Michigan’s top cannabis regulator is the new president of the organization representing state marijuana authorities. .
Brian Hanna, executive director of the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency (MRA), was elected president of the Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA) at the organization’s annual meeting last week, the organization said in a press release.
Hanna is the first military veteran to lead the group and the second Michigan regulator to hold the post, following former state MRA Executive Director Andrew Brisbo who served during 2021-22, according to MITechNews.
What is the state of Michigan’s cannabis market?
Regulators from Virginia, Illinois, Hawaii, Connecticut, Missouri and Iowa also will serve on CANNRA’s 2026-27 board, along with immediate past President Adria Berry of Oklahoma
Michigan cannabis businesses generated roughly $3.17 billion in adult-use and medical sales in 2025, making the state the second-largest legal market in the country behind California.
Through the first five months of 2026, sales reached an estimated $1.23 billion despite ongoing price compression that has squeezed operators across the supply chain, according to MITechNews.
Michigan is one of the lowest-cost markets in the country, driven by an abundant supply and intense competition.
The state’s new 24% wholesale marijuana tax adds another challenge for licensees already dealing with falling prices and market consolidation.
What is CANNRA?
Hanna’s election gives Michigan a prominent voice at a pivotal moment for the industry, with both federal medical cannabis rescheduling and a looming hemp ban promising to reshape the landscape.
“Rescheduling and all of the possible implications from it – and the future of hemp – are likely the most significant topics to address this year,” he told MITechNews.
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Founded in 2020, CANNRA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization made up exclusively of government agencies that oversee cannabis, cannabinoid and hemp regulation.
The group includes more than 45 states and U.S. territories, along with members from Canada, Albania, Malta and the Netherlands, according to a press release from the organization.
Unlike industry trade groups, CANNRA does not lobby for legislation. Instead, it provides a forum for regulators to share information and develop best practices.
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