There are at least 30,000 marijuana-related jobs in Michigan and more than 3,100 businesses, a 29% increase in one year, and tax revenues are expected to continue to soar as the legalized adult-use and medical marijuana industry progresses across the state — including in Lapeer County.
“Five-hundred million in taxes is going to be easy for next year,” said Brian Hanna, executive director of the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA), who was the guest speaker at a Thursday luncheon meeting of the Lapeer Economic Club, an offshoot function of the Lapeer Development Corporation. “Every quarter we’re breaking sales records,” said Hanna as monthly retail sales continue to increase at adult-use marijuana dispensaries.
“Marijuana is here to stay, and tax revenue will continue to increase. Michigan is a major stop in the Midwest in marijuana tourism,” said Hanna, who indicated the state has become a destination for residents who live in neighboring states that don’t permit marijuana dispensaries.
Hanna said when marijuana sales and possession was legalized in Michigan, he and many marijuana regulators were concerned marijuana products would find their way to the streets and into the communities. But what they’re finding is that due to pressure to drive down costs by marijuana businesses, illicit marijuana is being grown and purchased by some operators, often containing pesticides and harmful materials. “The illicit stuff has bad stuff in it that can do bad things to the body,” said Hanna.
Hanna said one of the chief public safety and health concerns related to marijuana businesses in Michigan are illegal grow operators who are selling their homegrown marijuana to business owners, though he said through new initiatives “we’re going to catch them.”
Read more at The County Press