Michigan Marijuana Regulators Hosting Educational Licensing Workshops

In September 2019, cannabis business entrepreneurs in Michigan had the chance to attend educational licensing workshops throughout the month. State marijuana regulators wanted to boost participation in the newly established recreational industry. Moreover, they aimed to teach dispensary owners how to correctly apply for a cannabis license.

Social Equity Cannabis Applicants

One primary objective of these workshops was to offer assisted outreach to applicants who might qualify for the social equity program. To that end, the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency appointed several representatives to onboard potential applicants. They would help applicants complete their paperwork so a determination could be made on eligibility.

If a social equity dispensary qualified, it could receive a discount of up to 60% on application fees, licensing fees, yearly renewal fees, and more. The workshop representatives could break down these costs in detail. For reference, however, a brief outline appears below.

• 25% discount for applicants that have lived for at least 5 years in one of 19 communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. To qualify the social equity marijuana dispensary must also be located in one of these communities.
• If the majority owner has been a resident of one of the 19 disproportionately impacted communities and have been convicted of marijuana-related crimes they will receive another 25% off.
• An additional 10% reduction for applicants who hold a majority of the business and have lived in designated community for the past five years and were previously registered as caregivers for at least two years between 2008 and 2017.

Educational Licensing Workshop Locations

Dispensary owners who wanted to attend could register for free at one of the locations below. However, space was limited, so attendees were advised to arrive early. The 2019 workshop schedule was as follows:

• Thursday, September 12, 2019 at 10:00 AM in Inkster — Inkster Booker Dozier Recreation Complex, 2025 Middlebelt, Inkster, MI
• Wednesday, September 18, 2019 at 10:00 AM in Kalamazoo — Kalamazoo Public Library, 3rd Floor, 315 S. Rose St., Kalamazoo
• Thursday, September 19, 2019 at 10:00 AM in Benton Harbor — Benton Harbor Michigan Works, The Anchor Rooms, 499 W Main St., Benton Harbor, MI
• Friday, September 20, 2019 at 10:00 AM in Flint/Mt. Morris — Flint Berston Fieldhouse, 3300 N. Saginaw Street, Flint, MI
• Monday, September 23, 2019 at 10:00 AM in Pontiac — Pontiac Public Library, 60 East Pike Street, Pontiac, MI
• Wednesday, September 25, 2019 at 10:00 AM in Saginaw — Saginaw Main Library, Hoyt, 505 Janes Avenue, Saginaw, MI
• Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 10:00 AM in Niles — Niles District Library, 620 E Main St, Niles, MI
• Friday, September 27, 2019 at 10:00 AM in Muskegon/Muskegon Heights — Muskegon Community College, 221 Quarterline Rd, Muskegon, MI
• Monday, September 30, 2019 at 1:00 PM in Ypsilanti — Ypsilanti District Library, 5577 Whittaker Rd., Ypsilanti, MI