Judge nixes Michigan’s plan to close 98 medical cannabis businesses

A judge on Thursday issued an injunction preventing Michigan from closing 98 medical marijuana facilities as planned on Sept. 15.

The ruling by Michigan Court of Claims Judge Stephen Borrello orders the state to extend the deadline to Dec. 15 for all MMJ businesses temporarily operating under emergency rules, according to The Detroit News.

Earlier this week, the state issued emergency rules that extended a Sept. 15 deadline to receive a new state license by three months for 108 existing MMJ businesses that had submitted Step 2 of their applications by June 15.

But the state ordered another 98 businesses that hadn’t submitted that paperwork by June 15 to close. It’s unclear, though, whether they’re all still operating.

The judge indicated he didn’t like the fact the state was treating two groups differently based on a past deadline.

The licensing process is part of the state’s new, stricter regulatory system. So far, the state has approved only 19 dispensaries under the new system.