How Gaylord Legalized Cannabis: A Michigan Story
Gaylord's cannabis story is one of the most remarkable in Michigan. In 2014, local caregivers were raided and prosecuted. By 2021, the city council voted to legalize cannabis businesses — and one of those former defendants was sitting on the council that cast the vote.
Michigan voters passed the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, but the law did not clearly authorize dispensaries.
Otsego County enforcement raids targeted cannabis caregivers in Gaylord, leading to criminal charges.
Gaylord City Council voted to legalize marijuana enterprises, opening the door for licensed cannabis shops.
The gray area that started it all
When Michigan voters passed the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act in 2008, they legalized cannabis for registered patients and caregivers. But the law did not clearly authorize dispensaries, creating a patchwork of enforcement that varied from county to county. In communities like Gaylord, caregivers operated without clear rules — and that ambiguity would eventually lead to a crackdown.
The 2014 raids in Otsego County
In 2014, Gaylord became a focal point of cannabis enforcement in Northern Michigan. Multiple dispensaries were raided, caregivers and workers were charged, and confidential informants were used to build cases. Among those prosecuted was Al Witt, a medical marijuana caregiver who was convicted and sentenced to 180 days in jail and 18 months of probation. Attorney Joshua Covert — now CEO of Meds Cafe — served as Al's defense attorney.
From defendant to city council member
In 2019, Al Witt was elected to the Gaylord City Council — just a few years after his conviction. His election reflected a shift in how the community viewed cannabis and the people who had been caught in the enforcement crossfire. Michigan had legalized recreational cannabis statewide in 2018, and public opinion was changing fast.
The 2021 vote to legalize
In 2021, the Gaylord City Council voted to approve an ordinance legalizing marijuana enterprises in the city. Al Witt, now a sitting council member, voted in favor. The ordinance established municipal licensing requirements, council approval for cannabis businesses, and local control over zoning and operations. The city that had once raided cannabis caregivers was now welcoming them as licensed businesses.
The economic impact
Following legalization, cannabis businesses became meaningful contributors to Gaylord's local economy. An Interlochen Public Radio report noted that marijuana revenue helped pave the way for a Gaylord tax cut, funding infrastructure and municipal projects. Cannabis went from a source of criminal prosecution to a pillar of the city's fiscal planning.
What Gaylord's story means for Meds Cafe
Meds Cafe's connection to Gaylord runs deeper than a storefront address. Joshua Covert defended Al Witt during the 2014 prosecutions. Al later helped legalize cannabis as a council member. And Meds Cafe Gaylord, which opened in 2024, operates in a market that exists because of the policy changes these two helped shape. It is a cannabis shop built by people who lived the story — not just the business opportunity.
2008: Medical Marihuana Act. 2014: Otsego County raids. 2018: Statewide legalization. 2019: Al Witt elected. 2021: Gaylord legalizes cannabis businesses. 2024: Meds Cafe Gaylord opens.
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