City, County Health Department partner on medical marijuana education
Published on August 01, 2019
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The City of Grand Rapids and Kent County Health Department are teaming to help residents learn more about the state’s new medical marijuana rules and the potential impact on their daily lives. One way they’re doing that is through a Medical Marijuana Educational Expo – set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 15 at Grand Valley State University’s Richard M. DeVos Center, 401 Fulton W. The event is free and open to the public.
The event will include a general marijuana overview and a look at the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act and what it means for patients, caregivers and employees in the workplace, license types and zoning, and provisioning centers and what their employees need to know. It also will include information on what medical marijuana means for the City, what’s permitted and what isn’t as well. Attendees will get a chance to engage with a panel of industry leaders and policy experts, participate in an interactive question and answer session and connect with vendors and local resource providers. The schedule is:
- 9 to 9:30 a.m. – Registration and breakfast
- 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. – Resource fair
- 10:45 a.m. to noon – Panel discussion
- Noon to 1 – Closing remarks and resource fair
“This is a great opportunity for residents who want to better understand marijuana law and policy,” said Landon Bartley, a planner in the City’s Design and Development Department. “It’s particularly beneficial for residents who are English language learners and can’t find marijuana legislation in their primary language, those who have questions about how the new rules may impact their immigration status and those who are interested in working for or already are employed by marijuana facilities.
“This educational outreach aligns with the City’s commitment to improving the quality of life for all of our residents.”
To register for the expo or for more information, CLICK HERE. A light breakfast and snacks, child care and English and Spanish interpretation services are provided. Free parking will be available in the Seward Parking Ramp off Seward Avenue NW. Attendees with special needs are encouraged to park in the DeVos Lot off Winter Avenue NW. A campus map is available HERE.
“This is an opportunity for the Kent County Health Department to share information about the medical marijuana law,” said Amy Oosterink, health education and promotion supervisor at the Kent County Health Department. “Proper storage of marijuana is key. Lock up marijuana and keep it away from youth.”
The City of Grand Rapids and Kent County Health Department also are co-hosting free medical marijuana education sessions in neighborhoods across the city this month. The first one is 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16 at Baxter Community Center, 935 Baxter St. SE. The second one is 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20 at Hispanic Center of Western Michigan, 1204 Grandville Ave. SW. A third session is 3 to 5 p.m. Aug. 23 at Steepletown Neighborhood Services, 671 Davis Ave. NW, Suite 1.
To register for child care at the event, email adejesus@grcity.us.
Details are being finalized for other neighborhood sessions and are expected to be announced soon.