Michigan’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) has reached a settlement with testing company Viridis, ending a years-long dispute. As part of the agreement, the CRA is revoking Viridis’ licenses and permanently banning its three majority owners from participating in the state’s marijuana industry.
The dispute began in 2021 when the CRA discovered inaccurate and unreliable results from Viridis, which was testing a significant portion of the state’s cannabis products at the time. The agency found that Viridis was inflating THC levels and failing to meet safety standards, leading to a massive recall of products.
The recall had a significant impact on the industry, with hundreds of products being returned to store shelves. The CRA argued that Viridis’ actions had shaken confidence in the entire regulated cannabis system.
As part of the settlement, Viridis’ majority owners, Todd Welch, Gregoire Michaud, and Michele Glinn, will be permanently excluded from participating in Michigan’s marijuana industry. The company has also agreed to dismiss its administrative complaint against the CRA and its two pending appeals in the Michigan Court of Appeals.
Minority investors in Viridis are reorganizing and forming a separate entity to run the lab in Bay City. The CRA’s executive director, Brian Hanna, hailed the settlement as “justice, plain and simple,” stating that Viridis had failed to uphold the standards required of marijuana safety compliance facilities in Michigan.
The settlement is seen as a major victory for the CRA, which has been working to ensure the integrity of Michigan’s cannabis industry. The agency has been cracking down on companies that fail to meet safety standards, and this settlement sends a strong message to other companies in the industry.
