LARA Issues Rules for Caregivers to Transition Into MMFLA Program

[bobandtorey]

LANSING- Yet another LARA/BMMR advisory has been issued to advise applicants on how to successfully enter the new regulated medical marijuana business environment in Michigan.

This time they are targeting caregivers and patients who aspire to owning regulated businesses.

Certain businesses licensed under the MMFLA program ban patients and caregivers from being owners or employees. During the MICBD Conference in Ann Arbor, LARA Director Shelly Edgerton was questioned by attendees about the methods and the timing of their resignation from the MMMA.

The questions posed to her were, why would I have to resign my caregiver duties just to apply to the new system? Can't I keep my patient/caregiver status throughout the application process, and resign only if I am approved?

During the course of answering the questions, Edgerton seemed to waffle on the subject and finally seemed to decide in favor of the points being made by the attendees. "We'll have to send out an advisory" on that issue, she told the attendees.

Well, now they have.

"LARA intends to require that, upon licensure, any caregivers affiliated or employed by a grower or processor must submit the form to cancel caregiver status within 5 business days. New employees have five business days to submit the caregiver cancellation form," says the new directive.

Who are the owners and employees this affects?

"A licensed grower or processor – or their employee – must not be registered as a caregiver," the advisory bulletin states, adding later, "to be eligible for a secure transporter license – an applicant and its investors cannot be registered patients or caregivers."

The directive reminds people that not all industries require a person to sacrifice their status in the Medical Marihuana Program (MMP) to qualify under the MMFLA, stating, "The MMFLA does not prohibit provisioning center and safety compliance facility licensees from being registered as patients or caregivers under the MMMP, nor does it prohibit such facilities from employing patients or caregivers."

The advisory also more clearly defines the fees and costs associated with opening a business in the MMFLA program. Applications for the program will be accepted beginning on December 15th.

Read the full press release and advisory HERE.

[Restorium2]

This is discrimination plain and simple:

"to be eligible for a secure transporter license – an applicant and its investors cannot be registered patients

There's no reason for it. It's sad and it should be pointed out early and often. People who discriminate against MM patients should crawl back under their rock. 

[t-pain]

its probably because secure transporters will be required to have guns and they dont want to do the dance with the firearms and marijuana possession...

[Restorium2]

17 minutes ago, t-pain said:

its probably because secure transporters will be required to have guns and they dont want to do the dance with the firearms and marijuana possession...

No. They included 'investors' which shows their discrimination. There's no excuse, not even a trumped up gun excuse that thinly veils the discrimination intent. 

[Wild Bill]

It's because the transporters  might be stoned on reefers and will be hallucinating too much to drive.

[Bird79]

So what happens when a CG gets denied the commercial liscense can he go back and get his home grown liscense back?Sounds kind of suspect to me.

[shishka]

1 hour ago, Bird79 said:

So what happens when a CG gets denied the commercial liscense can he go back and get his home grown liscense back?Sounds kind of suspect to me.

Well since you don't have to withdraw until you have received your commercial license there is nothing to "get back". If denied you are still a caregiver.

[Bird79]

On 11/19/2017 at 2:37 PM, shishka said:

Well since you don't have to withdraw until you have received your commercial license there is nothing to "get back". If denied you are still a caregiver.

Got you ,thanks.