In the boardrooms and legislative offices of Lansing, the green rush is often framed as a historic victory for Michigan’s labor market. By the end of 2025, economic reports touted cannabis as the state’s leading driver of new private-sector job creation. On paper, the marijuana industry reportedly supports over 41,000 workers, accounting for a massive chunk of net job growth.
However, for those in the industry, the reality is far more volatile. While the state is excellent at counting new licenses and potential positions, it is less adept at tracking the high rate of churn and the increasing instability of the cannabis workforce. The supposed miracle of job creation is currently facing its toughest test yet: a combination of market oversaturation, a new 24% wholesale tax and a shift toward automation that threatens to replace human labor with mechanical efficiency.
The paper jobs vs. the reality
of churn
The state’s employment data often functions as a net calculation, which masks the instability beneath the surface. For every new dispensary that opens on a Lansing corner, older operations are restructuring behind closed doors. The wave of layoffs seen recently — including the closure of major facilities like C3 Industries in Webberville — has left a pool of experienced workers competing for a shrinking number of stable roles.
Many professionals joined the industry under the promise of a long-term career, but now find themselves bouncing from one startup to another. There’s an overtrained workforce, increasingly exhausted by the market.
The rise of the machines:
Automation hits the grow room
One of the primary reasons for the growing disconnect between record volume and job seekers is the rapid adoption of automation. In the early days of legalization, the industry was labor intensive, requiring armies of trimmers and packagers. In 2026, the landscape looks significantly different.
Cultivation facilities across Michigan are increasingly investing in automated trimming machines and industrial-scale pre-roll injectors. High-tech facilities in the Detroit and Lansing areas now have machines that can roll 2,000 to 3,000 joints an hour – a task that would have previously required a large team of manual laborers.
While this increases consistency and lowers the cost of production (a necessity in a market where an ounce can go for $60), it effectively raises the barrier to entry for human workers. The entry-level job is disappearing, replaced by a smaller number of specialized technicians to maintain the equipment.
Read the rest of this story at Lansing City Pulse
