Ex-cop opens his latest cannabis retail shop in New Baltimore – Macomb Daily

In his former life as a Detroit police officer, John McLeod could have faced disciplinary measures for smoking marijuana.

Instead, McLeod, a 43-year-old entrepreneur who says the plant saved him from a life of addiction to opiates, will open a 2,000-square-foot cannabis retail center in New Baltimore — his eighth store, with more on horizon.

McLeod is the co-founder of Cloud Cannabis Co., a company that’s billed as being on a mission to “destigmatize and demystify” shopping for legal pot.

“We are trying to get away from the negative connotation of the plant,” he said Wednesday.

We are just a retailer which sells a commodity to consumers in the state of Michigan and gets the right product to the right people to the end user.”

McLeod’s journey into the cannabis industry dates back to 2007, while an eight-year veteran officer with the Detroit Police Department.

He was injured while chasing teenager suspected of breaking into a house. He hit a lifted sewer grade that struck his knee. After undergoing several surgeries, he was prescribed pain medications that didn’t seem to work, so doctors gave him oxytocin.

“I didn’t see any changes in me,” he said. “But after a while, my wife said to me: ‘you are no longer a good person, you are no longer a good father and no longer a good husband.’

“That was very jarring to me.”

He took a medical retirement and left the department in 2008.

Trying some natural medicines to ease his nagging pain, he eventually turned to medical cannabis.

“It was like flipping a switch. I could heal myself without any addiction or side effects,” McLeod said. “That opened my eyes to a homeopathic healing technique.”

As the public’s feelings on marijuana changed over the years and led to Michigan approving legalized medical marijuana in 2008, McLeod decided to pursue marijuana as a way to reach patients who otherwise may be addicted to opiates.

“I haven’t taken so much as an aspirin in 12 years,” he said.

McLeod got some money together and opened a cannabis retail shop in Muskegon Township. He called it Cloud Cannabis Co.

Since then, he’s opened more seven more stores offering medical and recreational cannabis including one in Utica. The New Baltimore location will employ about 30 people.

“We are absolutely looking to add more stores in metro Detroit, including Macomb County,” McLeod said.

Located at 35269 Cricklewood Boulevard, west of Birch Street, the store will provide Cloud gear and product samples as part of Tuesday’s grand opening celebration.

Hours 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday. Medical card holders will receive a 10% discount.

For more information, visit cloudcannabis.com.