In alignment with the voter passed initiatives, the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act of 2008 and the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act of 2018 (MRTMA), related to cannabis production and use, we support:
- Funding for continued and expanded research on the effects of cannabis use.
- Local municipalities having the ability to allow or not allow cannabis production and sale in their communities as prescribed in section 6 of MRTMA.
- The development of site selection and setback guidelines by local municipalities, with input from the Cannabis Regulatory Agency, for new cannabis production operations from non-owned residences to minimize negative interactions between the growing/processing industries and the local residents.
- The Cannabis Regulatory Agency developing model local ordinances for the cannabis industry.
- Best practices being developed to provide guidance to the cannabis industry for both production and processing/packaging for retail sale.
- Continued tracking of the production and distribution of cannabis to ensure the integrity of the industry.
- The development of accurate testing to determine impairment levels from cannabis use.
Industrial Hemp
We support:
- Changes to the 2018 Farm Bill that allow for industrial hemp with up to 1% Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to be legal.
- Changes to federal laws that allow for the housing, transportation and marketing of legally derived industrial hemp products for further processing, regardless of the THC level, if the product for final sale meets legal THC limits.
- Establishing a Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Industrial Hemp Advisory Committee to assist in the regulatory development and oversight process, including developing hemp Generally Accepted Agricultural and Management Practices.
- Collaboration with the industry to develop a professional hemp industry organization.
- Federal and state funding for required regulatory oversight. We are willing to consider producer and processor funding to help offset or assist with regulatory oversight.
- Research on processing, production techniques, prospective volumes, and market outlook.
- Collaboration amongst MDARD, Michigan State University Extension and other stakeholders to develop and disseminate educational materials on growing, processing, transportation and marketing of industrial hemp.
- Development and approval of alternative uses and/or disposal methods for the destruction of a “hot crop” other than Drug Enforcement Agency disposal rules.
- The regulation of hemp/cannabis-derived intoxicating cannabinoids/terpenes that are artificially added to hemp products.
We urge the Food and Drug Administration to issue guidance and clarity on the rules surrounding the marketing of industrial hemp-derived products.