The cannabis industry in Michigan is four years old and evolving.
The South Haven Speakers Series for its final 2023 event will offer a presentation on its positive and negative implications for communities, including the impact in Southwest Michigan, on Thursday, October 26.
Jennifer Rigterink, the point person on the cannabis issue for the Michigan Municipal League, will explore the economic impact and status of the cannabis industry with the topic, “Cannabis…the Good, the Bad and the Ugly”.
The program will be presented at the South Haven campus of Lake Michigan College, 125 Veterans Blvd., beginning at 7 p.m. Complimentary light refreshments will be served beginning half-an-hour before the program begins. Admission is $10 per person. Students are admitted free.
The Michigan Municipal League advocates for cities, towns, and villages. In her role as Assistant Director of State and Federal Affairs, Rigterink has worked with many communities as they process what to do in their own municipalities. She does not advocate any position on the issue.
Michigan electors voted in 2018 to legalize the recreational use of marijuana by a 56% vote. State-licensed sales of recreational cannabis began in December 2019. It is estimated that monthly sales of marijuana in Michigan is approximately $60 million, according to the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency. In Van Buren County, six municipalities, including South Haven Township, allow the sale of recreational marijuana.
Rigterink will draw on her experience to explain the history of the cannabis industry, what the law says, what communities are experiencing, the revenue formulas and the current state of the industry, especially as it relates to large and small distributors and growers. She will also provide an update on cannabis related legislation that is currently being considered by the Michigan Legislature.
Rigterink joined the Michigan Municipal League in 2016. She advocates on behalf of communities with a concentration on municipal services, economic development and land use issues. Prior to joining the League, she directed technical assistance for Community Development at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), including the Redevelopment Ready Communities® and Michigan Main Street programs. She also managed the Genesee Institute, now the Center for Community Progress, where she focused on building awareness of Michigan’s land bank authority model and vacant property initiatives. She has a bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning from Michigan State University.
In addition, Rigterink was appointed by Governor Whitmer to the Michigan State Housing Authority Statewide Housing Partnership to develop a strategy to implement the state’s first-ever Statewide Housing Plan. She also represents the League on MEDC’s Technical Assistance Advisory Council and sits on the executive committee of the Housing Michigan Coalition.
Now in its ninth year, the South Haven Speakers Series is a 501c3 non-profit organization. Approximately three-quarters of the Series budget comes from generous donors. Further information can be found at the Series website – southhavenspeakersseries.org.
