Hearings in the Legislature will continue this week on bills to regulate Michigan’s legal marijuana industry and toughen penalties on the black market.
There are bills in the House and the Senate to set some parameters now that Michigan has a legal marijuana marketplace.
Derek Sova of the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency told a House committee the black market in Michigan is busy because the profits are still there with little risk of serious punishment.
“So, Michigan has really become, in a lot of ways, sort of a central location for illicit operations because the penalties for illicit operations are so low here.”
Cannabis businesses also say the illegal market is undercutting legal operators with lower prices – a problem that will get worse when the state’s new wholesale tax on marijuana takes effect in January.
Non-commercial, fact based reporting is made possible by your financial support. Make your donation to WEMU today to keep your community NPR station thriving.
Like 89.1 WEMU on Facebook and follow us on X (Twitter)
Contact WEMU News at 734.487.3363 or email us at studio@wemu.org
