THE BEST WORK TAKES TIME

Governor Rick Snyder made huge strides for Michigan’s medical cannabis program in September when he signed three cannabis bills. However, that doesn’t mean all cities in Michigan will be able to implement all the new rules for medical cannabis overnight. After all, it takes time to navigate through the complicated new bills.

The City Attorney of Kalamazoo, Clyde Robinson, responded to residents of the city who were curious how Kalamazoo would move forward with the governor’s three-part cannabis legislation during a recent council meeting. “With the departments of public safety and planning and community develop, and probably the city clerk’s office, [I will be] working through this legislation to bring something back to this commission,” Robinson stated. He explained that it would take time to navigate through the “lengthy” bills and that he will need to address any questions he might have before being able to implement the legislation.

The city of Kalamazoo is already quite accepting of medical cannabis, having outlined pretty relaxed rules for law enforcement in its City Charter. “City of Kalamazoo law enforcement officers shall make law enforcement activity relating to the personal possession and/or use of 1 ounce or less of usable marijuana, their lowest law enforcement priority,” the charter reads.

“Now Kalamazoo will need to work to adjust its medical cannabis regulations to include the many provisions updated by Governor Snyder’s three bills, House Bill 4209, House Bill 4210 and House Bill 4827.”

The charter also outlines how the city complies with the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act for qualifying patients. “The people of the City of Kalamazoo specifically determine that the provisions herein contained concerning marijuana or cannabis are necessary to serve the local purposes of providing just and compassionate medical and legal treatment to the citizens of this community, and to those medical patients who visit our city to receive medical care . . .” They determine the proper locations, registration requirements and restrictions for medical cannabis collectives.

Now Kalamazoo will need to work to adjust its medical cannabis regulations to include the many provisions updated by Governor Snyder’s three bills, House Bill 4209, House Bill 4210 and House Bill 4827.

HB-4209 puts the Medical Marijuana Facilities Licensing Act into effect, which will regulate the cultivation, manufacturing, supplying and transportation of medical cannabis. HB-4210 allows for the manufacturing and consumption of cannabis-infused products for patients under the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act. It outlines one ounce of usable cannabis equivalent to “16 ounces of marijuana-infused product if in a solid form,” “seven grams of marijuana-infused product if in a gaseous form” or “36 fluid ounces of marijuana-infused product if in a liquid form.” Last, HB-4827 puts the Marijuana Tracking Act into effect, in addition to a seed-to-sale tracking system.

Robinson explained that the city of Kalamazoo is not ready to accept applications from potential cannabis-related businesses until they have a proper system to do so. The three bills signed by Governor Snyder will take effect 90 days following his signing date of September 20, but that doesn’t mean that cities across Michigan will be ready to implement the new rules at the same time.