More Movement in Michigan

Back in May, the hemp world was shaken when Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) issued an advisory bulletin on hemp and cannabidiol (“CBD”) that suggested that CBD would be regulated as if it were medical marijuana.

The Roundtable sprung into action, and LARA clarified that it would not be engaging in enforcement actions in grocery and retail stores against hemp-derived products. Today, there was an even bigger development: Michigan House Majority Leader Dan Lauwers just introduced House Bill 6331 which would clarify that hemp topical and ingestible products, such as hemp-derived CBD, would qualify as “industrial hemp.” Specifically, here’s the new proposed definition:

(2) “Industrial hemp” means the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of the THAT plant, INCLUDING THE VIABLE SEEDS OF THAT PLANT AND ALL DERIVATIVES, EXTRACTS, CANNABINOIDS, ISOMERS, ACIDS, SALTS, AND SALTS OF ISOMERS, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannibinol DELTA-9 TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL concentration of not more than 0.3% on a dry weight basis. INDUSTRIAL HEMP INCLUDES INDUSTRIAL HEMP COMMODITIES AND PRODUCTS AND TOPICAL OR INGESTIBLE ANIMAL AND CONSUMER PRODUCTS DERIVED FROM THE PLANT Cannabis sativa L. WITH A DELTA-9 TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CONCENTRATION OF NOT MORE THAN 0.3% ON A DRY WEIGHT BASIS.

The bill is still in rough form (read it here) and we will be looking for technical improvements. But given Rep. Lauwers’ strong leadership, and the support of several other key lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, we are very optimistic about passage, and hopeful to see action this fall. The lobbying effort will be led by the outstanding Lansing firm, Public Affairs Associates.

Big thanks are due to the following Roundtable firms that are financing the campaign: American Shaman, Bluebird Botanicals, CV Sciences, CW Hemp, Elixinol, Healthy Hemp Oil, Isodiol, MHR Brands and Zilis.

Please let us know if you are interested in joining the supporting coalition.