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again," Rossman says. "A mandatory test for vitamin e acetate is a no-brainer."
It's too early to tell whether the lack of vitamin E testing will discourage some people from using cartridges, which have become one of the most popular products at dispensaries because they're compact, discreet, and easy to use. They generally range in price from $30 to $70 for a one-gram cartridge.
"They're wildly popular in Michigan," Rossman says. "The trend has been moving toward concentrates in general and cartridges specifically."
The lung illness linked to vitamin E acetate has caused the deaths of more than 50 people and sickened more than 2,500 others nationwide. Two of those deaths were in Michigan.
Shredder
Dogs like me
I'm somewhat surprised that they're not concerned about the other ingredients in e juice.
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