Michigan state officials said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has taken action to consolidate the regulatory bodies responsible for overseeing cannabis and hemp processing, distribution, and sale as a means of enhancing efficiency.
“Consolidating multiple government functions into the newly named Cannabis Regulatory Agency will help us continue growing our economy and creating jobs,” Whitmer said. “And to be blunt-safe, legal cannabis entrepreneurship, farming and consumption helps us put Michiganders first by directing the large windfall of tax revenue from this new industry to make bigger, bolder investments in local schools, roads, and first responders.”
Executive Order 2022-1, which has been filed with the legislature and is slated to take effect in two months, renames the Marijuana Regulatory Agency as the Cannabis Regulatory Agency and places the department in charge of regulating the processing, distribution, and sale of both hemp and marijuana.
Currently, MDARD regulates hemp, and the Marijuana Regulatory Agency regulates marijuana.
Meanwhile, hemp cultivation oversight would remain with the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD), enabling a more effective, efficient administration and enforcement of Michigan laws regulating cannabis in all its forms.
Additionally, the order renames the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs as the Michigan Arts and Culture Council.