Hopeful Cannabis Licensees Camp Out for 3 Weeks for First-Come, First-Serve Licenses

Cannabis operators pursuing a retail license in the Detroit, Michigan suburb of Redford have spent three weeks camping out in the line to apply, Crain’s Detroit Business reports.

The Redford Township area is one of the last jurisdictions in the area to allow adult-use cannabis sales and the competition for licenses there is steep. When the ordinance allowing adult-use cannabis sales was approved in the summer, local officials opted for a first-come-first-serve licensing process, which prompted hopeful licensees to begin lining up last month.

The report said dozens of cannabis operators were waiting in line by the time the application window opened on Thursday morning — and only about 12 licenses will be awarded in Redford due to local zoning restrictions on cannabis businesses.

A business leader in the line told Crain’s they had spent an extra $22,000 covering the wages of their employees as they work in shifts to maintain the company’s spot in line. Redford Township Clerk Gary Christie told WXYZ that the line started on September 10.

Meanwhile, Michigan cannabis sales are booming throughout the state: state-licensed retailers set another new sales record with $295.4 million in August, and the average price-per-ounce recently dropped to an all-time low of less than $80. In March, the Michigan cannabis industry sold more products than any other state, beating out California for the first time in monthly licensed cannabis sales.