Our state lawmakers have been banking on Michigan’s new wholesale weed tax to help fix the damn roads. And for months, the industry has been saying that plan wouldn’t work out.

Turns out, the industry was right.

This week, we’re getting into the ugly details. Plus, a Macomb County processor was caught with 12,000 untagged products, a famous canoe race is kicking stoners out of the competition, and a Walled Lake dispensary is hosting a free “education night” about how to take gummies. 

Roll one up and read on. 

Michigan’s new wholesale cannabis tax was supposed to fix the roads.

But at this rate, we’ll be lucky if it’s enough to fix the potholes on I-96.

A new report from the state Treasury confirms what the cannabis industry predicted all along: in the first three months of 2026, the state collected just $34 million from the new 24% wholesale levy—against a projection of $105 million. At the current pace, the state could end up nearly $300 million short on road funding this year, with no clear plan to make up the difference.

RALLY DAY: Cannabis advocates, patients, caregivers, and grassroots organizations are descending on the Capitol this week to push back against legislation they say would roll back voter-approved cannabis protections. That includes House Bill 5757, state legislation introduced in March that would reduce the number of plants a medical marijuana caregiver can grow.

SURPRISE INSPECTION: State regulators uncovered more than 12,000 untagged or mislabeled cannabis products at a Macomb County processing facility—including some products that were bagged in California-branded packaging. The company, VJAS 1 LLC, is reportedly linked to officials at Joyology, which operates four dispensaries across Michigan.

SCIENCE PROBLEM: A Michigan State University researcher says federal policies are stifling research on cannabis—namely by forcing scientists to work with federally supplied marijuana that is far less potent than the products that are actually found on dispensary shelves.

PADDLE SOBER: The Au Sable River Canoe Marathon—a 120-mile overnight race between Grayling and Oscoda that’s been running since 1947—is reportedly set to drug test all competitors for the first time in its 79-year history. That includes testing for marijuana use.

SMOKE BREAK: Planted Provisioning is partnering with The Mamas Network—a Michigan nonprofit that supports mothers—to sponsor its Smoke & Flow series, which is essentially just regularly scheduled smoke sessions for moms at someone’s house in Scio Township.

SPLIT DECISION: Entrepreneur Mark Rieth is buying Atwater Brewing back from Tilray Brands. But the deal doesn’t include the company’s taproom in downtown Grand Rapids, which the cannabis company will continue to operate, reports Crain’s Grand Rapids Business.

ICYMI: If you missed last week’s newsletter, I tested four different brands of cannabis “sleep” gummies over two weeks in the name of journalism. And I walked away with a lot of opinions about whether CBN actually does anything at all. Click here to read the full product review. 

Last week, I asked about your ideal edible dose. 

And the results were all over the place.

The most popular answer was 10 mg, followed by 50 mg, then 25 mg. Ten of you eat 100 mg or more like it’s nothing. Several others are microdosing under 5 mg like responsible adults. The only real takeaway here is that there is no takeaway. Michigan stoners contain multitudes.

This week’s question:

What’s the ideal time of day to get stoned?

Stay tuned for the results in next week’s edition.

Not everyone who reads this newsletter is a seasoned stoner.

But if you are, maybe forward this one to whoever in your life is just getting started.

The Greenhouse and WYLD are hosting a free, beginner-friendly cannabis education night at the Walled Lake Brunch House on June 26. Guests can enjoy free food, participate in a live Q&A about all things weed, and walk away with a free gift. Just click here to reserve your spot.

Topics include edible dosing, the difference between CBN and CBG, sleep and recovery products, and how to find a bag of gummies that actually works for you. And if the person you’re forwarding this to still thinks cannabis is a gateway drug—well, that’s kind of the whole point.

Lucky’s Cannabis in Muskegon is running a monthlong raffle. 

Just leave them a Google review and get entered to win a free 55-inch TV.

It’s a decent deal. But it’s also one of my biggest pet peeves in the entire industry. 

These review-based promotions are everywhere now—dentists, restaurants, dispensaries. And they all do the same thing: flood a page that’s supposed to reflect honest customer feedback with five-star reviews from people who are really just filling out a form for a shot at a prize.

To be clear, I don’t blame Lucky’s. Other Michigan dispensaries have thousands of reviews, which means this has probably already been done and Lucky’s is just trying to keep up. 

But let this be a PSA that Google reviews for dispensaries don’t mean shit. The star ratings are gamed, the review counts are inflated, and the whole system has been broken for years. 

Two recommendations this week: Get lunch from Babe’s Corner in Lansing. Then, smoke a Murder Mitten pre-roll from Beyond Green somewhere on the River Trail—in that order.

Babe’s Corner is the best spot in the city for a sub sandwich, hands down. They also make the best lobster rolls in Mid-Michigan, which isn’t saying much. But they’re still pretty damn good. 

I couldn’t tell you much about Beyond Green. 

They have an Instagram page. Their license is tied to a facility in Hazel Park. I’ve seen them at dispensaries across the state. That’s about all I’ve got. But their two-gram pre-rolls are solid stuff. This was another one of my favorite entries from this year’s Best in Grass contest. 

The 3D-printed shotgun shell container is a total gimmick. But still, it’s pretty cool—and it’s basically indestructible. I’m still reusing the one I got from last year’s competition.

The strain, which I believe is a cross of Alien Mints and Permanent Marker, was exactly right for a slow walk down a quieter stretch of the River Trail on a warm Saturday afternoon.

Stay safe out there ‘Ganders. Remember that recreational cannabis is only legal in Michigan for ages 21 and up—and it’s NEVER OK to get high and drive.