ST PAUL, Minn. — Legal recreational cannabis in Minnesota will clear another hurdle this week, as the state's Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced it will start preapproving business licenses.
In a statement Friday, the office said applicants who have already been deemed verified to meet social equity eligibility requirements can begin the licensure process starting July 24 and going through Aug. 12.
The window to obtain social equity eligibility verification closed on Wednesday, July 10, but the OCM said more opportunities will become available for those who didn't complete the process at a later date.
You can find that application and more information here.
Businesses that have already completed applications and received their verification from the state, will be entered into a lottery, according to OCM, which will award licenses in nine different categories. The office said the first lottery will be held sometime this fall.
The office said general licensing is "anticipated" in 2025.
Last spring, Minnesota lawmakers approved legal possession and growth of cannabis for recreational purposes, which went into effect in August.
While it is technically legal to possess and grow, the law is subject to limits meant to keep a lid on things while the state sets up a full-blown legal cannabis industry. In the year that most prospective businesses have been in limbo, a handful of sovereign tribal nations have been able to take advantage of working outside the state's regulatory framework.
So far, the Red Lake, White Earth and Prairie Island nations have opened recreational dispensaries.
Sales for other interested retailers aren't expected to begin until early 2025.
