Michigan loosens eligibility requirements for recreational cannabis licenses

Michigan’s recreational cannabis market will open up to new competition beginning March 1, when applicants for multiple classes of adult-use marijuana licenses will no longer require an active medical MJ license to be eligible.

The state’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) reminded the industry of the licensing eligibility change in a news release issued Friday.

“Beginning Monday, business entry into the adult-use marijuana market will be more accessible for all Michiganders, as the requirement to hold a license on the medical side of the industry will be removed,” said MRA executive director Andrew Brisbo in the release.

The eligibility requirement is being removed for five license types:

• Marijuana retailer.
• Marijuana processor.
• Class B marijuana grower.
• Class C marijuana grower.
• Marijuana secure transporter.

The MRA said new license applications and instructions will be updated on its website on Monday, and previous versions of the applications will no longer be accepted.

The agency originally announced the license eligibility change last October.

At the time, the MRA said it would consider taking license applicants from any applicant if it determined that more licenses were needed to reduce the illicit marijuana market, meet demand for marijuana, or “provide for reasonable access to marijuana in rural areas.”

Adult-use marijuana sales in Michigan began in December 2019.

January adult-use sales totalled $67,406,608.88, according to the latest monthly MRA report.