Construction began Monday on a multi-million-dollar state-run marijuana testing lab even though the Cannabis Regulatory Agency lacks the authority under state law to collect and test more than 2.5 ounces of marijuana.
Two years ago, the Democratic-led Legislature allocated about $4.4 million for the construction of the facility. But lawmakers were unable to muster a three-fourths majority in support of changing the state law to allow for the lab’s operation. A three-quarters vote of both houses of the Legislature, not a simple majority, is needed to amend the recreational marijuana law that voters approved adding to the state law in 2018.
The CRA has argued the lab is necessary to bring testing operations in-house that have largely been farmed out to private, licensed testing facilities during investigations. While the lab will still be able to do some work without the statutory change, it can’t be fully used without adding specific permissions in the state law — and overriding the voters.
“The money’s there,” said state Rep. Tyrone Carter, D-Detroit. “It’s being constructed. We just need the laws in place for testing, chain of custody issues, etc.”
Carter’s bill last year would have given the Cannabis Regulatory Agency explicit authority to create and operate a marijuana reference laboratory. It also would have allowed the agency to “collect, transport, and possess” marijuana for the purpose of testing and research of testing methods.
The 2018 voter-initiated law that decriminalized marijuana in Michigan for recreational use set a 2.5 ounce limit on possession or transportation unless a facility is licensed by the state. The state agency, being the licensing body, does not fall under those expanded possession allowances.
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