Another full house at the May 6 Cannabis Regulatory Agency’s meeting urged tweaks to the revised rules the agency is considering.
Numerous farmers and CBD consumers showed up to fight against proposed regulations that would limit the sale of some products, especially those that could be used to create synthetic Delta-9 THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis (See “CRA Rules Change Will Combat CBD, THC Conversion,” 9/30/24).
The rule change has largely been sought by people in the cannabis industry. During today’s hearing, Michigan Cannabis Industry Association Executive Director Robin SCHNEIDER called for finding a “middle ground” after hearing from farmers.
“The industry has been very clear – four years – They are tired of the criminal element who has taken advantage of our rules and imported illicit material into our regulated market, crashing our market,” Schneider said.
Members have been asking for a conversion ban on synthetic THC, which an independent audit recently found was contained in more than 50 percent of the oil they tested. The CRA does not test for synthetic THC because the substance is not illegal (See “Independent Audit Sees Synthetics In Cannabis,” 5/1/25).
“When I hear testimony about farmers talking about their prices plummeting, and they are struggling, our growers can relate to what that feeling is,” she said.
She said the cannabis industry wasn’t looking to harm farmers, but instead keep oil or cannabis that wasn’t made in Michigan out of the supply.
CRA spokesperson David HARNS said it would take a few months to get the final draft of the rules ready and incorporate the suggestions made and submitted by the public during the hearing today.
After the final draft of the rules is completed, it goes before the Joint Commission on Administrative Rules (JCAR).
This update was provided by Safer Michigan Coalition.