Quick facts regarding Michigan’s medical marijuana policy

By

James Sklar

|

In 2008, Michigan enacted the Medical Marijuana Act after 63 % of voters approved a ballot initiative to legalize the substance for medicinal use. The Medical Marijuana act created guidelines for qualifying patients and caregivers, regulations for growers, transportation guidelines, the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA), and penalties for violations of the new law.

 

Stay one step ahead. Join our email list for the latest news.

Subscribe

 

As the patient population grew, the laws and regulations needed to be updated. Therefore, the state’s program needed to address the growing community and lack of regulations. 

In 2016, Rep. Mike Callton (R) – Barry County, Rep. Lisa Lyons (R) – Kent County, and Rep. Klint Kesto (R) – Wixom introduced House Bills 4209, 4210, and 4827, respectively. This bill package became known as the Medical Marijuana Facilities and Marijuana Tracking Act. The Act dealt with the production, transportation, and retail sale of medical marijuana. Specifically, the Act established a licensing and regulatory framework for provisioning centers, growers, processors, transporters, and facilities. Additionally, the Act created a “seed-to sale” tracking system and imposed a 3% tax on retailers. 

The Act created a 5-member medical marijuana licensing board under the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), whose duties and powers include licensing, enforcing regulations, testing, transportation, and implementing and administering the Act. Overall, the Medical Marijuana Facilities and Marijuana Tracking Act created new protections for patients, regulating systems, cultivating limits, testing labs, and taxes and fees.

The MRA, which is controlled by the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program, has targeted goals for its organization and the people of Michigan. MRA wants to be a national model for medical marijuana. To do this, MRA has a 3-year strategic plan. Their overall strategy is to utilize technology and their employees to increase efficiency in its operations, customer satisfaction, and being flexible to change. 

Specifically, MRA has identified and set objectives, which includes obtaining funds necessary to improve technology, simplifying the application and registration management process, improving processing times, reducing errors, and providing employees with better training.

Below are some quick facts about medical marijuana use in Michigan.

Top 3 medical conditions patients qualify with:

  1.       Chronic Pain
  2.       Severe and Chronic Pain
  3.       Arthritis

Number of active medical marijuana plants in Michigan:

  1.       Immature – 58,705
  2.       Vegetative – 56,901
  3.       Flowering – 280,737

Product sales for medical marijuana facilities:

MonthTotal sales by month
Jan.$27,958,690.27
Feb.$25,971,590.17
Mar.$32,029,515.45
April$27,014,690.99
May$23,269,499.39
June$21,490,282.92
July$21,121,711.35
Aug.$18,479,072.33
Sep.$16,629,957.06
Oct.$15,058,626.87
Estimated Sales to Date$229,023,636.8

Top 3 product sales for medical marijuana facilities

  1.       Flowers
  2.       Infused-Edibles
  3.       Vape Cartridges