Starting Monday, Minnesota is moving forward with the issuance of business licenses for cannabis. This development is a crucial step in the state’s efforts to establish a legal cannabis market.
The Office of Cannabis Management has received thousands of applications for various types of licenses, with lotteries scheduled for this summer to allocate the four different capped license types. Additionally, approximately 200 social equity applicants have already been approved for non-capped licenses last fall. These applicants will be among the first to start their businesses once they complete necessary requirements, which include demonstrating a labor peace agreement with unions, passing background checks, and undergoing pre-opening inspections.
Despite this progress, it may take at least a month before any cannabis businesses are operational in Minnesota. The state is laying the groundwork for a regulated market, which is part of the broader implementation of the recreational marijuana bill signed into law by Governor Tim Walz.
