Sunset on Michigan Caregiver Cannabis

Longtime Michigan cannabis activist Rick Thompson of the Michigan Cannabis Industries Report shared this photo last night. He wrote:

At the end of today, caregiver cannabis will be completely excluded from the Michigan medical and adult-use cannabis markets. This is not a surprise; the Marijuana Regulatory Agency decided to do this months ago. The already-stressed supply chain will not be benefitted from this; the ill individuals who utilize the medicinal cannabis market will not benefit; the adult-use consumers will not benefit; in fact, the only people who would benefit from interrupting and limiting supply would be the companies licensed to manufacture cannabis. today is the end of something special and the beginning of unremarkable dysfunction.

When the morning sun rises, our industry will shine a little less brightly.

Michigan Radio reported yesterday on the phasing out of cannabis from Michigan caregivers:

When Michigan voters approved medical marijuana in 2008, provisions were made for individuals to serve as “caregivers,” people who could grow cannabis for patients who could not grow it themselves.

Caregivers are legally allowed to grow 72 marijuana plants. The state had allowed caregivers to sell their excess cannabis to the retail market. As recently as January, caregivers provided nearly two-thirds of the marijuana flower available on store shelves.

But Michigan regulators felt it was necessary to phase out caregiver contributions, to spur investment in licensed grow facilities. The phase out began in March.

More including comments from Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency Director Andrew Brisbo at Michigan Radio.