Editorial: New ordinance is a good first step for medical marijuana regulation

Kudos to the Lansing City Council, which after two years of debate, finally passed an ordinance addressing medical marijuana dispensaries in the city.

This is a meaningful step toward providing this burgeoning industry with reasonable parameters – including a cap of 25 dispensaries within the city and zoning regulations that require them to be 1,000 feet away from schools and 500 feet away from churches, other dispensaries and substance abuse service providers.

There are still questions, however – at the  local and  state levels – that must  be addressed.

•  When and how will the number of dispensaries be whittled down to the 25?

There are an estimated 70-80 dispensaries in Lansing now.  The ordinance calls on the Lansing City Clerk’s office to hire marijuana experts to help evaluate applications on a 26-point system. There is a $5,000 licensing fee that must accompany an application – half of which a business will get back if the license request is denied.

More:Lansing council passes marijuana ordinance, sets cap on dispensaries

There also will be a five-member committee, appointed by the mayor, to which applicants can appeal decisions.

The timeline for how this process will work has not yet been determined.

•  How will the city’s ordinance work in conjunction with state licensing?

Depending on the timeline decided by the city, licenses will likely be issued prior to the beginning of the state licensing process date currently set for Dec. 15.

More:Lansing council passes marijuana ordinance, sets cap on dispensaries

It remains unclear, especially after announcements from the state Department of Licensing and Regulation last week,  if dispensaries will be forced to close for a period of time leading up to state license availability.

It’ll be up to the city to continue to guide Lansing business owners who currently are acting within prescribed guidelines or have achieved a city license to help them secure state licensure when the time comes.

•  How will the changes affect medical marijuana patients?

There were more than 200,000 medical marijuana cardholders in the state at the end of 2016; undoubtedly that number has grown in the past eight-plus months. These patients turn to marijuana to fight illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, chronic back pain, cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder. They deserve to have a voice in the process.

More:Marijuana industry, neighbors divided on Lansing's new ordinance

The voice of the people is what led to this regulatory discussion; in 2008 a ballot initiative was approved by a majority of voters statewide to legalize the production and use of medical marijuana in the state.

That vote must be respected and patients who depend on medical marijuana legally should have continued access to it while cities and the state sort out the details.

It is incumbent on state and local government to minimize disruptions to those already connected to a legally-operating dispensary.

Many dispensaries that are (presumably) operating legally in Lansing will be forced to close, leaving patients with limited options.

It’s good that the Lansing City Council has put an ordinance in place; but, it’s only a first step.

Work must continue to answer these questions and communicate the process in a way that minimizes negative impacts to patients, business owners and the city.

– an LSJ editorial