Much of the money allocated to law enforcement in 2015 from the Michigan Medical Marihuana Fund went unused, a governmental report shows, and those funds that were spent were used for questionable purposes.

Legislation passed in 2013 (HB 5313) and signed into law in 2014 by Governor Snyder allowed money from the state’s Medical Marihuana Fund (the Fund) to be used by local units of law enforcement “for the operation and oversight of the Michigan medical marihuana program… operation and oversight grants are for education, communication and enforcement of the Michigan medical marihuana act…”

Beginning in 2012, four states and the District of Columbia have voted to legalize marijuana. By this time next year, that number could well double, and then some. National polls consistently show majorities in favor of legalization, with a recent Gallup poll showing 58% support—tied for the highest level in the poll’s history.

That doesn’t mean legalization is inevitable in any given state, as the case of Ohio demonstrated earlier this month. There an initiative led by non-movement investors who sought monopolistic control of commercial pot cultivation got trounced despite spending millions of dollars.

I have been following Michigan marijuana politics since I started this blog in 2010. I actually watched prior to that from afar, but after co-founding this blog in 2010, I have always kept a keen eye on Michigan. One of my favorite activists on this planet is Rick Thompson. You may recognize his name since I syndicate his articles on this site. Rick’s site is called The Compassion Chronicles. There is no better source for Michigan marijuana news than his site, and I encourage you to check it out. I literally check the site a few times a day to see if Rick has posted something new.

We have new numbers on the growth of Michigan’s medical marijuana patient population- sort of.

According to Crain’s Detroit Business, a respected local magazine, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs reports an increase in the number of medical marijuana patients registered with the state.

THE MICHIGAN STATE POLICE Forensic Science Division finds itself embroiled in scandal as newly released emails paint a picture of a crime lab in turmoil over how to classify marijuana. Attorneys and medical marijuana advocates accuse Michigan prosecutors of pressuring the state’s crime lab to falsely classify the origins of THC found in hash oils and marijuana edibles as “origin unknown.”

Joe Brennan faces a lot of the same worries as all businesspeople — sourcing inventory, regulatory headaches, competitors popping up like weeds.

But those weeds give Brennan a whole new set of worries. His business? Mindright, a medical marijuana dispensary in Detroit.

Brennan said he has tried to do everything legitimately. But he is in an industry that is known for angering neighbors, accused of promoting drug abuse and inviting heavy scrutiny as dispensaries proliferate in the city.

Before opening earlier this year, he obtained a city license for a retail-medical sales business, bought insurance, hired a security guard and made sure his marijuana products were tested for purity. "We want to be completely professional," he said.

THE MICHIGAN STATE POLICE Forensic Science Division finds itself embroiled in scandal as newly released emails paint a picture of a crime lab in turmoil over how to classify marijuana. Attorneys and medical marijuana advocates accuse Michigan prosecutors of pressuring the state’s crime lab to falsely classify the origins of THC found in hash oils and marijuana edibles as “origin unknown.”

BAY CITY, MI — A Bangor Township couple is facing felony charges due to police alleging they ran a large scale illegal medical marijuana operation.

Sandra K. Dabrowski, 63, and David A. Dabrowski, 64, are both charged with delivering or manufacturing marijuana. The charge is a four-year felony.

According to court records contained in police reports, the Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team — or BAYANET — received a tip via CrimeStoppers that the Dabrowskis were running an illegal marijuana operation out of their home in the 2900 block of Bangor Road. The tipster estimated there were about 100 plants, according to court records.

DETROIT, MI -- The Michigan Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal from the Unemployment Insurance Agency in a case involving benefits for people fired from jobs over medical marijuana use.

The denial means people with medical marijuana cards who lost work after failing drug tests will continue to be eligible for unemployment benefits, based on an October 2014 appeals court ruling.

The Unemployment Insurance Agency appealed lower court decisions out of Macomb and Ingham counties that reversed rulings from the Michigan Compensation Appellate Commission that said fired workers were disqualified from jobless benefits.

The state appeals court in one consolidated decision upheld those rulings.

Which form of cannabis is most prevalent on the dispensary menus in your state?