Author: MobileMike

Michigan Medical Marijuana Program Up 53% In Two Years

,

New statistics released by Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs put final numbers on the state medical marijuana program participants: 182,091 patients and 34,269 caregivers are currently enrolled.

A pair of reports were issued on January 4, 2016, containing the enrollment and expense figures for Michigan’s Medical Marihuana Program (MMP). The MMP took in $7,091,550 from patient and caregiver registration fees, and spent $3,872,590 in administering the program during Fiscal Year 2015.

This is the first completely accurate reporting of patient and caregiver numbers in two years. A legislative change turned the MMP from a single year registry program to a two-year registration period, starting in 2013. The 2014 patient registration report showed  96,408 patient registrants in FY 2014.

Similarly, the document issued by LARA on November 30, 2015 titled, ‘Michigan Medical Marihuana Act Registry ID Cars Issued And Renewed By County For Fiscal Year 2015- contained data for only 2015 registrants. It listed the number of patients registering and renewing during FY 2015 as 84,785.

These documents published by LARA were each only a single year tally in a two year program. The LARA document from January 4, 2016, ‘Medical Marihuana Act Statistical Report For Fiscal Year 2015- shows the total program enrollment.

Compared to the last total enrollment figure available from the MMP, 2013, the patient population has grown by 63,000 members. That is an increase of 53.83% over two years.

Caregiver numbers have increased by 27% over that same period, from 27,046 in 2013 to 34,269 in 2015. The number of physicians certifying patients to use medicinal cannabis has been steady for three years in a row, hovering between 1,400 – 1,500 per year.

Counties with the greatest patient populations include Wayne (25,949), Oakland (18,656), Macomb (15,012) and Genesee (12,647), in that order.

Michigan Medical Marihuana Act – Program Information and Financial Data (FY 2015)

Section_902_1_MMMP_Registry_ID_Cards_Issued_and_Renewed_by_County_Repo…_506920_7

Source: The Compassion Chronicles

High Times Documents Michigan’s Marijuana Legalization Movement

In the new issue, on newsstands now, High Times Editor-In-Chief Dan Skye says: “Cali and Colorado have nothing on the Great Lakes State…”

High Times article March 2016 - small

by Rick Thompson/January 12, 2016

YPSILANTI– High Times has recently expanded their coverage of marijuana-related events in Michigan and the March 2016 issue sports an article by the top man at the magazine. Editor-In-Chief Dan Skye came to Michigan and wrote about the push to legalize the adult use of marijuana- and why now it the time for change.

In Michigan’s March to Legalization, Skye describes the need for an evolution in the state’s marijuana laws. He explores Michigan’s history with asset forfeiture, interference by the state Attorney General and law enforcement encounters both old and new.

Very new. As in, 24 hours ago new.

Skye visited Michigan in September and photographed a cannabis garden. The very next day that same garden was raided by local and state authorities. Skye’s description of events is both engaging and frightening at the same time, but he writes that these actions are all-too-common in Michigan.

The article follows the evolution of marijuana distribution and cultivation in Michigan in a broad way since 2009. It covers the emergence of early distribution centers, including 3rd Coast Medical Marijuana Dispensary of Ypsilanti and the now-defunct Big Daddy’s organizations, and the formation of Michigan’s first dispensary organization, the MACC.

The High Times article incorporates some horror stories of how Michigan’s medical marijuana era has been marred by an upswing in arrests and cops drunk on asset forfeiture dollars.  The numbers presented are shocking.

Skye ends the piece on a high note by discussing the current business climate and how some have managed to thrive. Distribution centers like 3rd Coast and Arborside of Ann Arbor are still able to make it if they have “tolerant city governments and local law enforcement.”

Skunkwerks, a Michigan company that makes nutrients for gardening, is featured. Company leader Josh Keasler gave possibly the article’s best quote when he said, “Since 2008, we’ve tried to operate professionally and move forward without clarification from our legislature, and we still don’t have it.”

Skye’s presentation gives the solution to the problem as the MILegalize movement. Described often as the state’s grass-roots marijuana legalization petition drive, MILegalize has collected over 200,000 signatures and looks to put the issue on the 2016 general election ballot.

MILegalize Board members Jamie Lowell and Rick Thompson (this author) are featured in the Skye article. Lowell described MILegalize fundraising and signature-gathering as “generous” and “terrifically successful.”

Keasler said, “I’m totally behind MILegalize, because the people of Michigan want this!”

Visit the High Times website at:

www.hightimes.com/

MILegalize is still paying for petition signatures. To contact the campaign, visit:

www.milegalize.com/