SWAT Teams, CBD, and the Battle for Hemp in Michigan: Michael Tui’s Story
Award-winning CBD producer raided despite years of legal compliance—raising urgent questions about hemp enforcement in Michigan
It was 11 o’clock on a rainy harvest day when Michael Thue heard pounding on his door. What followed would shake the Michigan hemp community and expose troubling questions about how the state enforces its hemp and cannabis laws.
Tui—a certified medical assistant, CEO of Great Lakes Hemp Supplements LLC, founder of the Center for Compassion, and a longtime advocate for medical cannabis patients—found himself facing a full SWAT team with automatic rifles at his Northern Michigan farm. His crime? According to investigators, questions about his licensing.
The Raid: What Happened
On that October day, Tui was working with his team harvesting plants when armed officers surrounded his property. The raid was coordinated by the Marijuana and Tobacco Investigation Section—a unit that handles cannabis issues outside the Cannabis Regulatory Agency’s (CRA) direct authority.
“After a second as I was getting closer to the fence I recognized one guy that was in just plain clothes with a jacket on… it was Lieutenant Belcher with the Michigan State Police. I asked him, I said, ‘What’s going on today Belcher?’ And he says, ‘It’s not me today, Michael. It’s them. They got some questions about your licensing.’”
The investigators claimed Thue was under investigation for selling cannabis without a license and that his hemp had tested “hot” (above the legal THC threshold). But Thue had already communicated to MDARD (Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development), including publicly at an industry event with Program Director Molly Mott, that he wasn’t growing hemp this year.
“I told them the only thing I was doing was storing hemp right now… I haven’t processed hemp even personally as far as extraction goes since November.”
Thue had returned to his caregiver grows under the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, citing frustrations with the hemp program’s administrative challenges. The small amount of hemp he did grow was for seed research and maintaining fresh CBD flower inventory—not commercial production.
Simultaneously, officers raided Thue’s medical office in the same SWAT-style operation. The office, which provides medical marijuana certifications and specializes in CBD products, had one patient present—a local psychiatrist who was handcuffed and thrown against a wall before being released.
“It’s just been really terrifying to Megan [his office manager]. She’s never dealt with anything like that… you got 12 armed officers coming in full SWAT style into the office.”
The Aftermath: Property Seized, No Charges Filed
After spending a day in handcuffs watching officers cut and burn his entire field, Thue was released without being taken to jail. As of the recording, no charges have been filed.
The seizure was remarkably modest for such an aggressive operation:
- $400 cash from the office
- His John Deere tractor (which he primarily uses for snow removal)
- All CBD products from the office
- This year’s cannabis and hemp crop
“They thought they were coming in to shut down a big criminal Enterprise and drug operation, but all they got was $400 from my office and they took my tractor from my farm.”
Under Michigan’s civil asset forfeiture laws, authorities cannot keep seized property without a criminal conviction. Thue anticipates charges may come once he begins fighting for the return of his property.
The Legal Response
Tui is working with Michael Komorn of Komorn Law, a prominent cannabis attorney who previously helped him win a landmark case establishing that medical marijuana patients can use cannabis while on probation, parole, or bond. That victory was significant enough that the state legislature passed a law in response—one that now allows judges in federally-funded drug courts, veterans courts, and sobriety courts to refuse cannabis as medicine.
“They had to pass a law in response to my court case this year in which a lot of money, a lot of lobbying dollars, and a lot of resources were wasted.”
A group of civil rights attorneys has also reached out after seeing news coverage, providing positive feedback about potential recourse. However, Thue must raise funds to fight for his property while their board considers taking his case pro bono.
The Bigger Questions for Michigan Hemp
This raid exposes several ongoing tensions in Michigan’s hemp and cannabis regulatory landscape:
The Licensing Maze
Michigan’s hemp program has undergone significant changes:
- MDARD handles cultivation licensing
- CRA now handles processor/handler licensing
- The processor application was reportedly problematic, preventing Tui from renewing
- Fees increased from $100 to $1,350, causing licensed growers to drop from approximately 700 to under 70
“When they came, this isn’t—I’m not claiming this is hemp. I didn’t—I’ve told multiple people that I didn’t renew my hemp license.”
Compliance Checks vs. Raids
Tui’s most pointed criticism is the approach itself:
“I thought with these programs we were supposed to have audits and not raids… We give them permission when we’re growing to come out and check our fields.”
He notes that someone could have simply called him or visited his office to have a conversation—he’s been openly operating in Lansing, appearing on the Attorney General’s promotional video, and is well-known in advocacy circles.
The Knowledge Gap
Perhaps most troubling was the lead investigator’s apparent unfamiliarity with Michigan’s cannabis laws:
“He compared the Medical Marijuana Act to a Draconian law that was unenforceable or irrelevant, like those for sodomy or tying up your horse… He didn’t know the law. It was really sad that he was there to enforce one law and he only knew about the MFLA.”
Michigan has three cannabis-related laws: the Medical Marijuana Act, the Marijuana Facilities Licensing Act (MFLA), and the hemp law. Tui’s township has never opted into the MFLA, meaning his only legal pathways are the Medical Marijuana Act and hemp regulations.
CRA’s Response
According to iHemp Hour co-host Mike Brennan, acting CRA Director Brian Hannah stated on the 420 Post show that he learned about the raid from news articles—the CRA was not involved in the operation.
How You Can Help
Michael Thue has been a tireless advocate for medical cannabis patients and the hemp industry for over a decade. Now he needs the community’s support.
💰 GoFundMe Campaign
Contribute to his legal defense fund at his GoFundMe page.
🛒 Purchase His Award-Winning Products
Great Lakes Hemp Supplements continues to sell its inventory of legally produced CBD products:
- Traverse City Tart Cherry CBD Drops — A two-time Hempies Award winner combining full-spectrum CBD with Michigan tart cherries. The synergy of CBD’s calming effects with tart cherry’s natural melatonin, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties creates a unique wellness product.
- 1000mg strength: Now $60 (reduced from $85)
- Use code 10OFF for reorders
Visit Great Lakes Hemp Supplements to order.
Industry News Roundup
Safe Banking Act Progress
There’s renewed talk that the SAFE Banking Act could be brought up during the lame duck session of Congress following elections. If passed, this would make banking significantly easier for hemp and cannabis businesses—a persistent challenge across the industry.
Charlotte’s Web Makes History with MLB
Charlotte’s Web announced a groundbreaking $30.5 million, three-year partnership with Major League Baseball, becoming the official CBD of MLB. This marks the first such sponsorship for any major U.S. professional sports league—a significant milestone for hemp industry legitimacy.
Michigan Cannabis Market Update
September numbers from the CRA show:
- $212 million in total cannabis sales
- Medical marijuana down to just $16.5 million
- Flower prices crashed another 6% in one month
- “Croptober” outdoor harvest expected to flood the market further
Harry Barish, a cannabis real estate specialist, reports many companies in receivership and others selling out entirely. The industry shakeout is underway.
Hemp Building Gains Momentum
Exciting developments are happening in Michigan’s hemp building sector:
- A project is underway to build environmentally safe homes using hemp products for individuals with immune deficiencies who react to conventional building materials
- Hempwood in Murray, Kentucky was named Ag Business of the Year by the Hutson School of Agriculture
- Cody Lay with Hemp for Humanity (H4H) in Ann Arbor is developing tiny home projects using hemp materials
Upcoming Events & Deadlines
📅 November 30, 2022 — Deadline for hemp processor license renewals through the CRA. Avoid late penalties by submitting before this date.
📅 March 29-31, 2023 — NoCo Hemp Expo at the Broadmoor, Colorado Springs
The Path Forward
Michael Thue’s case highlights the urgent need for clearer regulations, better-trained enforcement, and a more reasonable approach to compliance in Michigan’s hemp industry. As Tui noted:
“Why are we continuing to have so many questions regarding hemp and CBD? I mean, CBD is sold at every gas station.”
With the federal farm bill expected to further clarify CBD’s status, Michigan’s aggressive enforcement approach seems increasingly out of step. The industry needs audits and communication—not armed raids on known advocates who have been operating openly for over a decade.
iHemp Michigan will continue following this story and advocating for sensible hemp regulations. If you believe in the future of industrial hemp in Michigan, now is the time to get involved.
Growing the future from seeds of the past.