Sen. Sean MCCANN (D-Kalamazoo) made a case in front of the Senate Regulatory Affairs Committee why they should move SB 807 , which would let anyone age 19 or older to work with marijuana.
McCann was joined by Michigan Cannabis Industry Association Executive Director Robin Schneider and Lake Effect Group Co-Owner Jevin Weyerberg, who talked about the troubles finding workers above age 21 and made the comparison to workers at bars being able to be age 17.
“This will be most pronounced in the smaller towns in northern Michigan where their hiring pool is a lot less, and those will be great jobs for those people in those areas that are hurting for jobs,” Weyenberg said.
Weyenberg said the cannabis industry was a fairly high-paying industry, and for the people coming in at age 19, it could be a good education to help get a leg up in the industry.
Schneider also said there were several college programs in Michigan that dealt specifically with the cannabis industry and changing the age would help students in the programs get internships and work experience.
She said the cannabis industry employed more than 40,000 workers as of 2024.
“I want to make it clear that my bill does not lower the age of consumption,” McCann said.
This story was published by MIRS