LANSING (AP) — Medical marijuana shops that have trouble buying pot from licensed growers may get a reprieve from regulators as a new regulatory system gets off the ground.

The state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs proposed Wednesday that dispensaries be able to briefly source their marijuana product through caregivers instead of licensed growers, under certain conditions. Each registered caregiver has been supplying a limited number of patients since voters legalized medical marijuana a decade ago.

Under the nascent licensing system, growers can sell marijuana to provisioning centers, which in turn can distribute to patients. But growers have not produced enough product initially.

A licensing board will consider the department’s recommendation next week. Licensees could sell marijuana products received from caregivers through January, while growers could buy products from caregivers through February.