Michigan’s exploring farmers markets for cannabis

In June a new
kind of dispensary opened up just outside of Flint in a quiet town called Mt.
Morris. The Herbal Centre (THC)
is a non-profit, dedicated to providing a safe, legal gathering place with a
farmers market vibe to educate and connect patients with caregivers. While
there are a lot of gray areas when it comes to Michigan’s law, THC has been honest and transparent
with local law enforcement and even works closely with them to ensure the
safety for patients and caregivers alike. There’s even a doctor on staff to
help you transition into the world of medical cannabis.

The concept
of farmers markets for items other than the typical fresh goods isn’t new. There
are upscale craft markets that offer semi-permanent booths, and there are also pop-up
markets that allow vendors to sell their work and wares whenever they feel like
signing up. Being so close the largest historic market in the country, Eastern Market, in Detroit, it’s
natural for Michiganders to feel comfortable with the concept of a marketplace
that offers competitive prices and varieties based on what time and what day
you decide to go. So when THC
opened up, it blew the door of opportunity wide open.

Chanda Ruff,
co-owner of THC, didn’t know
all of the benefits of cannabis for a long time, like many people. Losing
family members to cancer and suffering from a stroke, migraines and seizures
herself, she reflects, “When medical marijuana came around, I was able to treat
myself that way, instead of . . . you wouldn’t believe the amount of pills I
was on. I was an otherwise healthy person, but the side-effects from all the
medications I was on were making me sick.” It’s stories like hers that resonate
throughout the country and was part of the inspiration to open up shop and help
others that may be suffering more than they have to.

What’s great
about a facility like THC is
that it not only provides a fair marketplace for patients to meet caregivers,
but it succeeds in giving a comfortable, safe environment for people to ask
questions and get the life-changing help that they need. For the people that
already know what they need and want, it serves a different purpose. It allows
them to dig even further into their cannabis education by providing growing
classes and legal classes.