Medical Marijuana In Michigan And Detroit: What's Next?

Conversations With Sven Gustafson

This is a deep dive roundtable discussion into what's going on with medical marijuana in the state of Michigan and the city of Detroit.

Host Sven Gustafson welcomed for the first episode of our second season of the show:

Roberta King, Canna Communication: https://cannacommunication.com/author/roberta-king/

Denise Pollicella, Cannabis Attorneys of Michigan and was actively involved in crafting legislation to create a legal medical cannabis industry, now known as PA281, the Medical Marihuana Licensing Facilities Act: https://www.cannabisattorneysofmichigan.com/our-team/denise-a-pollicella/

Thomas Lavigne, Attorney at Law who specializes in Cannabis: http://www.cannabiscounsel.com/attorneys/thomas-l-lavigne-attorney-at-law/

Show Notes:

1:00: Outlining the current medical marijuana situation in Michigan and Detroit, as well as the potential of fully legalizing Cannabis.

3:15: A thumbnail understand of the new medical marijuana rules.

5:20: The capitalization requirements are much steeper for medical marijuana facilities than liquor stores and pharmacies.

8:00: What you will need to be licensed in Michigan and how that interacts with your local municipality.

11:42: Are these new rules fair? Will they help the industry?

13:40: How the strict due diligence and high capital requirements put a defacto cap on dispensaries.

18:30: Is a community by community patchwork going to continue? What are the kinds of places that are more receptive to medical marijuana in Michigan?

21:10: If advocates want things to change they’ll have to run for office, sweep away “dinosaurs” on local boards.

22:10: Talking about fears around medical marijuana.

22:55: Hospital systems, their opposition to medical marijuana, and why guests believe they believe that opposition is because they systems it as competition to their pharmacies.

25:30: What’s going on in Detroit? Why is the city of Detroit shutting down dispensaries when voters overwhelmingly support it?

27:30: How the city of Detroit’s administration has been very difficult to work with around medical marijuana and dispensaries.

28:42: Can you zone a city by ballot initiative? It’s unclear.

29:30: Medical marijuana licensing could be frozen in the city of Detroit for a year.

32:00: 70 percent of the residents of the city of Detroit want medical marijuana, why is the city fighting it so hard?

34:20: Neighborhoods feel ignored and lied to by the city over the years, so that breeds skepticism, and it’s true that there’s been a lot of dumping on the city.

36:00: Happy Hour Facebook Group questions - What is the industry doing around marketing and communications? It’s hard to take them seriously with "punny" names along 8 Mile.

39:00: Facebook Group question: Is anyone considering a legal challenge to the capitalization requirements? 40:00: The financial investigation for everyone tied to licensing is very intense, and includes spouses

40:40: Many of the administrative rules may not be supported in the medical marijuana statute, but no one has legally challenged this yet

41:40: The status of the MI Legalize ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana in Michigan, and what it contains

45:30: Could Michigan be bigger than Colorado for marijuana tourism? Turns out Michigan has more visitors than Colorado and spend on tourism.

Thanks to Podcast Detroit, our network. Be sure to check them out here: http://www.podcastdetroit.com