At least 40 medical cannabis dispensaries throughout Michigan were ordered by state officials and the Michigan State Police to stop operating as the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs begins its crackdown on dispensaries that did not apply for a license by the Feb. 15 deadline, the Detroit Free Press reports. LARA spokesman David Harns said that the department expects to issue “hundreds more” cease-and-desist letters.
“Any business that didn’t apply for a license by Feb. 15 isn’t in compliance with the emergency rules that were set up.” – Harns to the Free Press
According to a copy of a cease-and-desist letter, the rule “permits an applicant for a state operating license to temporarily operate a proposed marihuana facility under certain conditions.”
“A person that does not comply with this rule shall cease and desist operation of a proposed marihuana facility and may be subject to all penalties, sanctions, and remedies under state and federal law, the act, or the Emergency Rules.” – LARA Cease-and-Desist letter, dated Mar. 15, 2018.
If a business owner does not comply, they risk not being able to receive a state license. According to Harns, officials did not confiscate any products. The Free Press reports that 378 applications have been submitted to LARA to pre-qualify for a license and while those owners are undergoing background checks, their facilities still need local approval.
(h/t MINORML board member Rick Thompson/The Social Revolution)
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