Construction is set to begin Monday on a multi-million-dollar state-run marijuana testing lab even though the Cannabis Regulatory Agency lacks the authority under the Michigan Constitution to collect and test more than 2.5 ounces of marijuana.
Two years ago, the Democratic-led Legislature allocated about $4.4 million for the construction of the facility. But lawmakers were unable to muster a three-fourths majority in support of changing the state constitution to allow for the lab's operation. A three-quarters vote of both houses of the Legislature, not a simple majority, is needed to amend the recreational marijuana law that voters approved adding to the state constitution in 2018.
The Cannabis Regulatory Agency has argued the lab is necessary to bring testing operations in-house that have largely been farmed out to private, licensed testing facilities during investigations. While the lab will still be able to do some work without the constitutional change, it can't be fully used without adding specific permissions in the state constitution — and overriding the voters.
"The money's there," said state Rep. Tyrone Carter, D-Detroit. "It's being constructed. We just need the laws in place for testing, chain of custody issues, etc."
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