Welcome back for part two of the Michigan Marijuana Transport series! In this series, our goal is to provide you with a comprehensive guide for how to transport marijuana in Michigan.
In our second post, we will highlight the important things to know about Secure Transportation of Marijuana in Michigan. In our first post, we went over everything a buyer should know about the rules for driving home with marijuana purchases. But did you know there's a whole other set of rules for transporting marijuana from where its grown to where you buy it? If you didn't, then you're in the right place!
Once again, if you're a visual learner then head to the end of this post where you can find an infographic that provides a visual overview of the information in this post. Hope you like it!
What is secure transportation?
Secure Transportation is the formal process of moving marijuana products from where they are grown to locations where they will eventually be sold. All providers of secure transportation services are licensed through the State of Michigan and must abide by all rules and regulations overseen by the Cannabis Regulatory Agency.
What are the rules for a secure transportation vehicle?
All vehicles used to transport marijuana products must be reported to Michigan’s Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) as secure transport vehicles.
Transport vehicles must be free of any markings that identify it contains cash or marijuana products.
Marijuana and cash must be transported in separate, secured containers that cannot be accessed during transport. So, marijuana products cannot be in the same case as cash.
What are the rules for secure transport drivers?
All drivers of secure transportation vehicles must possess a state-issued chauffeur’s license.
All shipments must be made by at least two people. One person must remain with the transport vehicle at all times during the journey.
Drivers cannot have been convicted of a felony, or have been convicted of a misdemeanor related to a controlled substance within the past five years.
What are the regulations for Michigan marijuana transportation providers?
Business Location
A secure transporter’s facility must be located in a municipality that has opted in to the Medical Marijuana Facility Licensing Act (MMFLA).
Insurance
Secure transportation providers must have general liability and product liability insurance. They must also hold commercial automobile coverage on any vehicle used to transport marijuana.
No Other Marijuana Interests
Secure transportation providers must not have any other involvement in other parts of the marijuana industry. For example, they cannot sell marijuana products.
What are the rules for the secure transport process?
Timeline
A secure transporter can maintain custody of marijuana products for no more than 96 hours. Additional time must be approved by LARA on a case-by-case basis.
Route Requirements
All shipments are required to have route plans and manifests which must be entered into METRC, the statewide monitoring system.
Secure transporters must follow the manifest. But, if a change is required the transporter must notify all interested parties, update the manifest, and enter the updated information in the monitoring system.
Drivers should carry a copy of the manifest and have it ready to present to law enforcement who can stop them for inspection at any point during the route.
So there you have it: an inside look into the basics of the secure transportation process in Michigan. We hope you learned something new today!
Check out the infographic below and share it with your friends!
And as always, stay safe out there and remember that this information is not legal advice but is for educational purposes only.
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