New Rules Allow for All-in-One MMJ Facility

Thanks to new provisions, a brand new medical marijuana facility in Lansing, Michigan is set to become the state’s first multi-purpose cannabis establishment. The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs announced that the state-sanctioned premise is permitted to grow, process and retail medicinal cannabis in one uniform location.

An All-Purpose Location

In September of last year, the Michigan Senate passed legislation to legalize and regulate medical cannabis dispensaries, as well as non-smokeable forms of the plant.

However, many questions were let to the departmental rulemaking process, including whether or not growing, processing and vending were allowable in the same physical site.

On Thursday, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) answered those questions by announcing they intend to allow all-in-one cannabis facilities if certain standards are met.

Here is the set of provisions, per the newly released advisory bulletin, posted on their website:

• For each license assigned to the same location, the facility must have separate working areas, separate entrances and exits, separate point of sale operations (if applicable), and separate record keeping systems. Each entity’s license must be posted on the wall in its distinct working area.
• The municipality in which the facility is located must not have passed local ordinance or zoning regulations limiting the operation of co-located licenses.
• The licensee is compliant with all local and state regulations regarding building inspection, fire safety, and public health standards.
• The Department has specifically authorized the licensees to operate at the same location.

The bulletin also noted that the terms of the provisions will be subject to change.

New Rules Allow for All-in-One MMJ Facility

Although the new rules technically allow for an all-in-one medical marijuana facility, each entity will still essentially be operating on its own terms.

The bulletin clarified that while all three branches may operate under the same physical location, each  grower, processor and vendor “will require its own separate application, regulatory assessment, and license.”

The decision to allow a new facility bodes well for Michigan’s medical marijuana patients, considering just over a week ago, the state gave dispensaries a controversial ultimatum— shut down by December 15th, or face the risk of not receiving a license under a new statewide regulatory system.

This means, for the time being, patients are either required to grow their own plants, or receive them from licensed caregivers until December 15th, when the state’s new Medical Marijuana Licensing Board begins to accept new applications.

Michigan announced that the non-refundable applications are expected to cost anywhere between $4,000 and $8,000.

Patients, shop-owners and other individuals in the industry have been frustrated with the state’s stringent new policy, but the new rules allowing for an all-in-one facility should alleviate some of the vexation between all parties involved.