Statewide Medical Marijuana Alterations May Destabilize Inventory

Official reports confirmed that significant changes to Michigan’s licensed medical marijuana industry took effect on March 1, 2020. Up to now, medical marijuana caregivers are allowed to grow and sell marijuana to both dispensaries and patients.

About 60% of the products sold in the marijuana shops come from caregivers in the state according to the medical marijuana advocates’ statement sent to Mid-Michigan NOW. The remaining 40% comes from licensed processors. However, all that may soon change. Rick Thompson; NORML Michigan, said:

“Patients who are used to seeing certain brand names on the shelves of their favourite retail store may see those brand names disappear”

Thompson believes that starting March 1, the Michigan caregivers can only provide dried marijuana flowers that will end up on the shelves of dispensaries. However, according to him, the caregivers will not have the capability to supply processed products like THC oil, vaping cartridges, or even the edibles.

According to Thompson, it is a way the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) is using to ween out the caregivers. In turn, the processors and cultivators are gaining a higher percentage of the market share. He also thinks that it could result in product shortages and a temporary price hike since the places to get these products are reducing. He added:

“However, over time that supply will increase, and then the prices will normalize again”

Lindsey Price, a cannabis consultant at Light’N Up Provisioning in Flint, said that the changes is something that they had been expecting. But, she does not expect any significant impact on business. She said:

“I don’t see us having any shortages, hopefully. We still have medicine for you even though some changes are going on in the industry.”

The MRA announced these changes a long time ago. Thus, everyone in the industry was already aware that these changes were coming. The MRA spokesperson David Harns said:

“Our intent has been and continues to be working toward a sustainable regulated market utilizing the supply chain as dictated by the state’s statutory authorities (the MMFLA and MRTMA).”

With all the changes published for everyone in Michigan to see, the marijuana industry in this state may stabilize quickly even after the changes take effect.

