After several months of deliberation, the Eastpointe City Council voted to approve a recreational marijuana ordinance that will allow four retail establishments in the city.
The ordinance was, in part, a conversion one that allows three businesses that previously received medical marijuana licenses but never opened to convert to recreational licenses. Those businesses have until Dec. 31 to be open and operational.
Representatives for Holistic Health, one of the three businesses that originally was granted a medical license, urged the City Council to extend the Dec. 31 deadline but Mayor Michael Klinefelt said he felt the established deadline was more than generous given the fact that all three businesses received their medical licenses in 2022.
“I’m not willing to remove the deadline,” said Klinefelt. “I think there were a lot of mixed feelings on whether or not to allow conversion so for me, I think a firm deadline is fair.
“There are other businesses that are very interested but there are not as many licenses up for grabs and I know some people from the Planning Commission were disappointed in the level of commitment from the businesses so I’m not willing to change.”
The City Council made one change to the ordinance before approving it at its March 4 regular meeting: it extended weekend hours to midnight. The ordinance originally allowed for retail businesses to be open from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and from 10 a,m, – 11 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. That 11 p.m. closing is extended to midnight.
The new ordinance does not allow for grower, processor, or microbusiness permits.
Medical marijuana licenses were awarded in 2022 to Holistic Health Wayne at 21145 Gratiot Avenue.; Moses Roses, located at 17375 Eight Mile Road; and Common Citizen at 24545 Gratiot Avenue. None of those facilities have opened due to a significant change in the cannabis industry over the past two years.
In 2020, medical marijuana sales represented almost 50% of overall cannabis sales; in 2024, medical sales represented less than 10% of overall sales, according to data reported by the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency.
Prices on both medical and adult-use cannabis have dropped significantly as well. According to the CRA, retail price per ounce has gone from $413 for adult use and $259 for medical in 2020 to $86 for adult use and $99 for medical in 2024.
Many in the cannabis industry expect Michigan to go to a single type of marijuana license and to stop having separate medical and adult use recreational licenses.
