City Of Lansing Urges Marijuana Businesses To Get Moving With State Approval

Warning letters were sent to city-approved cannabis companies to get their necessary approval from the State of Michigan by set deadlines or face not being able to business in Lansing.

I don't get out and about in Lansing as much as I should but I have noticed it in Jackson, there are a lot of buildings that look like they are in the process of having a new business move in and when I ask my boyfriend "what's going in there" his response is usually "oh, a new pot shop."

This isn't to make unnecessary assumptions though, this is actually one of the concerns Lansing City Clerk Chris Swope talked to WILX News 10 about.

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Swope said he does not want vacant buildings sitting around Lansing waiting for marijuana dispensaries to open up and be operational, especially when there is potential revenue opportunities and local jobs being missed out on.

So what's the hold up? Why are these shops remaining unopened?

Well, according to WILX, while these businesses are approved by the city they still need to be licensed through the state. With about 85 letters going out urging companies that "the clock is ticking."

For some of these businesses, such as Pure Roots, it all has not been for lack of trying as their Vice President of Government Affairs, Reni Gorge, told WILX COVID caused their delays; though, they do understand the city's need to push people to get things done.

So is this just to get it done because the city is tired of empty buildings?

While possible, it actually comes down to deadlines and the fact that Swope told WILX “Their spot is reserved but we don’t want to keep that spot reserved if they are not actually moving forward."

If there are companies, however, that have dealt with extenuating circumstances, the city is willing to work with them to extend that deadline.

Find more information on Michigan regulations and licensing from michigan.gov HERE!

So this 4/20, if you are in the process of opening a cannabis business, what better way to celebrate than making things officially official!?