Minnesota lawmakers came to a conference committee agreement on modifications to the state's adult-use cannabis law on May 17 as state regulators continue to work toward commencing a licensed marketplace two years after legalization. The bicameral conferees adopted changes to the law that Gov. Tim Walz signed in May 2023 to establish and regulate an adult-use cannabis industry. The 2023 law also created regulations, licensing and taxation for the state's existing hemp market.
The omnibus cannabis policy bill adopted this session aims to tackle several issues that the state's Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) brought forward ahead of launching adult-use sales, a commencement many had hoped would play out in early 2025.
OCM Interim Director Eric Taubel told committee conferees on May 17 that the office now has more than 100 people focused on their core mission: fostering an equitable cannabis industry that prioritizes public health and safety, consumer confidence and market integrity.
"This bill has provisions that touch on each of those sort of broad categories within the mission statement," Taubel said, outlining the OCM's recommended changes to the state's application process, licensing rollout, social equity qualification standards, and medical cannabis telehealth and remote consultation opportunities, among other provisions.
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