LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Governor Gretchen Whitmer is blowing up the agencies that are currently issuing licenses for medical marijuana businesses and replacing a volunteer board with professionals.
She executed the changes with an Executive Order Friday.
It follows complaints that the current appointed board, which only meets once a month to approve licenses, is just too slow.
They will be replaced with a new Marijuana Regulatory Agency in the department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs with professionals who will do it on a continuous basis.
Whitmer says “This executive order will eliminate inefficiencies that have made it difficult to meet the needs of Michigan’s medical marijuana patients,”
“All elements of this Agency have been designed to serve and better protect Michigan residents, and I’m eager to have a unified effort across state departments to make sure this process runs effectively and efficiently. I appreciate the productive input I’ve received on this important issue, including from Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey.”
It eliminates the Medical Marijuana Licensing Board and the Bureau of Marijuana Regulation.
A new director will be named and it may take a couple of months for the new organization to get to work. They will need a workable regulatory structure when the process for licensing recreational marijuana businesses is released late this year.
