People in Michigan slept out in the rain and near freezing temperatures to try and get their hands on one of the medical marijuana dispensary licenses. The township of Leoni isn’t putting a cap on the the number of grow-ops or processing plants, but they are limiting the number of provisioning centers to just six.
In September, Leoni passed a medical marijuana licensing and regulation ordinance. And on Nov. 1, they began accepting applications.
According to MLive.com, these licenses are being issued on a first-come, first-served basis to those who’ve paid a $5,000 per-facility fee and meet the long list of qualifications, including proof of $250,000 in liquid, available funds. Applicants are also required to submit staffing and business plans.
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One man, Jon Bozung, arrived before noon on Oct. 27 and was already too late. He was seventh in line. Someone else had claimed the last coveted spot.
“He beat me by six minutes,” Bozung told MLive.com.
The Medical Marihuana Facilities Act was passed by the legislature in 2016 and gives an appointed state board the power to license growers, transporters, sellers and safety compliance facilities. However, facilities are prohibited from operating without local authorization.
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Beginning December 15, the state will award businesses five types of licenses: growers, processors, testers, transporters and dispensaries. The Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board will award licenses in early 2018.
