[420 Girl]

Lansing's first official medical marijuana dispensary has opened, testing the limits of Michigan's medical marijuana law. The business, still unnamed, opened last week as city officials work toward drafting a city ordinance to regulate cannabis related businesses, reports Scott Davis at Lansing State Journal.

"It gives peace of mind that there is a place where I can go to buy it," said Darryl Brija, 52, a state-certified medical marijuana patient who has a degenerative back disease. "It's a good thing for people who can't grow it themselves."

Danny Trevino, a city resident who also sells growing equipment at Hydro World in Lansing, opened the dispensary at 407 East Grand River Avenue.

Dispensaries have been operating informally out of a few Lansing homes for months, according to mid-Michigan marijuana advocates, but Trevino's business marks the first official storefront dispensary in the city.

​Trevino admitted such dispensaries are a "gray area" in the state's year-old medical marijuana law, because the law doesn't expressly allow them. The says authorized caregivers can grow up to 12 plants for someone certified to use medical marijuana, and that patients may possess up to 2.5 ounces of pot at any given time.

The business is legal, Trevino contends, because he contracts with more than 20 caregivers to supply the marijuana for his dispensary. Patients sign paperwork authorizing the business as a caregiver, and are then allowed to buy up to the 2.5-ounce limit.

Some afternoons, upwards of 30 patients visit the dispensary.

"It appears to be operating within the medical marijuana law as we currently understand it, but the city council and city attorney are reviewing this very issue," said police Lt. Noel Garcia. "We hope to have more guidance soon to make sure they are operating a legal enterprise."

Although one Old Town business owner has already expressed displeasure at the dispensary opening, officials of the Old Town Commercial Association were more welcoming.

"Old Town has many different businesses down there," said Brittney Hoszkiw, executive director of the Old Town Commercial Association. "It takes a variety of different kinds of businesses to make up a commercial district, and this is an example of that."

Meanwhile, customers said they are glad to see the dispensary open because they either can't grow cannabis or don't wish to become the target of home burglars.

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