Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Overview
On November 6, 2018, Michigan voted in favor of Prop 1 to "make marihuana legal under state and local law for adults 21 years of age or older" and to “control the commercial production and distribution of marihuana under a system that licenses, regulates, and taxes the businesses involved.”
On November 1, 2019, Michigan began accepting license applications for its adult-use market.
In fact, Michigan’s adult-use market is expected to launch one month earlier than originally anticipated on December 1, 2019, with existing medical marijuana businesses holding equivalent licenses under the adult-use law permitted to transfer limited quantities of product.
Michigan Cannabis License Overview
Prop 1 contemplates a number of types of cannabis licenses: (1) growers, (2) safety compliance facilities, (3) processors, (4) microbusinesses, (5) retailers, and (6) secure transporters. It should be noted that Prop 1 reserves the ultimate authority to Michigan regulators to determine the specific license types. To date, Michigan cannabis regulators have created three additional license types: (1) event organizers, (2) temporary marihuana events, and (3) designated consumption establishments.
Michigan Cannabis Key Regulators
Prop 1 directs the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) to issue licenses and oversee this market. This work is being overseen by LARA’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency, also known as the MRA.
Michigan Cannabis Locality Options
Local communities have the ability under Michigan's Prop 1 to opt out of permitting legal commercial activity and to conduct their own regulation.