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MN Office of Cannabis Management vetting final applicants for license lottery

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Published  August 29, 2024 10:39am CDT
Cannabis
FOX 9

Cannabis businesses hopeful for license lottery

The recreational cannabis industry in Minnesota is taking a step forward during the next few weeks, as hopeful business owners hope to win licenses through a social equity lottery that will offer 282 licenses – to more than 3,100 applicants.

The Brief

    • The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management closed the first round of social equity application verification and license preapproval.
    • There are 1,817 applicants hoping to enter a lottery for 282 available licenses. The lottery date has not been set.
    • Applications will now be reviewed and vetted before entering a lottery. Lottery winners will then get license preapproval in order to finalize their business plans ahead of Minnesota's legal cannabis industry launch.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota's Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) said it is vetting the final applicants for a cannabis business social equity lottery after thousands applied. 

What we know

A total of 2,307 applicants were verified for social equity verification out of the 3,144 applications. Of those verified, 1,817 then applied for license preapproval. 

The OCM is now vetting the applicants, and qualified applicants will go into a lottery for 282 available licenses.

The OCM said the window for license preapproval was open from July 24 to Aug. 12. 

READ MORE: Cannabis social equity license preapproval window now open in MN

Applicants will also have to complete a background check ahead of license approval.

What comes next 

State officials say the lottery will be scheduled after all the applications are vetted. Applicants can check the Office of Cannabis Management website for updates. 

READ MORE: Minneapolis City Council to weigh cannabis regulations

The OCM also released its first draft of proposed rules for the state's cannabis industry, which the office said is a work in progress based on feedback from surveys, meetings, and conversations with the public. That draft can be viewed below:

People can submit feedback on the first draft of proposed rules until Friday, Aug. 30. 

Those interested can also attend the Minnesota Legal Cannabis Industry Forum that is scheduled for 9-10 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 8.

READ MORE: Minnesota's cannabis law: 1 year later, law is still hazy

Early cultivation is set to begin this fall ahead of the retail sales expected to begin sometime in 2025. 

The Source

  • FOX 9 has reported extensively on the application process and the state's movement toward cannabis legalization. This story utilized the latest information released by the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management. 

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