Another Lansing pot shop nets state license

FRIDAY, Dec. 21 — With a nod from the state, a second medical marijuana dispensary is licensed in Lansing.

Voting 4 to 1, Michigan’s Medical Marihuana Licensing Board issued an operating license today to Cannaisseur, a north side dispensary at 3200 N. East St. And a local transport company is also inching closer to a license.

Messages left with the registered applicants for the Cannaisseur, Kevin Pybus and Sam Sanfilippo, were not returned. WeedMaps gives the 3-year-old dispensary 4.5 out of five stars. Its Facebook pages boasts a nomination to “Crystal Tricome Awards.”

The state board also voted to prequalify Green Express Transport for an operating license. The Perry-based company also operates at 3110 Turner St. Prequalification is a preliminary step to eventual state licensing. Its approval is pending with the city. Registered applicants Thomas Nemeth and Jason Creffield didn’t return calls for comment.

Dispensaries need state and city approval. City Clerk Chris Swope has issued local licenses to 11 dispensaries, many vacant storefronts. Of those, only Cannaisseur and Homegrown Lansing have been considered and approved by the state .

Among other developments at today’s meeting:

● Royal Highness ,1129 N. Washington Ave., received prequalification for a provisioning center license. The company hasn’t filed an application with the city. Those business operations, while registered in Lansing, could still continue elsewhere in the state.

● KTC Industries operated Happy Life, a dispensary on Cedar Street before it was denied a license in Lansing. The state granted it an operating license for a dispensary in Jackson — the most recent city in Michigan to opt into medical marijuana retail sales. The shop in Lansing remains closed.

Others on the city’s approved list have been prequalified by the state. Some that were previously approved by the city have since been booted from the list after state denial. Swope has replaced those applicants with others on his “pending” list — creating a de-facto bullpen for local applicants as they swing and miss at the state level.

Greenwave Provisioning Center has since filed a lawsuit on that integrity of the maneuver. Attorneys for the dispensary argued the shop still had “ample opportunity” to receive a license from the state on appeal. Revoking the approval only caused premature harm, attorneys argued. The case continues.

The Medical Marihuana Licensing Board only provides licenses to medical marijuana businesses. Recreational marijuana, although officially legalized earlier this month, is not expected to become available for retail sale in Michigan for at least another year. The new law allows for limited cultivation but sales still remain prohibited.

The state licensing board will meet again Jan. 16.

Visit lansingcitypulse.com for previous and continued coverage on medical marijuana regulation.