These measures seek to better clarify and expand Michigan’s medical cannabis law.
LANSING, MI — Lawmakers have given final approval to a package of bills, HB 4209/4210, HB 4827, SB 141, and SB 1014, to regulate the retail sale of medical cannabis and cannabis-infused products.
The measures, which lawmakers had debated for the past two years, now await action by Governor Rick Snyder (R).
House Bill 4209 licenses and regulates above-ground, safe access facilities where state-qualified patients may legally obtain medical marijuana. Michigan is one of the only medical marijuana states in the country that has yet to legalize dispensaries. About 210,000 residents are now registered in the state’s medical program.
House lawmakers voted 83 to 22 on the amended bill. Lawmakers had previously sought to impose an eight percent excise tax on dispensary-related income. However, following the objections of advocates who argued that the imposition of additional fees would drive many patients to the black market, members have lowered the tax to three percent.
A second bill, House Bill 4210, provides qualified patients for the first time with legal protections for their possession and use of non-smoked cannabis derived topicals and edibles, as well as cannabis-based extract products. This measure was approved by the full House on September 14th, 2016 in a 93 to 12 vote. Under present law, non-herbal formulations of cannabis are classified as contraband.
A third bill, House Bill 4827, seeks to establish regulations tracking the production and sale of medical marijuana products. This measure was approved by the full House on September 14th, 2016 in a 85 to 20 vote.
These measures seek to better clarify and expand Michigan’s medical cannabis law.