MICHIGAN—One Michigan town may have finally hit its limit on dispensaries, legal loopholes are being exploited Up North, and new dispensaries are still cropping up across the state.
Here’s what you might’ve missed over the last week in Michigan weed:
TAX PAYOUTS: Michigan is sending nearly $94 million in marijuana tax revenue to local governments this year, which is slightly less than the nearly $100 million distributed last year. All told, each community will receive about $54,000 for every dispensary in their jurisdiction.
TAX WARNING: In a new op-ed published in Marijuana Moment, cannabis market analyst Hirsh Jain argues Michigan’s new 24% wholesale marijuana tax should serve as a warning for the rest of the country. Jain says Michigan built a strong legal cannabis market with relatively low taxes, but new taxes may now be undermining that success. Early signs, he writes, include falling sales, layoffs, and cultivation shutdowns as companies scramble to absorb higher costs.
A NEW PLAN: State lawmakers have introduced a bill to repeal Michigan’s controversial 24% wholesale cannabis tax, arguing the new tax is unconstitutional and already hurting the state’s legal marijuana industry. The Michigan Cannabis Industry Association is backing the proposal.
WEED CITY BLUES: New Buffalo—an Indiana border town that could soon have nearly one dispensary for every 71 residents—is pumping the brakes on weed, with local officials reportedly weighing whether to revoke permits for several dispensaries over alleged state rule violations.
LUME LOOPHOLE: Lume is now operating multiple Michigan dispensaries on Native American tribal land in Northern Michigan, which has effectively allowed the company to sidestep local ordinances that prohibit other dispensaries from operating in the area, MLive reports.
BORDER BUD: C3 Industries, which recently closed down its cultivation facility in Webberville and laid off 62 workers, has opened another new High Profile Cannabis dispensary—this time in Luna Pier, which is set to primarily serve customers along the Michigan-Ohio border.
MICRO MOVES: Niles officials reportedly approved provisional licenses for three new cannabis microbusinesses—clearing the way for Cookies, Joyology, and Queen of Buds to open up shop. The licenses will allow for up to 300 plants to be grown on the property, along with retail sales.
READ MORE: Old-school hash is making a comeback. We put two versions to the test.
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