MICHIGAN—Cannabis is a big deal in Michigan—and there’s never a shortage of newsworthy headlines from the industry as the state inches closer to becoming the nation’s weed capital.
Here are nine things you need to know this week:
DANK BRANDON: President Joe Biden’s administration is continuing to strike fear into the hearts of some conservative Republicans—this time by urging federal regulators to stop considering marijuana to be more dangerous and addictive than other drugs like fentanyl. During a recent roundtable discussion at the White House, Vice President Kamala Harris called that federal classification “absurd” and “patently unfair”—and also called for immediate action.
DRIVE SAFE: With three cannabis consumption lounges now open in West Michigan, state troopers are reportedly reminding stoners not to get high before they get behind the wheel. In Michigan, standard field sobriety tests are used to determine a driver’s impairment.
GREEN GOLD RUSH: Thirty-five dispensary applications have now reportedly been filed in New Buffalo Township—namely due to its close proximity to Indiana, where weed is still illegal. Most of the new dispensaries plan to set up shop within a mile or two of the state line.
CANNA-TOURISM: New reports show that Michigan has emerged as a tourism hub for the Midwest—namely because neighboring states (like Indiana) have either banned recreational marijuana or (like Ohio) haven’t yet adopted a licensing structure for recreational weed sales.
WINDFALL FOR CITIES: With record-setting state tax revenues collected from the sale of cannabis last year, five Michigan cities reportedly received a total of more than $1 million each—including the cities of Detroit, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Kalamazoo.
BLACK MARKET BLUES: Despite record-setting sales in Michigan’s licensed cannabis market, the illicit market is still reportedly thriving—with the Michigan State Police recently taking down what has been billed as one of the state’s largest illegal grow operations to date.
BAAD ACTORS: Four dead goats that were found near a home in Calhoun County earlier this month reportedly led local police to discover a large illegal marijuana growing operation. More than 140 plants were seized during the raid, but it’s unclear if anyone was actually arrested.
FAN FAVORITES: A new report from Green State shows that Pro Gro, Wyld, and Jeeter are among the top-selling brands of flower, edibles, and pre-rolled joints, respectively, in Michigan. Breeze Canna was also identified as one of the state’s most popular vaporizer brands.
END OF PLAY: Viola, a national cannabis brand launched by former NBA player Al Harrington, has officially closed its one and only dispensary in Michigan after its insurance company reportedly failed to cover several claims tied to the severe ice storms in February.
READ MORE: How to get oodles of free weed at Hash Bash
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