State Marijuana License Board Could Vote on Future of Dispensaries Tuesday

Some board members have signaled that existing dispensaries should have to close in order to qualify.

Pot Marijuana Dispensary

Photo credit: WDET

Jake Neher/WDET

A state licensing board could decide Tuesday whether marijuana dispensaries in Michigan should get to stay open.

The Medical Marijuana Licensing Board is expected to start issuing licenses in December.

In the meantime, some board members have signaled that existing dispensaries should have to close in order to qualify.

The state’s licensing department plans to speak at the meeting.
 

Andrew Brisbo is with the Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation in the state’s licensing department. He said the bureau wants to make sure patients have safe access to medical marijuana.

“We want to make sure we have a fair and efficient process by which we can issue licenses,” he said. “And that’s where I think that clarity in our approach is of critical importance to these prospective licensees.”

Brisbo said the bureau will give the board its recommendation on how to proceed with dispensary shops.

“It’s less about requiring a shutdown, which neither the board nor the department have the authority to do. But more considering how their operation prior to the issuance of a license would be considered in a licensing context,” he said.

The board cannot enforce closures or require dispensaries to close, but it could refuse licenses to shops that do not to close.

But new reports say at least one dispensary in Detroit is closing in order to stay in compliance with the state. 

Author

  • Cheyna Roth is the co-host and creator of WDET's state politics podcast, MichMash. She has been an audio journalist for almost a decade, covering major events like presidential elections, college scandals, the Michigan Legislature and more, appearing on NPR and across Michigan public radio stations. Cheyna is also a senior producer and podcast host for Slate.com, having produced and hosted shows like Political Gabfest, The Waves, and What Next TBD. Also an author, Cheyna has written two true crime books and her written work has appeared in Broadly, Slate, and MLive, among others.