According to the most recent count that I’ve heard, there are at least 148 medical marijuana dispensaries operating in Detroit, despite the fact that the dispensaries are operating in a legal gray area at best according to the State of Michigan. Whether dispensaries are legal or not according to the State of Michigan, one thing is for sure – medical marijuana dispensaries are not going away in Detroit. They are here to stay, and the sooner laws reflect that fact the better off Detroit will be. It sounds like Detroit regulators are recognizing that fact, as it seems that they have approved an ordinance that would license medical marijuana dispensaries. Per Marijuana Business Daily:
Detroit’s medical marijuana industry received a big boost Tuesday with the passage of an ordinance that allows the city to license marijuana dispensaries.
The 6-1 vote gives Detroit the power to establish licensing guidelines, inspection requirements, a fee schedule and penalties – in essence helping to legitimize the scores of unregulated dispensaries that currently exist in the city.
Under the ordinance, all dispensaries will have to obtain a license from the city or shut down. While some – or perhaps many – existing dispensaries won’t be able to meet the regulations and will therefore have to close, the move will stabilize the environment for those that can make the transition.
On one hand I like that Detroit is stepping up and putting a license process in place to help the legitimacy of dispensaries. However, I don’t like when regulations result in already existing dispensaries being forced to move or close. One Michigan chamber passed bills recently that would overhaul Michigan’s medical marijuana program, and would include state level regulations for dispensaries. But those bills face an uphill battle in the Michigan Senate, where there is less affection for the Michigan Medical Marijuana program.
