Minnesota is inching ever closer to a fully operational adult-use cannabis market.
On Tuesday, the Office of Cannabis Management submitted its proposed rules governing the recreational cannabis market to the Office of Administrative Hearings. If a judge signs off, some cannabis businesses will finally be able to obtain licenses and begin operations — possibly within the next two weeks.
The OCM first published its draft rules in January and gathered public feedback for 30 days. An administrative judge will now consider whether to approve, approve with changes, or reject the final draft.
“With the rules now in the hands of an administrative law judge for final approval, we’ve reached a crucial milestone,” Interim OCM Director Eric Taubel said. “Following approval, prospective businesses will be able to complete their final steps and receive a cannabis license.”
OCM officials say the roughly 200 social equity applicants who were pre-approved for non-capped license types — including single-location retailers — will be in line to receive their licenses once the rules are finalized and entered into the State Register.
“The adoption of rules will mean that the social equity applicants who passed the application review last fall are ready to be the first wave of cannabis business owners in Minnesota,” said Jess Jackson, OCM director of social equity.
Applicants for capped license types will be selected through lotteries later this year — one exclusively for social equity applicants and another for general applicants.
The application deadline for those licenses elapsed on March 16; no date has been set for the lotteries.
In the meantime, Native American tribes are allowed to operate all types of cannabis businesses — including a 13-acre campus operated by the Prairie Island Indian Community between Red Wing and Hastings.
If a judge signs off, some cannabis businesses will finally be able to obtain licenses and begin operations — possibly within the next two weeks. Read More
