Lengthy Licensing

Among all of Detroit’s collectives, which are called Medical Cannabis Caregiver Centers, one collective in particular stands at a unique position. Green Cross was the first collective to fulfill all licensing requirements with the city and the state of Michigan, making it the first legal collective to operate in Detroit.

The city of Detroit’s zoning and licensing requirements were adopted by the city council and went into effect last spring. The city has received at least 260 applications for Medical Marijuana Caregiver Centers, but only a handful of collectives have completely finished both the local and state licensing processes.

The city of Detroit began accepting applications for Medical Marijuana Caregiver Center licenses on March 1, 2016. Detroit’s policy is one of the most exclusionary medical cannabis zoning practices out of any city or state. The city enumerates a long laundry list of requirements. A Medical Marijuana Caregiver Center must be located within a limited sectional number of city zones, not within an existing drug-free zone and not within 1,000 feet of a school, daycare, religious institution, library, park or another collective.

On top of that, collectives must submit documentation and undergo a site plan review, a public hearing over land use and must also go through business licensing and inspections. Few make it through the entire process.

Like many other collectives, Green Cross is located on Detroit’s West Eight Mile Road. According to Green Cross’ Manager Simon Berro, the collective’s operators were the first to apply in March 2016, yet it took them until February 3, 2017 to complete the process. Over 100 more collectives are forging their way through the difficult process of obtaining all city and state permits. A small handful of collectives have recently finished the process as well, including The Green Genie.

“We are the first licensed medical marijuana center in the city of Detroit,” Vanessa V., Assistant Manager of Green Cross told CULTURE. “There are two other collectives that have completed the licensing process, but they are not yet open.” A small handful of collectives have followed Green Cross’ example, by following through with both local and state permits and licensing in its entirety.

The tedious licensing process that prospective Medical Cannabis Caregiver Centers can expect to endure is not all hopeless. “A few other medical centers have been successful [in completing the state and local licensing process],” she explained. “The core reason the process is slow is because other medical centers are harboring illegal activities and letting in people without a marijuana card.”

While many hopeful collectives are following in the footsteps of Green Cross and jumping through multiple hoops imposed by the city’s medical cannabis policy, Detroit continues to inch forward with its lengthy licensing process.