Lawsuits filed this weekend, against OCM, put another pause on the state’s commercial cannabis industry
DULUTH, Minn. – Another roadblock, as Minnesota attempts to build a regulated commercial cannabis industry.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed the bill legalizing recreational marijuana in May of 2023, and by that fall, individual use for adults 21 and older, went into effect.Attempts to get the commercial industry off the ground, however, by the state’s regulatory body, the Office of Cannabis Management, have been marred by issue after issue.Now, new lawsuits, filed over the weekend, will push back plans for legal marijuana sales even further.
A group of applicants for the OCM’s License Preapproval Lottery, allege their applications were improperly denied and they were not given sufficient reasoning for denial. The preapproval lottery is meant for “social equity applicants” which are licensing slots for veterans or those from ethnic minority groups.
In response, an OCM press release referred to the plaintiffs as “straw applicants.” Court documents further allege plaintiffs used their equity status to obtain a license, only to intend to sell their business and license to a larger company.
At a hearing in Ramsey County Monday, Judge Stephen Smith granted the temporary restraining order requested by the plaintiffs, which will postpone the lottery scheduled for Tuesday. Judge Smith decided, however, that the cases would need to be heard by the appellate court to determine next steps.
In response to the ruling, the OCM released a statement saying in part, “We remain committed to launching an equitable, sustainable, and responsible adult-use cannabis marketplace in Minnesota”
DULUTH, Minn. – Another roadblock, as Minnesota attempts to build a regulated commercial cannabis industry. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed the bill legalizing recreational marijuana in May of 2023, and by that fall, individual use for adults 21 and older, went into effect. Attempts to get the commercial industry off the ground, however, by the state’s regulatory body, the Office… Read More
