MICHIGAN—Two towns are heading to the polls over pot shops. One could get rid of them. The other might finally let them in. Add in a $32 million court fight and a looming federal deadline for untested gas station weed, and it’s been another busy week in Michigan cannabis.
Here’s what you might’ve missed:
HEMP CHECK: The federal crackdown on intoxicating hemp products is set to take effect in December, and some retailers have already pulled hemp products from their shelves entirely. The new rules will reportedly close a loophole that lets unlicensed stores (like gas stations) sell untested, hemp-based products that get people just as high as anything from the dispensary.
PAPER CHASE: Hello Farms is asking a federal appeals court to reconsider last month’s ruling that wiped out its $32 million jury verdict against two Curaleaf subsidiaries, which reportedly stopped accepting the Michigan grower’s harvests when prices crashed. The 6th Circuit Court ruled that federal courts can’t enforce weed contracts because weed is still federally illegal. In its filing, Hello Farms warned the ruling could create “unimaginable instability” for businesses.
LAST CALL: Voters in Mottville Township will decide on Nov. 3 whether to ban dispensaries, which would shut down both of the township’s pot shops less than a year after they opened. The ballot measure needed only 10 signatures, and it could put at least 30 people out of a job.
AXE THE BAN: Voters in Bad Axe will decide in November whether to repeal a city ordinance that bans dispensaries. If it passes, the Thumb could be getting a couple more pot shops.
SLOW NEWS WEEK: Ludington cops issued a press release to announce they confiscated a vape pen from a high school student, and the Ludington Daily News turned it into a headline.
ICYMI: If you missed last week’s newsletter, I finally tracked down the people behind Zasso. It’s a five-person crew of former caregivers who are selling some seriously good weed for only about $100 an ounce. They’re also really, really good at growing Runtz. Maybe a little too good.
READ MORE: 10 Michigan weed brands that stoners trust the most
Want more Michigan cannabis news, product picks, and culture? Click here to sign up for The MichiGanja Report, our free weekly newsletter about all things marijuana.
