Public comment period opens for Minnesota’s draft cannabis regulations

Minnesota’s Office of Cannabis Management on Monday published a draft of proposed rules for its upcoming cannabis industry, and the public is invited to submit its feedback.

Starting Monday, the public can submit comments online until 4:30 p.m. Feb. 12.

Instructions on how to submit feedback can be found here. The draft of the proposed rules can be found here.

“Today marks another significant milestone in the work to launch a safe, equitable and responsible cannabis marketplace in Minnesota,” Charlene Briner, the interim director for the Office of Cannabis Management, said in a statement.

The rules cover everything from license distribution to security, safety, packaging and labeling.

Once the public comment period ends, the state will make changes to the proposed rules “based on reasonable feedback,” a statement said. The Office of Cannabis Management will submit the updated draft to a state judge and then to the Secretary of State’s office and the governor. Gov. Tim Walz will have 14 days to issue vetoes to the rules.

Afterwards, the rules will be adopted – which is anticipated to happen in the first quarter of 2025.

Once rules are adopted, business licenses can be issued. That means qualified applicants for a microbusiness license could potentially begin cultivating cannabis and begin operations before summer, according to the Office of Cannabis Management.