Page 3 - The Wayne Dispatch

Local family plants another business in Wayne

By Carolyn Marnon products available. As I browsed
Prior to the 20th century, over the recreational side of the
cannabis was found in pharmacies room, I was seeing products like
to relieve migraines and various pain crispy rice squares, brownies, choco-
conditions. Many online resources late chip cookies, caramels, mints,
state that problems with cannabis gummies. All items were in sealed
started in the early 1900s when the packages. There were several rows
US had an influx of Mexican immi- of clear jars containing what looked
grants. These immigrants brought to the untrained eye like dried up
with them their culture and customs, clover flowers. These were referred
one of which was smoking mari- to as flowers, or buds. My eyes
huana. Law enforcement officials in landed on a jar marked Stuffed
Texas thought marihuana incited vi- French Toast. The flowers are the #1
olent crime in users and that the im- seller.
migrants were distributing it to Did you know you can buy
American schoolchildren. By 1931, peanut butter and butter infused
at least 29 states had outlawed the with cannabis? A small jar of either
Jekyll and Hyde drug. The American retails for $16.
Medical Association is said to have Like alcohol consumption, the
objected to the illegalization because tolerance level for each individual is
of the plant’s medicinal benefits. different. For a first timer, it is rec-
Michigan’s Finest, located at ommended that one start with a light
39112 Van Born Rd in Wayne, is the potency flower or perhaps a gummy.
first cannabis company I have ever Cut the gummy into quarters and
been to. I was to meet the owner, start with just one quarter. You can
Scott Gocaj, a longtime Wayne busi- then add another quarter as your tol-
nessman whose family has overseen erance level builds up.
the US 12 Bar and Grill for decades, Evelyn, one of the Cannabis Con-
to tour his brand-new business. Lo- sultants, informed me that edibles
cated off a gravel road alongside Van were dangerous for a first timer. It
Born, there were plenty of signs can take 45 minutes or longer for the
along the road to guide me in. Scott Gocaj, with his daughter Hanna and wife Rachel are proud to receive the first cannabis to activate in one’s system
As I pulled into the parking lot, I and if you’re not feeling anything, you
was greeted by Rico, a uniformed se- Recreational marihuana license in the City of Wayne. might consume more. She likened it
curity professional. He asked the rea- order and fills it for pick-up. Be- I wondered out loud why the med- to pharmaceutical drugs that have
son for my visit and then directed cause of COVID-19, all business is ical and the recreational had to be time-lapse properties. The worse
me to a designated parking spot. conducted online or with a consult- separated. If both were now legal in that would happen in the case of in-
There is one area for medical mari- ant armed with an iPad at the cus- Michigan, what difference did that gesting too much marihuana, she
huana customers and one for recre- tomer’s car window. The Cannabis make? Apparently, it makes a lot of laughed, was that you would become
ational customers. The one-story Consultants are all “tried and true difference. Customers who use mar- a couch potato and get lots of rest.
grey building is well-maintained experts” in cannabis products and ihuana medically can save money, The flower, on the other hand, tends
amidst the undeveloped land that can help customers make selections but there is also more state regula- to provide a psychoactive reaction in
surrounds the business. Scott’s ar- to fit their needs. tion over it. Doug says the business 10-15 minutes.
rival was delayed, but Doug Rose, Di- There are several monitors has to obtain more information from I was told about a gentleman in
rector of Operations, and Hanna throughout the building that display these customers than they do from his late 70s who stopped eating due
Gocaj, Vice President, came out to what is going on in various areas of the recreational users. Because of to kidney failure. He was given edi-
welcome me and invited me inside. the business, one of the safety fea- state regulation, medical products bles which activated his appetite to
As I stepped inside the door, I tures throughout the facility. Every cannot be bagged with recreational; eat again. “It helps different people
was immediately drawn to the large time the front door opens, there’s a they have to be kept separated. with different ailments in this world,”
TV and the fireplace in the lobby. loud bell that keeps everyone aware I asked what an average buy said Scott.
Employees dressed in matching MF of comings and goings. would be. I was told it really de- The process Scott and Doug have
t-shirts and black pants were en- When we walked into the retail pended on the type of customer. set up at MF is very simple. Doug is
gaged in various activities-folding t- sales room, my first thought was There are those who purchase for proud they were able to copy other
shirts, filling orders, handling “This is an adult candy store!” Pack- daily use. There are those who pur- smart businesspeople and make
payments and staying busy. All were ages were neatly hung on the walls chase based on a certain budgeted those ideas work for Michigan’s
wearing masks to protect each other with space between each item so you amount. There are senior citizens Finest. Doug likened it to the
from COVID-19. could easily make out what you were suffering from chronic pain who may processes that Amazon uses to move
Doug showed me the office where looking at. Doug explained that one place an order once a week for its products. MF has been open
Ashley was waiting for orders to wall and glass cabinet held all the enough to get them through the since July 10 selling medical mari-
come up on an iPad nearby. Once an medical cannabis products while the week. There is more consistency to huana only. It is the first licensed
order comes in, she will make sure other wall, not nearly as large, held purchasing on the medical side.
a Cannabis Consultant gets the the recreational products. I was amazed at the variety of See Family, page 12
The Wayne Dispatch · September 2020 · 3