Oakland County Cannabis – Is It Legal & Where To Buy 2024

Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in Oakland County?

Cannabis cultivation is legal in Oakland County for medical and recreational use. Michigan, Oakland County’s home state, legalized recreational marijuana in 2018 through the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act. This Act allows adults 21 years and older to cultivate up to 12 cannabis plants at home and process them for personal recreational use. Also, the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act permits commercial cannabis cultivation activities in Oakland County. Class C cannabis growers may cultivate up to 2,000 marijuana plants. Class A marijuana growers are limited to 100 cannabis plants, while Class B cannabis growers may cultivate a maximum of 500 marijuana plants. Licensed micro-businesses can grow up to 150 marijuana plants in their facilities.

The Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) is responsible for regulating cannabis activities in the state and issuing cultivation licenses to applicants. As provided in Section 333.27956 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, local authorities may limit the number of marijuana cultivation facilities or completely prohibit commercial cannabis activities within their borders. Also, they may establish laws to regulate the location and operations of cannabis cultivation establishments within their jurisdictions. Oakland County allows city authorities to regulate their community planning and zoning locally. Therefore cities in the county have different laws regulating the locations of cannabis cultivation facilities within their jurisdictions.

Medical marijuana was legalized in Michigan through the 2008 Michigan Medical Marijuana Act contained between Sections 333.26421 and 333.26430 of the Michigan Compiled Laws. According to this Act, registered medical marijuana patients and caregivers in Oakland County may grow up to 12 cannabis plants for medical use. Per the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act, all cannabis cultivation areas in Oakland must be enclosed to prevent access by underage persons and visibility from public spaces.

Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in Oakland County?

The provisions of the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act allow licensed cannabis processors in Oakland County to manufacture cannabis products for recreational use legally. Also, per the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, registered medical marijuana patients and caregivers in Oakland County may process the cannabis plants they cultivate. Municipal authorities in Oakland County have the right to restrict commercial cannabis production activities within their jurisdictions. However, they cannot ban the processing of cannabis plants for medical use.

Is Cannabis Retail Legal in Oakland County?

As stipulated in the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act, retail cannabis operations are legal in Oakland County. Licensed retail marijuana establishments may sell cannabis products to adults 21 years and older for recreational use. Retail cannabis dispensaries in Oakland County sell various types of cannabis products, including edibles, topical formulations, tinctures, and beverages, to eligible individuals. An eligible person can purchase up to 15 grams of cannabis concentrate or 2.5 ounces of marijuana daily. In addition, the provisions of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act permit licensed medical cannabis dispensaries to dispense marijuana products to registered medical cannabis patients and caregivers in Oakland County. Each patient can purchase a maximum of 2.5 ounces of cannabis per day.

Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in Oakland County?

The delivery of cannabis products is legal in Oakland County. The provisions of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act allow medical marijuana dispensaries to deliver cannabis products to registered medical marijuana patients in the county. Also, retail cannabis dispensaries can deliver marijuana products to adults, 21 years and older, for recreational use. Nevertheless, in line with the provisions of the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act, some municipal authorities in Oakland County restrict cannabis delivery within their borders.

How to Get Medical Marijuana Card in Oakland County

Medical marijuana cards allow registered medical cannabis patients in Oakland County to purchase marijuana products from licensed dispensaries legally. Each patient is required to register with the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program (MMMP) under the Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) in order to obtain a medical marijuana card. Per Section 333.26423 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, medical conditions that cause cachexia (wasting syndrome), chronic pain, severe nausea, or epilepsy may qualify patients for medical marijuana treatment. Other qualifying medical conditions are:

• Glaucoma
• Cancer
• HIV/AIDS
• Hepatitis C
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Crohn’s disease
• Nail patella
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Cerebral palsy
• Autism
• Tourette’s disease
• Ulcerative colitis
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Colitis
• Spinal cord injury
• Rheumatoid arthritis

Applications for medical marijuana cards in Oakland County may be submitted via mail or online. Anyone applying for this card must be issued a physician certification form by a licensed medical practitioner proving they have been diagnosed with a medical condition that qualifies them for medical marijuana treatment. To apply for a medical marijuana card online, the applicant should create an account with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) and provide the required documents, including their government-issued photo identification and proof of residency in Michigan. The CRA provides online medical marijuana card application instructions for patients. Persons applying for medical marijuana cards in Oakland by mail should download and complete the patient application for medical marijuana form, attach all the required documentation, and send them by mail to:

Michigan Medical Marijuana Program

P.O. Box 30083

Lansing, MI 48909

To make inquiries about the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program (MMMP), medical marijuana card applicants in Oakland may call the CRA at (517) 8599-284 or contact the agency at:

Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

Cannabis Regulatory Agency

Licensing Division

P.O. Box 30205

Lansing, MI 48909

How Has Cannabis Legalization Impacted the Economy of Oakland County?

Marijuana sales reports published by the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) reveal that counties in the state (including Oakland County) have benefited from cannabis legalization. The December 2019 cannabis sales report indicates that cannabis facilities in Michigan made over $24.9 million in cannabis sales in December 2019. The January 2021 cannabis sales report and April 2022 cannabis sales report show that marijuana sales in Michigan were about $41 million in January 2021 and $27 million in April 2022.

The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in Oakland County

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) crime reports for Michigan reveal that the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office made seven cannabis possession arrests and 21 cannabis sales arrests in 2017. In 2018, the year recreational marijuana was legalized in Michigan, the number of cannabis possession arrests made by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office increased to 10 while arrests for sales decreased to 18. In 2019 and 2020, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office did not report any arrests for cannabis-related offenses.

In addition, the FBI crime report indicated that the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office made 20 Driving Under the Influence (DUI) arrests in 2017. This figure increased to 17 arrests in 2018 before decreasing to 14 DUI arrests in 2019. By 2020, the number of DUI arrests made by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office declined further to 9 arrests. These numbers show that arrests for cannabis-related offenses and DUI declined after marijuana legalization in the state. This suggests that cannabis legalization in Oakland County had a positive impact on the county’s crime rates.