Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency Revokes Candid Labs’ Licenses for Violations

LOS ANGELES– In a recent development, the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency (MRA) has permanently revoked the business licenses of Candid Labs, operating as Layercake Farms 2, located near Owosso. Owned by Ramon Hana, Candid Labs is a prominent medical and adult-use cannabis processor situated at 1850 Parmenter Road in Corunna. The decision to revoke the licenses follows an investigation by the state agency, which uncovered multiple violations committed by the company.

According to the MRA, Candid Labs deliberately disabled its 38-camera monitoring system, which is a mandatory regulatory requirement in the state, with the alleged intent of concealing its illegal processing of purchased cannabis crude and distillate. The agency claims that the management of Candid Labs cited rats chewing through the camera wires as the reason for the system’s malfunction, an explanation that the MRA finds dubious.

During a visit in October, regulators discovered marijuana distillate oil labeled as “Hempire State Growers Hudson Valley New York,” supposedly sourced from a CBD farm co-op in Milton, New York. However, subsequent state testing revealed that the product was actually THC-marijuana distillate, contravening the laws that prohibit the importation of marijuana products across state lines.

In addition to these violations, the regulators also found several jars of distillate lacking state identification tags, which Candid Labs’ employees claimed originated from marijuana biomass within the facility. However, state testing disproved this assertion. Furthermore, Candid Labs violated state regulations by operating both medical and adult-use processing operations within the same facility.

Efforts to obtain a comment from Ramon Hana regarding the license revocation were unsuccessful, as contact attempts at the provided numbers proved fruitless. The MRA has not disclosed the brands that Candid Labs’ products were used to create, but the state has expressed its commitment to recall any unsafe products currently on shelves. This recent decision comes after the state initially suspended Candid Labs’ licenses in February due to a total of 28 regulatory violations. Subsequently, the MRA sought permanent license suspension through the courts, which was successfully accomplished earlier this month.

Furthermore, as a consequence of the license revocation, Ramon Hana is now prohibited from owning any marijuana facility or working for another cannabis firm. Hana also operates additional facilities in Lansing, which he must close upon the expiration of their licenses. The MRA’s Executive Director, Brian Hanna, stated in a press release, “When licensees don’t act within the laws and rules that govern the cannabis industry, we must act swiftly to protect the public. By revoking these state operating licenses, we are holding true to the CRA’s promise that egregious actions jeopardizing public health and safety will be taken seriously and have consequences.”

It is worth noting that the state has recently suspended several operating licenses for marijuana companies, including Green Culture, a dispensary in Flint, and TAS Asset Holdings LLC in Lansing. These actions by the MRA signify the agency’s commitment to upholding the regulations and ensuring the safety and integrity of the cannabis industry in Michigan.