Detroit City Council Votes to Open Adult-Use Cannabis Business Applications for Retailers, Consumption Lounges

Detroit City Council opened the city’s adult-use cannabis business application process for five license types in April, but aspiring retailers were not among those eligible to apply.

That will soon change after councilmembers unanimously voted July 12 to open the application process for adult-use cannabis dispensaries, consumption lounges and microbusinesses, according to a local Click On Detroit report.

The Office of Marijuana Ventures and Entrepreneurship will accept applications for these license types from Aug. 1 through Aug. 31, the news outlet reported.

Applicants must first apply and obtain certification through Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency, according to Click On Detroit, and then they can apply with the city, which will process applications in four 30-day phases.

Detroit will ultimately license 20 retailers (all social equity applicants), 10 consumption lounges (five social equity and five non-social equity applicants) and five microbusinesses (all social equity applicants).

Michigan launched adult-use cannabis sales in December 2019. Detroit adopted its revised adult-use cannabis ordinance in April 2022, nearly 10 months after a judge blocked the city’s previous attempt to license adult-use cannabis businesses within its jurisdiction.