Agriculture

Two Michigan universities pilot cannabis curriculums; other universities and farm educators yet to show interest

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By ZARIA PHILLIPS
Capital News Service

LANSING — Last week Lake Superior State University (LSSU) approved a business-centered “cannabis curriculum.”

That comes in the wake of Michigan’s fall ballot proposal that legalizes recreational marijuana and is in addition to the school’s cannabis chemistry degree program announced in January. Northern Michigan University started a medicinal cannabis degree program in 2017. So far, no other Michigan universities have expressed similar interest, said Dan Hurley, the chief executive officer for the Michigan Association of State Universities. But Lake Superior students are interested. “We ran a special topics chemistry course last spring and we got about 40-plus students to enroll despite the steep science prerequisite course requirement including organic chemistry,” said David Myton, the associate provost and interim dean of the college of science and the environment at Lake Superior State University.

Business & Economy

Eastside Fish Fry and Grill gives its employees a fresh start

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Eastside Fish Fry and Grill has been a staple in the Lansing area for seven years now. They sold 18,000 chicken wings during the Super Bowl and owner Henry Meyer says they sell 2,500 wings a day. But Meyer’s path wasn’t always clear to him and he had to go through some hardships to get to where he is today. “Nobody took a chance on me nobody would hire me,” said Meyer. “I was having a hard time finding a job.”

And now, he’s paying it forward.

Government

New laws expand medical marijuana industry – if cities allow it

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By LAINA STEBBINS
Capital News Service
LANSING — Depending on who’s talking, Michigan’s new medical marijuana laws could streamline marijuana operations into a lucrative source of local revenue, or allow for an unnecessary expansion of the medical marijuana industry in the state. Still another group says the laws overlook confusion about dispensaries’ legality, which has led to police raids and facilities going out of business. The new legislation — which was signed into law in December 2016 and takes effect in December 2017 — creates three classes of medical marijuana growers, allows dispensaries to apply for licenses according to the new three-tiered class system, creates a statewide tracking system for commercial marijuana and sets a state tax on dispensaries. One thing that will stay the same, much to the dismay of many medical marijuana providers, or “caregivers” – is a provision left over from the 2008 “Medical Marihuana Act” allowing communities to decide whether to allow medical marijuana facilities to operate in their area, and on what terms. That means cities and townships can still pass ordinances banning medical marijuana facilities in their area, even if facilities were already in existence. “The real power is in the local units of government,” said Muskegon County Prosecutor D.J. Hilson.