Similar event by same group brought 300 attendees to Flint in October, Lansing in December; Speakers include powerhouse attorneys Daniel Grow, Jesse Williams
February 28, 2017/TRAVERSE CITY- The new medical marijuana business laws signed by Gov. Snyder went into effect December 20, and on March 26th the industry will have a final opportunity to get current on the new rules at a conference in Traverse City.
In September, Gov. Rick Snyder singed into law three public acts creating a new structure and regulations for businesses in the medical marijuana industry, including growing, selling, testing, processing and transporting legal medical marijuana. Entrepreneurs are lining up to participate in the new industry, but the requirements are difficult to understand- and, in some cases, not even determined yet.
Conferences have been held by the Michigan Cannabis Business Development Group (MICBD) since 2015 to bring state businesspersons up to speed on the new opportunities. The first 2016 conference was held in October at the Holiday Inn near Flint, where more than 300 attended.
LINK: NBC News coverage of October 16 Conference
The second 2016 conference took place in Lansing, with a similar attendance. That event set the standard for elegance and professionalism, according to event host Jamie Lowell of the MICBD Group.
As in the previous events, the conference will bring entrepreneurs up-to-date regarding the new statewide business laws, but this event will also feature a look at how citizens can encourage their municipality to endorse medical marijuana cultivation, testing and distribution.
The full list of conference presenters and sponsors include the Chair of the Marijuana Law Section of the Michigan Bar Association, attorney Daniel Grow; David Rudoi, lead attorney, Rudoi Law; Jesse L. Williams, a Traverse City area criminal defense attorney; lobbyist Justin Dunaskiss, who delivers an in-depth look at the language of the new business laws; and municipal relations expert Eric VanDussen.
The new medical marijuana industry has the potential to generate an estimated $63 million annually. The program is set up to make millionaires out of Northern Michigan residents- but only if enthusiastic individuals take action. “The state has issued no guidelines, no FAQ’s, no Help Desk to assist entrepreneurs in deciphering the new business opportunities created by the three Public Acts,” said Flint native Rick Thompson of the MICBD Group. “The MICBD Conferences were created to fill that knowledge gap with everything we currently know. The Traverse City ‘Conference by the Bay’ is the first business seminar of the new year, and comes just after the State will announce their Administrative Rules Board members.”
The timing of the Conference by the Bay is superb. Cities all across Michigan are discussing ordinances to restrict or embrace the new business environment. Many are waiting for direction; the MSU Extension Department will deliver their municipal analysis to local elected officials across the state during a series of seminars in March, which should conclude just before the MICBD’s Traverse City Conference.
“So many patients and businesses already co-exist in Traverse City and northern Michigan, and they all deserve access to the best information we can get to them,” Thompson said. “This could be a best-case scenario for the state’s municipalities to follow- or it could be the exact opposite.”
The Conference announced their Primary Sponsors recently, including Light Sky Farms, Kind Provisioning and the Michigan Marijuana Law Experts. This will be the first medical marijuana business conference in the state held at a University or College location, according to Thompson.
The event will begin with registration on March 26th at 10am and the formal program starting at 11:00 am. There is a cost to attend, and pre-registration is required.
Visit www.micbd.com for full details and to purchase tickets.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jamie Lowell [email protected] 734 276-6318
