Michigan’s recreational marijuana market could open earlier than originally expected

As recreational licenses are being processed, Michigan’s prospective marijuana businesses are becoming eager, if not antsy, to begin growing, processing and selling legal weed to the general public.

As of now, based on the current rules and the length of the marijuana grow cycle once businesses are licensed, there won’t be legal recreational sales until about March or April.

Any existing marijuana or related products are not recognized under the “adult-use” moniker; therefore, the market must start from scratch.

That is, unless there is some sort of reprieve, and Marijuana Regulatory Agency Director Andrew Brisbo hasn’t ruled out alternatives that could allow retailers to open their doors earlier.

One proposal that has been swirling among marijuana business owners who’ve spoken with MLive is the possibility that product currently designated as medical could be transferred over to the recreational side.

“I think we need to continue to monitor what the supply looks like on the medical side to see where that might fit in,” Brisbo said last week. “It’s really not about prohibiting it, it’s about if we open that window, and if so, in what way, so we’re going to continue to analyze how things unfold. [Read more at MLive.com]