Michigan Again Fails to Legalize Dispensaries

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Michigan medical marijuana dispensaries will continue to operate in a legal gray area for at least the rest of the summer, after state lawmakers left the capital for an extended recess without addressing the issue.

The state has repeatedly tried, but failed, for several years running to approve legislation that would formally legalize MMJ dispensaries. Lawmakers won’t return to the capital until September, MLive.com reported, so the issue won’t be taken up again until the fall at the earliest.

The state Senate had been scheduled to weigh a package of bills to legalize dispensaries this past week. But Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhoff said the measures needed more tweaking.

The primary sponsor of the dispensary legalization measure promised to revive the issue in the fall.

The lack of a statewide regulatory framework has resulted in ongoing industry raids by law enforcement in many parts of Michigan over the years. It remains a concern for many in the trade.

Michigan is also one of the last MMJ states that doesn’t have statewide regulations for its cannabis industry.