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 seven things you need to know this week:
NEW IN TOWN: A new dispensary is reportedly opening at a former credit union at 600 Plymouth Ave. in northeast Grand Rapids. It will operate under the Bloomery Cannabis brand.
LIVE MUSIC: Pure Options is hosting another “Back 2 School Block Party” in Lansing on Sept. 7, featuring 2 Chainz. On-site consumption will be allowed for those 21 and up. The Michigan State University football game will also be shown on a big screen. Tickets start at $20.
NO FLY ZONE: The Detroit Free Press recently published a guide for those looking to travel with marijuana this summer—and it’s mostly filled with warnings against bringing weed into the airport, smoking in public, or traveling across borders into less cannabis-friendly states like Ohio.
BAD BUSINESS: Sky Labs in Mt. Morris is reportedly facing a barrage of state licensing violations after the company allegedly shipped in illegal cannabis products from Colorado.
HIGH STAKES: At least four dispensaries in West Michigan have reportedly closed their doors over the last few months as more new stores (and rock-bottom average prices) have made for an increasingly competitive market and tighter profit margins among retailers statewide.
WEED FOR VETS: More than $40 million in marijuana taxes from the state of Michigan have been doled out to fund studies about the potential medical benefits of marijuana on military veterans. But new reports show that federal restrictions on weed have blocked most of them from advancing, effectively depriving veterans of the opportunity to benefit from the research.
CALLING ALL STONERS: High Times is looking for Michiganders who can separate the dank from the skank as an official judge in this year’s Cannabis Cup competition. The official judging kits are set to go on sale at participating dispensaries across Michigan on Friday, Aug. 9.
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