‘Stay tuned.’ New Michigan marijuana director hints at plans to go after black market marijuana

One thing is clear: Michigan marijuana regulators intend to increase enforcement to eradicate black-market marijuana making its way to the licensed commercial market.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s placement of Brian Hanna, a former Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) inspector and Michigan state police analyst, as the agency’s “acting” director, hints at a new, stricter approach by the agency.

Hanna confirmed that during a meeting with members of the media at a roundtable in Lansing on Tuesday, Oct. 25, although he was at times vague.

“I can’t talk about open investigations,” Hanna said when asked about the size of the illicit market that’s infiltrating the licensed industry and for examples. “I would say, stay tuned.”

Hanna, who’s worked as a criminal intelligence and computer crimes analyst with state police, said his first 90 days in the position will focus on buttoning down procedures, meeting with stakeholders in the industry and government and attacking illicit marijuana.

“We’re hearing about this illicit product in the market, that’s in the regulated market — we want to find that,” Hanna said from the CRA headquarters. “We want to expose that. We want to make it known.”

[Read More @ MLive]