6 quick hits of cannabis news from across Michigan

By Kyle Kaminski

August 25, 2025

MICHIGAN—Summer vacations are fueling cannabis sales, state regulators are handing out fines, and Michiganders are winning another round in the never-ending rivalry with Ohio.

Here’s what you might have missed recently in Michigan weed:

HIGH RANKINGS: A new survey shows Michigan ranks 13th in the nation for cannabis use, with about 21% of adults reporting they lit up in 2023. The surprise chart-topper? Vermont.

SUMMER SURGE: Despite dozens of Michigan cannabis companies going under this year, monthly weed sales jumped 5.2% in July to nearly $275 million. The uptick was reportedly fueled by bargain-basement prices ($62 an ounce on average) and Up North summer tourism.

FINE TIME: State officials slapped dozens of Michigan dispensaries with various regulatory violations in July, with retailers reportedly facing five-digit fines for things like untagged products, missing surveillance footage, and failing to notify the state of break-ins and ownership changes. All of the businesses have admitted fault and have since promised to clean up their act.

BALLOT BATTLE: For the third time in five years, Niles Township voters will decide whether to allow more adult-use marijuana businesses to operate in their community. Two proposals on the Nov. 4 ballot could reportedly repeal the township’s zoning rules or ban dispensaries entirely, putting 29 pending businesses—and an estimated $1.6 million in tax revenue—at risk.

SCAMMED & SLAMMED: A shuttered Michigan cannabis law firm is reportedly on the hook for more than $540,000 after falling for a scam. After years of litigation, a judge ruled that Howell attorney Denise Pollicella must repay her bank after routing hundreds of thousands of dollars through her firm’s account as part of a phony deal that ultimately funneled the cash to Nigeria.

SLOW-HIO: Michigan’s recreational cannabis market is still outpacing Ohio in both scale and affordability. New reports show Ohio’s adult-use sales are projected to hit only about $1 billion this year, compared to more than $3 billion that’s expected to be sold this year in Michigan.

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Author

Kyle Kaminski

Kyle Kaminski is an award-winning investigative journalist with more than a decade of experience covering news across Michigan. Prior to joining The ‘Gander, Kyle worked as the managing editor at City Pulse in Lansing and as a reporter for the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

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CATEGORIES: CANNABIS

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