Meet Andrew Brisbo, the new boss overseeing Michigan's marijuana market

Andrew Brisbo, who has served as the director of the Bureau of Marijuana Regulation since it began in early 2017, will become the head of a new state agency dedicated to regulating the expanding marijuana market.

The new agency was created by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to better coordinate the medical marijuana market, which has been growing since the Legislature passed laws in 2016 to regulate and tax such businesses, with the adult-use recreational market that is expected to get off the ground early next year.

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“Andrew will be critical in determining and achieving solutions as we develop new marijuana regulations in Michigan,” Whitmer said. “He brings a wealth of expert knowledge on this subject, which will be essential through this implementation process while protecting Michigan residents.”   

Brisbo, who started his career in state government in 2004 as a regulation officer with the Michigan Gaming Control Board, will oversee an agency  that is expected to grow to 150 employees with a proposed budget of $47.3 million. The new Marijuana Regulatory Agency will replace the Bureau of Marijuana Regulation and operate under the umbrella of the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. It will be paid for with fees and assessments on marijuana businesses, and will begin functioning on April 30.

More:Gretchen Whitmer signs executive order to abolish Michigan marijuana licensing board

Under the old structure, the Bureau of Marijuana Regulation had state employees do background checks on marijuana businesses and then a five-member, politically appointed board made the decisions on whether a business should get a license. Under the November ballot proposal, which voters approved 56-44 percent margin, legalizing marijuana for adult recreational use, those decisions will be made by the state agency.

To better coordinate the medical and recreational markets, Whitmer, as part of her executive order creating the new agency, abolished the politically appointed board.

Since the board started awarding marijuana business licenses last summer, 148 business licenses have been approved and of those, 113 have paid their regulatory assessments and actually gotten licenses. They include 35 growers, 11 processors, 58 dispensaries, four testing facilities and five transporters.

Brisbo, a graduate of Central Michigan University, has worked his way up in state government, running a branch for the Secretary of State, working as an analyst and manager in LARA’s Bureau of Commercial Services and becoming a licensing division director for LARA until his appointment to the marijuana agency.

The state House of Representatives and the Senate still could approve or reject Whitmer’s executive order, including the appointment of Brisbo, but neither are expected to take any action.

Kathleen Gray covers the marijuana industry for the Detroit Free Press. Contact her: 313-223-4430, kgray99@freepress.com or on Twitter @michpoligal.