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Local marijuana advocate aims for dispensary standards

Chris Riesbeck photo
Scott Pohl
/
WKAR
Chris Riesbeck is forming an organization he calls the Guild of Cannasseurs.

Medical marijuana has been legal in Michigan since 2009, and there’s currently an effort to legalize it for recreational use, but local governments across the state have struggled to create consistent laws to regulate cannabis. We talk with an advocate who envisions a national organization to set those standards.

The city of Lansing is working to develop a new ordinance to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries. By some estimates, Lansing has as many as 70 shops where cannabis is sold for medical use. Michigan voters approved medical marijuana in 2008. Since then, regulating the industry has proved challenging.

Chris Riesbeck wants to see more consistency in the marijuana industry. Riesbeck is a chef by trade, but he’s also a licensed caregiver who has a vision for what he hopes will be a national organization that will set the standards for marijuana regulation.

Kevin Lavery served as a general assignment reporter and occasional local host for Morning Edition and All Things Considered before retiring in 2023.
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