With more than 200,000 medical marijuana patients in Michigan, a thriving industry of growers, processors, transporters and retailers to support them is poised to explode statewide — if communities allow it.
In recent weeks, state regulators have been meeting to craft initial rules under the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act of 2016, which provides the type of regulatory framework that’s been lacking since voters approved medical marijuana in 2008. Notably, it allows local units of government to opt in to the law, giving them broad discretion about how many and which type of facilities to allow.