It’s true. Even steeped in the world of cannabis marketing as we are, we’ve only recently discovered that if you want to dabble in the business of medicinal cannabis, Oklahoma is a medical marijuana hotbed.

Who knew?

Well, more than a few folks, it turns out.

The Pioneering Renegades of ‘Tokelahoma’

Take a little cruise through rural Oklahoma and you’re likely to see more than your fair share of wide open fields, work sheds, and greenhouse tunnels. But what they’re growing in those greenhouses might surprise you.

Chip Baker

Chip Baker is among the folks that have discovered the beauty and relative ease of growing marijuana in Oklahoma for medicinal purposes. And he’s no newbie. This is a guy who’s been in the industry, as it were, since he was 13.

He’s grown the leaf in places as varied as the woods of Georgia to the lakes of Switzerland. Of course, he was part of the magic as it exploded throughout Colorado and California. A few years ago, he and his wife set up shop (or greenhouse) when Oklahoma voted to legalize medical marijuana.

“I love California weed, I love California growers. But there’s a certain snobbiness and ‘we’ve done it all,’” said Baker. “But in Oklahoma… it’s this newness. Adventure. That’s partly why we’re here.”

David Lewis

David Lewis, on the other hand, is a lifelong Oklahoman. He’s now the COO of the state’s largest indoor grow house. He was baffled to learn that 10 percent of the population have medical marijuana cards. “I never would have thought we’d have almost 400,000 patients consuming medical marijuana. It’s shocking,” he said.

Oklahoma has this image of outlaw country. Yet, just because people are conservative, work on the land, and/or go to church, that doesn’t mean they aren’t benefitting from cannabis.

Taly Frantz-Holly

Frantz-Holly was one of those who found huge benefits from cannabis.

Suffering from PTSD, she found that certain prescription pills left her suicidal. But cannabis helped in a way that nothing else had. And she feels it saved her life.

Taken with the effectiveness of cannabis, she now grows it herself. But for a long time, she could only get cannabis through the black market.

“I literally got drug charges when I was 21 for a joint. And did 30 days in county jail. For a joint!” said Frantz-Holly. “And now I’m picking up 75 marijuana plants to go home to my commercial grow.” She’s among the 7,000 other commercial growers across the state.

The Ease of Medical Marijuana in Oklahoma

Baker says Oklahoma makes it simple and affordable to break into the business.

The application fee for growers, processors, dispensaries, and transporters is $2,500. It’s only $100 for patients and just $20 for disabled veterans. While Baker waited two years to apply in other states, he said it took him only 15 minutes to apply in Oklahoma.

“Oklahoma is the reddest of the red states. And I think what that translated to in medical marijuana was a free market approach,” said Baker. “The government wanted the free market to settle out who the winners and losers would be. As a result, you saw very limited restrictions on getting into the market and a lot of people participated.”

It seems to have worked. Baker says that industry-wide, the business grew 50 percent last year. So yeah. If you’re looking to break into medical marijuana, Oklahoma is the place to be.

Apparently, the cornstalks aren’t the only things as high as an elephant’s eye…

Do You Own a Marijuana Business?

Whether you’re just starting up in Oklahoma, or firmly rooted in Michigan (or elsewhere), we can help with your marketing and PR strategies.

Contact us today for a free consultation. And find out how we use our connections and years of experience in cannabis marketing to put your company in the spotlight.

The post Oklahoma Is a Medical Marijuana Mecca appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.

Michigan has 300,000 registered medical marijuana patients who need their medicine. But due to a marijuana supply shortage and an imbalance within the supply chain, patients are having difficulty accessing medical marijuana.

Currently, licensed provisioning centers are only permitted to get their product from growers. That means that the fewer than 60 licensed provisioning centers in Michigan are required to service all 300,000 of those patients.

To put it mildly, it’s not working. And it’s clear that caregivers are the solution to the medical marijuana shortage.

So What Is the Problem?

Well, there are many. Transitioning to legal recreational marijuana in Michigan has not been a cake walk. And it still has a lot to learn.

By January, it was clear that supplies were quickly dwindling. And the situation hasn’t gotten any better.

So in the middle of January, a highly respected and well known law firm in Southeast Michigan filed a state court complaint on behalf of a provisioning center seeking to remedy Michigan’s medical marijuana supply shortage.

In response to the lawsuit, the Medical Marihuana Licensing Board (MMLB) signed a resolution on January 16th that granted caregivers the right to provide their product directly to the state’s licensed dispensaries.

Since caregiver-grown product was not required to be tested, patients had to sign a waiver acknowledging they understood this. They did just that.

And with caregivers continuing to provide untested marijuana, patients who truly rely on this medicine have been able to access it.

But the resolution was merely a stopgap measure. It expired on March 31st. Since then, the state’s licensed caregivers have been required to provide any excess product to licensed growers or licensed processors, who will then have the product tested before transferring the product to a provisioning center.

All of this red tape has added needless delays for patients trying to access their medicine. In some cases, it’s even prevented them from it.

So the law firm has recently filed a subsequent lawsuit on behalf of its client – requesting it continue the status quo of the original resolution.

Why Caregivers Are the Solution to the Medical Marijuana Shortage

Like we said above, it’s pretty simple.

Right now, Michigan licenses marijuana growers to sell either 500 plants (Class A), 1,000 plants (Class B) or 1,500 plants (Class C). But as of March 18, Michigan had issued only three Class A licenses, one class B license and 13 Class C licenses.

The number of available medical marijuana plants for Michigan’s 300,000 patients is far from enough to keep up with current demand.

Plus, Michigan has only 11 licensed marijuana processors for packaging and labeling, four licensed marijuana testing facilities, and five licensed marijuana transporters.

Meanwhile, a caregiver may grow 72 plants to supply up to five patients, plus the caregiver him/herself if they are a patient as well. It’s no wonder that Michigan’s medical marijuana caregiver network has been effective in supplying patients with products for 11 years.

Yes. Eleven years.

Therefore, to supplement the dwindling supply, the law firm requested that Michigan allow its licensed medical marijuana caregiver network to provide excess caregiver products to state-licensed provisioning centers as they’ve been effectively doing for so long now.

The hope is that the Marijuana Regulatory Agency – which recently replaced the MMLB – has the wherewithal to recognize common sense.

Until there’s a measurable increase in the number of licensed growers, processors, transporters and provisioning centers – in tandem with more being done to expedite and streamline the medical marijuana licensing process and minimize barriers for patients – the caregiver network is THE solution.

From an economic and patients’ health standpoint, it’s the only way to go.

Looking for More Cannabis News?

As experts in cannabis marketing and public relations, we know the importance of staying on top of the latest news in the industry.

Especially in one that changes as fast as the cannabis industry.

So be sure to keep checking back with our blog for the most up-to-date information on what’s happening in the biz, as well as helpful advice and tips for marketing your business.

The post Caregivers Are the Solution to the Medical Marijuana Shortage appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.

So one of the first orders of business for Governor Whitmer has been to help find a way for these patients to regain access to their medicine.

Thus, two days ago, the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) recommended that the Medical Marihuana Licensing Board (MMLB) adopt a resolution to help those folks.

And on January 16th, the Board voted 5-0 in favor of that resolution.

That means that in the next few days, you can expect to see dispensaries reopening to serve medical marijuana patients.

What the Resolution Proposed

Under the direction of new Head Director of LARA, Orlene Hawks, the department recommended to MMLB that they allow temporarily operating facilities to reopen without it affecting their future licensure.

Furthermore, licensed facilities would be able to source product from caregivers without being penalized.

“This recommendation will extend the temporary operation of facilities and allow licensed businesses to remain competitive during this transition period,” said Hawks on Tuesday.

And the MMLB clearly heard her.

No Disciplinary Action Will Be Taken

These six words make all the difference.

So here’s how it all breaks down.

It is now CLEAR that disciplinary action will not be taken against an applicant in the following circumstances:

For Temporarily Operating Facilities (through March 31, 2019)

• The applicant’s proposed facility is within a municipality that had an authorizing ordinance in place by December 15, 2017.
• The applicant applied for a license no later than February 15, 2018.
• The applicant notifies the Department within one business day of knowledge of any adverse reaction to a marijuana product sold or transferred.

For Licensed Provisioning Centers (through March 31, 2019)

For these centers, there will be no disciplinary action taken for purchasing marijuana products from either a registered primary caregiver or from a temporarily operating facility. The licensee must meet all the following criteria:

• Obtain signed patient consent prior to selling any marijuana products that have not been tested in full compliance with the law and administrative rules.
• Enter all inventory into the statewide monitoring system immediately upon receipt from a caregiver or from a temporarily operating facility.
• Verify and confirm – before any sale or transfer – with government issued photo identification and the statewide monitoring system that the customer holds a valid registry identification card.
• Enter all sales in the statewide monitoring system and determine that sales will not exceed daily purchasing limits.
• Notify LARA within one business day of knowledge of any adverse reaction to a marijuana product sold or transferred.

For Licensed Growers or Processors (through March 31, 2019)

The Board will not take disciplinary action against a licensed grower or processor for purchasing marijuana products from either a temporarily operating facility or a registered primary caregiver, as long as the licensee does all the following:

• Enter all marijuana products as inventory into the statewide monitoring system immediately upon receipt.
• Tag or package all inventory that has been identified in the statewide monitoring system.
• Only transfer marijuana products that have been tested in full compliance with the law and administrative rules.
• Notify LARA within one business day of becoming aware of any adverse reaction to a marijuana product sold or transferred.

The transition from just medical marijuana to recreational marijuana legalization hasn’t been easy. But Michigan isn’t alone. Other states, such as Colorado, ran into the same issues.

Fortunately, LARA and MMLB have opted to not make life harder for medical marijuana patients who were already struggling.

And as far as we’re concerned, it was the right thing to do.

Watch for Dispensaries Reopening to Serve Medical Marijuana Patients

They should all be operational again by the end of this month – at the latest.

And if you’re among those dispensaries reopening to serve medical marijuana patients, let us help you get your name out there.

We so appreciate what you’re doing for the community.

The post Dispensaries Reopening to Serve Medical Marijuana Patients appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.

Although the city is getting ready to let down their walls and open up their arms to the cannabis community, restrictions will still be heavily set in place. Mindy Norton of the Morning Sun News explained in her article, “ Citizens Weigh in as Mt. Pleasant Nears Marijuana Decision,” That there will be strict zoning laws when it comes to cannabis facilities. No cannabis operation is to be within 1,000 feet of any school which includes Central Michigan University. Hopefully, after the discussion on June 4, there will be more information on the reasoning for these zoning laws particularly, the regulation on the distance from the university.

With the many concerns of Mt. Pleasant citizens, there were also high praise and support from others. Mt. Pleasant resident, Jim Moreno, spoke in favor of the location restrictions, “ I believe in compromise. I Don’t think that school kids will be walking into a provisioning center and getting some medical marijuana. It doesn’t work that way. You have to have a card. There’s security in front, [and] all that stuff.” Many citizens have their opinions on the location restrictions, but the fact is, is that Mt.Pleasant will be the new home to many different cannabis companies and facilities.

For more information on the proposed ordinance, visit the city’s website at www.mt-pleasant.org

The post New Medical Marijuana Facilities In Mt. Pleasant Michigan appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.

Michigan’s emergency MMJ rules say facilities who don’t receive a license by June 15 will have to shut down, yet, state regulators have currently not issued any licenses to marijuana businesses.

Jeff Smith of Marijuana Business Daily said this short time frame is causing businesses to worry the approval process is going to slow. He said they worry the medical marijuana market, “won’t be firmed up by the mid-June deadline and that Michigan’s 277,000 registered MMJ patients will be left with inadequate access to supplies.”

Smith said marijuana businesses in Detroit have been hit the hardest because they either failed to apply in time, applied without conditional approval from their local authorities or filed incomplete applications. He said 158 businesses in the state’s largest city were ordered to shut down, leaving less than 70 in operation.

Bloomfield Hills Attorney Michael Stein said he’s received several calls from Michigan marijuana businesses who said local authorities had failed to act on their applications in time for them to meet the states February 15 deadline.

“It shouldn’t have counted against them that Detroit dragged its feet,” said Stein.

Detroit’s Corporation Counsel Lawrence Garcia said the city hasn’t been dragging its feet though. He said the Detroit City Council is considering new local rules, but that process should be completed in plenty of time for dispensaries with temporary licenses to win full approvals.

Garcia said Detroit envisions about six dozen licensed dispensaries throughout the city and he believes that will be an adequate number to serve the market.

“According to the White Pages,” said Garcia. “We have 36 CVS (drugstores), 33 Rite Aids, seven Walgreens, 32 McDonalds, 22 Burger Kings and 10 Starbucks in the city of Detroit, and people don’t seem to have any trouble accessing nonmarijuana medications, hamburgers or high end-coffee.”

The post Michigan Medical Marijuana Dispensaries are Concerned appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.

The fact that Michigan is trailing only California is an exciting prospect, as not only have California already legalized recreational use of marijuana (which went into effect on January 1st), but, according to the LA Times, “Estimates presented to the [San Diego] City Council [in December] predict $5.5 million per year initially, with steady increases up to $13.7 million in the budget year that ends in June 2023.” The article adds that these estimates, ”erred strongly on the conservative side.”

With that kind of annual money coming in for one major city alone, it’s no wonder Michigan is following in California’s footsteps. Speaking to Benzinga, Matt Karnes, founder of Green Wave Advisors (which boasts “comprehensive independent research and financial analysis of the emerging legalized cannabis industry”), “Michigan is a very large market that has been legal but unregulated, similar to California, so there’s a huge potentially addressable market there.”

Hasse’s article goes on to address the various ancillary businesses springing up in the relatively untapped market of Michigan marijuana, including Cannabiz Connection and Cannabis-Aid,  pointing out that, “While the number of plant-facing businesses applying for a license in Michigan remains low, the number of ancillary businesses emerging in the state is not.” Some could see this is counting one’s chickens before they hatch, although it’s clear that marijuana (medical or otherwise) is trending up in Michigan and the rise of these marijuana-related businesses only further proves that.

The post Michigan Taking Further Strides in Medical and Beyond appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.

Green Zone says anyone interested and eligible can come to the dispensary during this time and speak with a qualified doctor in order to become certified. After purchasing a 50 dollar certification, interested parties will need to pay a 60 dollar state fee as well to obtain a medical marijuana card.

Green Zone says during the event they will be offering free pizza and refreshments. Along with this, they say all first time customers will receive a free top shelf pre roll.

Appointments for this event can be made by calling 313-883-7930, but walk-ins are also welcome. Green Zone is located at 12032 Rosa Parks Blvd., Detroit, MI 48206.

For more information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/pg/GREENZONECENTER/about/?ref=page_internal

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With the dispensaries closing for an undisclosed period of time on December 15th, medical marijuana patients will be forced to grow their own medicine or obtain it directly from a local caregiver. This practice is currently legal and will remain so throughout the adjustments made to the law. The new legislation should be written and enacted by Mid-February.

During this hiatus, it is important for the medical marijuana industry to maintain a profile because of the thousands of patients that will be without access to their medicine. Many Michigan patients will have difficulty accessing medical cannabis during this time, so getting in touch with a caregiver or stocking up on product prior to the shutdown may be a good way for patients to circumvent the action being taken by the state.

While the timeliness of this shutdown is unfortunate, it will eventually lead to more clear and solidified laws benefiting both the provisioning centers that do things the right way, and the patients that require the use of medical cannabis. Medical marijuana helps thousands of Michiganders fight debilitating conditions including, but not limited to, Seizures, epilepsy and cancer. While the temporary shutdown creates a period of uncertainty for many patients, it will eventually provide them with a more permanent sense of clarity about the legislation in place.

Though the provisioning centers are going to be forced to close, it is important for them to maintain an image of positivity in the community. During this hiatus, it should be the goal of each center to do whatever they can to brand themselves as a dispensary that does things the right way. The provisioning centers can help themselves appeal to the state by positioning themselves as active members of the communities they operate in. By doing this, dispensaries will be able to improve upon their ability to demonstrate strong legal and moral standing to the state.

Mort Meisner and the Grow Cannabis Marketing team are poised to help dispensaries subject to the shutdown maintain a positive profile in the community and in the media.

The post Michigan Provisioning Centers Set to Close Temporarily in December appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.