The Olmsted County Board of Commissioners met recently to discuss updates to the county’s cannabis ordinance. These revisions aim to better regulate the sale of marijuana and hemp-based edibles, particularly as the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management prepares to roll out its licensing system for cannabis businesses.
The proposed changes include establishing annual registration guidelines for licensed businesses and introducing penalties for violations such as public consumption and sales to minors. For instance, customers caught consuming cannabis products in public spaces could face a $300 fine. Additionally, businesses selling edibles to customers under 21 years old would incur a $300 fine for the first offense, escalating to $1,000 and a seven-day registration suspension after a third offense within 26 months.
Mark Thein, the board chair, emphasized that the county intends to align its regulations on cannabis with those for other adult products like alcohol and tobacco. He remarked that the goal is to “mimic more of what we did for tobacco and alcohol, not reinvent the book.”
Travis Cullen, owner of Laughing Waters, a smoke shop that plans to apply for a cannabis license once enforcement begins, expressed his support for the new regulations. He believes it will help standardize the approach to checking compliance in stores, similar to current practices.
The licensing system from the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management is currently under review by a state judge. If approved, the OCM anticipates issuing its first round of licenses shortly thereafter.
