Medical Marijuana Caregivers Reform

Law enforcement officials would like to see changes to the caregiver model, under Michigan’s medical marijuana law.

Voters approved the state’s medical marijuana law in 2008, which created a system of caregivers and patients, but not dispensaries.

But bills moving through the legislature would allow for dispensaries, tax them at 3-percent and create a seed to sale tracking system.

And while the bills wouldn’t eliminate the caregiver model, Mike Wending of the Michigan Prosecutors association says if dispensaries are allowed, they would like to see caregivers phased out.

Sergeant Amy Dehner of the Michigan State Police says the concern is the extra marijuana grown by caregivers making its way to the black market. She says the only way to solve the issue is to eliminate the caregiver model.

Ingham County Sheriff Gene Wrigglesworth of the Michigan Association of Sheriffs says once the new system is up and running there will be no need for caregivers to grow a product since patients will be able to access it at the dispensaries.

The bill package remains in a Senate committee.