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MN CANNABIS UPDATES

Minnesota-licensed adult-use cannabis retail sales were $18 million in May, plus $10 million of medical retail sales, according to OCM's Dashboard.

And OCM reports there are 111,040 living plants within the MN-METRC system. We’re growing!
Jen’s take: I expect that number to leap in June as outdoor cultivators get licensed - assuming they can get through OCM’s review process, which some report is pretty bogged down. Some outdoor cultivators have been waiting on review of their paperwork since April and are about to miss the short MN growing season entirely.

Many thanks to Stephen Eigenmann for having me on the CannaConnect podcast! From CannaConnect's summary:

The North Star Accelerator: Winning Together

One of the most interesting parts of the conversation focused on the North Star Accelerator, a membership-based program designed to help cannabis entrepreneurs navigate licensing, compliance, and operational challenges.

Rather than acting as a traditional consultant who hands over a report and disappears, Jen has built a collaborative community where operators can ask questions, share resources, and learn from one another.

Throughout the interview, she emphasized a simple belief:

Small businesses succeed when they work together.

The accelerator has already helped multiple dispensaries and cultivation operators move from licensing to opening their doors, creating a network of entrepreneurs who continue supporting one another even after launching their businesses.

As Minnesota's market grows more competitive, that kind of collaboration may become one of the industry's greatest advantages.

Jen Reise continues to be one of the most informed and influential voices in Minnesota cannabis. Whether you're applying for a license, opening a dispensary, launching a cultivation operation, or simply trying to understand where the market is headed, this episode offers valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges ahead.

Watch on YouTube and Listen on Buzzsprout  

Note: This interview happened before the Legislature wrapped up its work, including passing a compromise that unifies the medical and adult-use supply chains in Minnesota (which I speculated about in the podcast). Read my blog, "Harmonizing Medical, Adult-use and Hemp THC in MN," to get the full details on what passed and what didn't!

And if you’re a small business in Minnesota’s budding adult-use industry, either open or still working to open, I’d be happy to chat with you about whether you would be a good fit to join the Accelerator. Grab a quick meeting with me here.

Clem Dabney (aka Doc Dabs)'s new piece in the Star Tribune is How women are shaping Minnesota’s cannabis industry. Appreciate the shout-outs to our friends at CannaJoyMN and Bloom magazine, among others!

Advertisement

The METRC “seed to sale” tracking system is difficult to use, and it’s important to get it right.

Aly Piscatelli of Budding Operations knows more than anyone else I know about guiding operators to success in METRC, and we’re doing a low-cost webinar in a couple of weeks for Minnesota operators specifically! Click through to save your spot now.

Guest Blog: What are the Requirements for Cannabis Extraction Facility Certification in Minnesota?

By Cathy Hovde of Resilient EHS

The statutory requirement necessitates a formal technical review and sign-off by a qualified Industrial Hygienist (IH) or Professional Engineer (PE). Pursuant to MN Statute 342.26 and 9810.2205, the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) and the State Fire Marshal mandate that the review be an independent, third-party certification for all solvent extraction systems.

The installation of extraction equipment—ranging from C1D1 booths to high-throughput ethanol centrifuges—represents a significant capital investment. However, physical installation is only the first phase of facility activation. Operational authorization is contingent upon rigorous regulatory validation. Equipment cannot be energized or utilized for production until it has been formally certified for safety and code compliance.

Securing this certification requires an extensive repository of technical documentation. The following guide outlines the specific data sets and engineering records required to demonstrate system integrity and regulatory adherence.

READ MORE HERE →

Hemp-Derived THC Corner

Federal

The effective date for the ban on intoxicating hemp products is approaching quickly: November 12. There have been more proposals to delay or change the federal ban on intoxicating hemp products, but none appear to have traction at this point. Read more on the recent proposals here and here, all of which failed on procedural votes in the U.S. House.

Pres. Trump called on Congress to act to protect CBD products.

At the same time, leaders of hemp-derived THC brands spoke at the Midwest Cannabis Conference in Chicago recently. Cultivated reported that they are continuing production and "operators appear determined to wring out as much product sales as possible before the looming ban takes effect," with some hoping that a "hail mary" bill will happen.

Minnesota

Low-potency hemp edible licensing remains open, with Minnesota determined to continue to regulate this industry even if it becomes federally illegal.

Market participants are investigating what they would need to do to continue in a within-Minnesota-only market. Some manufacturers are stockpiling hemp tincture from out of state.

Top Ten Liquors, a Minnesota liquor store chain that has leaned heavily into hemp THC drinks, has said that it is looking into a model with THC bottle stores next to its liquor stores, if that becomes necessary. Others, like Minnesota edibles producer MinnyGrown, have said they will be creating gummies for the adult-use market. The recent law change helps in a lot of ways: allowing overlapping ownership between hemp and cannabis, and a new product category of 750 ml bottles (17 servings of 5 mg each) of hemp THC, sold in dispensaries.

But there is no doubt that many of Minnesota’s breweries and distilleries, as well as many small hemp THC businesses, will pivot out of the industry or go out of business entirely if the hemp ban goes into effect. On behalf of the many creative, resilient entrepreneurs who have already suffered a lot in this industry, I’m hoping for that hail mary, as well.

OCM also continues to aggressively regulate this industry. One small player received a threatening Administrative Order from OCM via email and sought help from me to interpret and respond. Buried at the bottom of it was a very narrow process to contest the order: Seven calendar days! But you have to reply by certified mail, so that’s effectively minus the time to send certified mail, minus Sunday: 3 days?!? That’s not enough time to digest a letter, seek advice, create a full response, and get it in the mail. OCM, do better.

Confidential Industry Classifieds

• Do you have a micro license you don't plan to use? I can help you get some money for it from hemp operators looking to transition into this market.

• Is anyone setting up harvest / trim crews for hire?

• Do you have something to advertise here?

Contact Jen @ [email protected] 

More Industry Classifieds

Attention Social Equity Cultivators: There is just one seat left in grant-funded training through Oaksterdam University that starts next week! In this program, you will build a compliant cultivation plan with expert support.

What you get:

• 12 months of access to Oaksterdam’s Horticulture Mastery Certification

• Small group and one-on-one coaching

• Support building your cultivation plan and SOPs

What this leads to:

• A complete, viable cultivation strategy

• Direct alignment with Minnesota regulations

Who should apply:

• Cultivators who are classified as social equity by the OCM and have already been issued a license or have already applied for licensing 

What to do next:

• Spots are limited; complete the intake survey to confirm eligibility right away (the first to qualify receives the training opportunity). Apply here.

OTHER CANNABIS NEWS

Federal

Cannabis Rescheduling: I have not heard any updates to the hearings scheduled as the next step in the process of rescheduling cannabis generally (cannabis law firm Vicente referred to it as "botanical cannabis" in a helpful webinar about the bifurcated rescheduling announcement last month). That's good news. Those rescheduing hearings are scheduled to begin June 29. 

If the federal hemp ban goes into effect on Nov. 12 without changes, it will also outlaw seeds being able to cross state lines. Minnesota's own Kasey Kollross has a nice write-up in Green State. 

MSO Trulieve listed its medical cannabis business on the New York Stock Exchange. It's one of the few MSOs that is well-positioned to take full advantage of the path, says Cultivated. 

A new study from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) found that 33% of Americans use cannabis to help them sleep.

The FDA is fast-tracking a pain drug that includes THC - a first, reports Green State.

Cannabis Hospitality Leading the Evolution of Cannabis Culture, says Rolling Stone. 

Around the States

Texas: A court ruled that the state can enforce the ban on smokeable hemp products, which had been stayed by a prior court challenge by the industry.

UPCOMING EVENTS

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