If you are one of the many people with a prior criminal event on your record and you now wish to apply for a medical marijuana facility license, you will want to understand if or how your criminal history may play into your ability to obtain the license you seek for your business. As explained by the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency, having a criminal past does not automatically eliminate you from the running for such a license, but it can be a factor depending on the circumstances.
Previous convictions may prevent you from obtaining the marijuana license for your facility based on when the conviction occurred and what it was for. The state assumes a five-year look back period for any violations of local ordinances involving fraud, theft, dishonesty or controlled substances. The same five-year look back period covers any misdemeanors for offenses relating to the same topics of fraud, theft, dishonesty or controlled substances.
For other convictions, events within the previous decade may come into play. These involve felony convictions related to controlled substances or any felony conviction or release from incarceration. Federal and state offenses may be reviewed when evaluating these events. Other activities, such as arrests or indictments, may be evaluated by the state when reviewing your application for a license even if you were not convicted of an offense.
If you would like to learn more about the state’s licensing regulations regarding medical marijuana businesses and the process for applying for a medical marijuana license, please feel free to visit the marijuana facility regulations page of our Michigan cannabis business law website.