ANN ARBOR, MI - Ann Arbor is temporarily hitting the pause buttonon new medical marijuana dispensaries after more than 30 recently applied for approval to operate in the city.
The City Council voted 11-0 Monday night, April 16, to impose a 60-day moratorium on issuance of new permits, with the exception of dispensaries whose applications for zoning approval already have been accepted and are under consideration.
Though Ann Arbor decriminalized marijuana in the 1970s, is home to the long-running Hash Bash celebration and is considered by some the cannabis capital of the Midwest, city officials say the large number of dispensaries looking to set up shop here warrants taking some time to step back and consider adjustments to the city's regulations.
The city's new regulations for marijuana businesses took effect Feb. 12 and the city has seen more than 30 dispensary applications, some from existing dispensaries seeking to become official under the new laws and some new ones looking to set up shop.
