The unraveling of Viridis: A legacy of deception and greed

The recent and long-overdue revocation of Viridis Laboratories’ licenses is a landmark moment for Michigan’s cannabis industry. After years of legal battles, a settlement with the Cannabis Regulatory Agency has finally brought an end to what can only be described as a cynical exploitation of a fledgling market. This isn’t just a story of one company’s missteps; it’s a cautionary tale about the dangers of prioritizing profit over public trust and a stark reminder that some figures simply shouldn’t be allowed to operate in a regulated industry.

At the heart of Viridis’ rise and fall is its founding triumvirate: Greg Michaud, Todd Welch and Michele Glinn. Their shared background as former Michigan State Police laboratory staffers was initially touted as a testament to their credibility. In reality, it was a veneer that hid a pattern of behavior that was anything but scientific. Michaud, the former director of the MSP’s forensic science division, was a particularly troubling figure.

In a scandal that came to be known as “The Great Cannabis Crime Lab Frame-Up,” Michoud was at the center of a controversial policy change that predated his involvement with Viridis. He was reportedly pressured to implement a new, unpublicized policy where the crime lab would report THC found without other plant material simply as “THC,” rather than “marijuana.” This was a pivotal change because it enabled prosecutors to pursue harsher felony charges for synthetic drug possession, which carried a two-year prison sentence, against medical marijuana patients who would have otherwise faced a misdemeanor.

According to a Leafly investigation, this policy was implemented despite internal opposition from some lab analysts who were concerned about the ethical implications and the potential for wrongful convictions. These analysts were allegedly silenced by superiors who made it clear that the policy was to be followed without question. This incident, which reportedly contributed to Michoud’s departure from his MSP leadership role, highlighted a willingness to manipulate scientific reporting for legal advantage, a pattern that would later be repeated at Viridis.

Viridis’ alleged crimes were not a series of isolated incidents, but a systemic pattern of noncompliance. The CRA’s investigation, which spanned years, alleged the company was using unapproved testing methods, manipulating data and deliberately inflating THC potency results.

The motivation was simple and predatory: Higher THC content commands a higher price on the market. By providing growers and dispensaries with artificially inflated results, Viridis gave them a competitive advantage, effectively pushing honest labs to the brink of collapse. Competitors who were following the rules found themselves unable to compete with Viridis’ suspiciously high numbers.

The CRA investigation also alleges that Viridis failed to follow standard operating procedures when testing for the presence of banned pesticides and other contaminants in samples. In one egregious instance, an administrative law judge found that technicians misidentified visible mold on a sample and approved it for sale, allegedly referring to the mold as “mite poop.”

The settlement that finally brought Viridis to its knees is a decisive victory for the CRA and a testament to the perseverance of a regulatory body facing down a determined legal challenge. The permanent ban on Michoud, Welch and Glinn from the state’s cannabis industry sends an essential message: Those who exploit the system for personal gain will not be given a second chance.

For far too long, Viridis operated with a brazen disregard for the rules, all while leveraging a background in law enforcement to project an image of authority and expertise. The closure of its labs is not a tragedy; it’s an act of justice. The Michigan cannabis industry is now stronger for it, having shed a parasite that was preying on its integrity. Let this be a lesson to all: In a market built on trust, there is no room for those who have a history of breaking it.