The Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency announced on Wednesday that marijuana retailers can transfer half of their products from medical to recreational sales beginning December 1st.
The changemeans recreational marijuana will be available in the state roughly four months earlier than planned.
The conversion is allowed only for growers, processors, and provisioning centers licensed for both medical and recreational marijuana.
David Harns is a spokesperson for the Marijuana Regulatory Agency. He said that means only a handful of businesses will be able to sell recreational marijuana.
“We want to make sure that businesses have the opportunity to sell the products that aren’t selling on the medical side to a wider audience on the adult use side.”
Provisioning centers will be able to sell 50% of products that have been sitting on the shelves for 30 days or more.
“This will be a product that hasn’t been purchased by patients. It will be made available for anyone over the age of 21,” Harns said. “You don’t need a medical card for this product.”
Harns said it was especially important to give growers and processors a head start so they can meet the demand for recreational marijuana as soon as possible. Marijuana plants take 3-4 months to grow.
“This will just allow for a slower evolution into the adult use market and allow for the demand to be met on the adult use side,” he said.
Harns said the move will help tamp down the illicit marijuana market but he denied that the illicit market has been growing or presented any special concern to the state.