One of my friends worked on Oregon’s legislation, and it sounded like a real shark tank. Once people see dollar signs, interest in good public policy goes out the window:
The initial assembly of Michigan’s Medical Marijuana Licensing Board in Lansing held in late June drew over 200 lawyers, caregivers, patients and entrepreneurs, who hoped to get licenses that will become available beginning December 2017.
Questions the participants at the meeting asked included:
- How much are licenses?
- When regulations would be promulgated?
- How does the Board plan for a large amount of applications for retailers, growers, transporters and testers would be handled, and
- Could different operations function at a single site?
Michigan expects that this could grow to an industry worth over $700M a year.
Chairman Rick Johnson and other board members advised that they wanted to only listen and hear questions, in order to figure out the optimal way to issue licenses.
At the panel, speakers voiced concerns regarding an alleged bias of retired Michigan State Police sergeant and board member Donald Bailey, who took part in many marijuana-related arrests. Prior, Bailey has contended that cannabis should be a law-enforcement focus due to the high content of THC.
Under 2016 legislation, board members and employees must provide financial disclosure forms. However, the meeting did not explain when or how much disclosure would be public. Additionally, some disclosures must only be made to the governor’s office, which is excused from the Michigan Freedom of Information Act.
Patrick Barone noted, “Michigan’s Medical Marijuana Licensing Board has their work cut out for them to get everything ready to be fully operational and issue licenses for retailers, growers, transporters and testers by December.”
