Michiganders have an interesting November to look forward to: adult-use cannabis will be on the ballot.
This is a constituency that voted 63% in favor of medical cannabis a decade ago, and many people expect the adult-use measure to pass.
What many don’t notice about Michigan’s market is that it’s highly underrated.
Michigan’s cannabis market is going to be one of the best in the world, here’s how:
The Hidden Strengths of Michigan’s Cannabis Market
#1) Michigan’s tourism industry
When many people think of cannabis, they think of the Emerald Triangle. They imagine year-round sunshine on the west coast sparkling off trichomes in a Pacific Ocean breeze.
However, Michigan’s slogan Pure Michigan gives to many Midwesterners what they don’t have access to: expansive beaches, untouched forests, and – hopefully – access to high-quality cannabis.
Rest assured, legal cannabis will see a big advantage with Michigan’s tourism industry.
#2) The prosperous medical community
As a Michigander, I’m keenly aware of the intelligence of the cannabis community in Michigan.
They consistently produce high-quality, low-cost products that fuel the industry’s roughly 270,000 medical card holders.
This poses a huge cannabis knowledge base that will transfer over to an adult-use program quite well.
#3) Michiganders are farmers
Most Michiganders do not grow cannabis outdoors.
It’s possible, but not ideal.
Incredibly, despite Michigan’s unpalatable weather for crop cultivation, they lead the nation in the production of asparagus, cucumbers, Niagara grapes, tart cherries, and cranberries, among others.
The big takeaway here?
Michigan is home to some of the nation’s best farmers, and a new plant is about to be legalized there.
#4) The massive cannabis market in Michigan
Michigan is second only to California in its number of medical cannabis cardholders.
It’s also second in its percentage of residents who hold a card – Maine is first – where nearly 4 in 10 people are registered to use medical cannabis.
In total, Michigan touts roughly 12.8% of all medical cannabis cardholders in the United States.
#5) Michiganders’ loyalty to their brands
Ford, Kellogs, Faygo, Domino’s Pizza, Vernor’s Ginger Ale, Meijer; these brands were born and thrive in Michigan.
And get this: Michiganders filled the Silverdome in 2008 on the day the Lions went 0-16.
That is the commitment of Michiganders, and the Michigan-bred cannabis industry will see the same level of loyalty.
#6) The overwhelming support for cannabis in Michigan
After medical cannabis was enacted in 2008, Michiganders set their sights on full legalization.
A recent poll by Michigan State University found that 61% of respondents in Michigan support legalization.
Additionally, a staggering 80% of people under the age of 30 voiced their support for a legal cannabis industry.
How Much is Michigan’s Cannabis Market Worth?
Many estimations are saying that Michigan will bring in $700 million in its first year of a legalized cannabis industry.
I believe that number is short. Take Colorado’s 2017 figures for example. The state generated over $1.5 billion in cannabis sales over the year.
That’s over twice what people are projecting Michigan’s market will look like in a state that has over four million fewer people living it.
There is a caveat: Colorado’s market is more mature; however, Michigan has primarily had a functional and prosperous medical dispensary market.
The dispensaries are there, and the people who will grow Michigan’s supply are some of the best farmers and horticulturists in the United States.
Betty Aldworth – Executive Director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy – showed us it was the people in local communities throughout Michigan advocating for legalized cannabis who drove the state towards the position it’s in now.
Even with all the people, infrastructure, and know-how, the most crucial reason Michigan’s cannabis industry is undervalued is because of its location.
There is no other Midwestern state with a legalized cannabis industry.
Michigan is primed to draw in cannabis tourists from all over the oppressed Midwest.
If you didn’t have plans to visit Michigan before, keep an eye on the ballot initiative, and make arrangements as soon as its adopted or voted into law.
Michigan’s cannabis market is highly underrated, making it the hidden gem of the cannabis industry.
And wherever you are residing, if you want to change cannabis laws where you live, including in Michigan, be sure to check out Betty Aldworth’s video with Green Flower:
