Michigan Legislature Introduces Bills To Reduce Nursing Program

Michigan lawmakers yesterday proposed three bills aimed at reducing the supply of nursing staff to medical cannabis patients.

Michigan lawmakers returned full-time on September 9, and House Bills 5300, 5301, and 5302 were introduced on September 14. This legislative package aims to amend the Medical Marihuana Act, which was originally implemented in 2008, to reduce care recipients from five to just one and to reduce the number of plants a caregiver can grow from 60 to 12, with additional ones 12 plants you are allowed to grow for personal use. One of the bills also provides for a specialty medical grower license that would require a $ 500 application to get cannabis tested.

According to Mlive.com, these bills were proposed the day before the planned protest. Yesterday the protest “Michigan Caregivers United: Rally at the Capitol” took place in front of the state capital Lansing. The march was held to protest the Michigan Cannabis Manufacturer’s Association (MCMA) and its efforts to cap caregiver allowances for their patients.

“Michigan’s cannabis users have been whipped with anger; A boycott of MCMA products and their affiliates has resulted in the resignation of their president, removing any reference to individual members on their website, electing a new chairman to clean up their public relations and canceling orders from retailers from MCMA companies. “The protest has been in the works for some time, with an official press release released on July 8th in anticipation of these plans.

The MCMA released a study by the Anderson Economic Group in June that found that 70 percent of cannabis sales were outside of regulated pharmacies and that illicit sales are the primary way residents get cannabis.

“Michigan’s unregulated cannabis market poses an imminent threat to the health of all Michigans, and the Michigan Cannabis Safety Act is updating outdated laws to ensure all Michigans have access to tested, tracked, and labeled cannabis products,” said MCMA Chairman Shelly Edgerton across from Mlive. com.

“We look forward to working with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to bring Michigan’s unregulated, unlicensed cannabis market into line with the rest of the cannabis industry to ensure that safe, high-quality cannabis is available to all Michigan residents.”

The MCMA website states that the organization represents “nearly half of all Class C multiple cannabis licenses in Michigan,” which is the most expensive type of license and represents the largest growers in the state.

Those who oppose this notion argue that caregivers are not responsible for black market sales and that there is no good reason to threaten the care system. Over 250 companies have spoken out in favor of supporting the care program as well as small businesses. Companies like The Botanical Co. issued official statements about the MCMA.

“We stand by our industry colleagues in their efforts to stop the attack on caregivers. We believe our industry thrives when small businesses and caregivers can thrive, “officials said in a statement. “Our customers and patients remain at the center of what we do, and to ensure they continue to have access to the products they rely on, we actively pursue sourcing quality products from companies that better match our mission. We encourage local brands to contact us if they are interested in sales space in our stores. Together we can make a difference and advance our industry. “

There are 30,229 caregivers and 251,284 medical cannabis patients who care for them in the state, according to a July report by the Marijuana Regulatory Agency. The majority of these patients suffer from conditions such as chronic pain, arthritis, muscle cramps, and PTSD. Meanwhile, the state is taking many steps to improve social justice and support residents’ right to consume outside of work.