Michigan lawmakers want to reassure medical marijuana businesses that their supply won’t run out. That’s the takeaway from an official recommendation that the state’s Licensing And Regulatory Affairs (LARA) board will make to the Medical Marihuana* Licensing Board (MMLB) next week.

The issue arose due to concerns over medical marijuana providers within Michigan running out of supply in the interim months between legalization and full distribution capacity. The recommendation will essentially call for medically-licensced provision centers to be able to buy product directly from licensed caregivers between 12/7/2018 until 12/31/2018. They would still be required, of course, to notate the sales (and receipt of acquisition) with the state’s monitoring and reporting system.

Beginning on January 1, 2019 and lasting until January 31, 2019 things get slightly trickier according to the LARA website:

• Must obtain marihuana products only from licensed marihuana facilities.
• Must enter all inventory into the statewide monitoring system immediately upon receipt.
• May sell marihuana products received from a registered primary caregiver – and recorded in the licensee’s inventory in the statewide monitoring system prior to January 1, 2019 – as long as the product has been tested in full compliance with the law and administrative rules.

While there are several necessary caveats to ensure that the process is all above board, but we applaud the state for taking the time to address and proffer a solution to what could have been a needlessly sticky and unpleasant situation.

Rec-use cannabis goes legal next month in the Great Lakes State. For now, one will be allowed to cultivate their own small amounts of cannabis and it still, like other states, remains illegal to consume cannabis in public.

*I know, we were surprised that the board spells marijuana with an “h” as well. One must remain consistent with style and usage, or something … –Ed.