Minnesota Marijuana Retailers Face Delays, Expect Licensing in 2026
Minnesota’s marijuana retailers are facing a lengthy delay in the licensing process, with many expecting to open their businesses in 2026. The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) is reviewing the first applications for 282 social equity licenses, a process that is taking longer than expected.
The OCM is scrutinizing the applications to ensure that the ownership structure is legitimate and that applicants are not receiving multiple licenses. This has led to a slow pace in the licensing process, with some retailers expecting to wait until next year to receive their licenses.
The delay has raised concerns among retailers, who had expected to be up and running much sooner. Shawn Weber, owner of Crested River Cannabis in Morgan, Minnesota, expressed frustration with the slow pace, saying, “Everybody that is either interested or in the industry, we’re in a hurry up and wait situation.”
The legalization of marijuana in Minnesota was expected to take several months, but the licensing process has taken much longer. Rep. Zack Stephenson, one of the authors of the legalization bill, said, “I think it would be a matter of months not years before you would be able to be in a legal marketplace.”
The OCM is expected to hold a lottery for pre-approval of the first 282 licenses by the end of this year, with actual licensing to follow. However, some retailers are skeptical that the process will be completed by 2026.
In the meantime, retailers are being advised to remain patient and continue to prepare for the eventual opening of their businesses. As Weber said, “They’re doing their due diligence. It’s never going to be fast enough for us. But, you know, just remain patient.”
Minnesota is on pace to be one of the slowest states to go from legalization to licensed retail sales, with Ohio having already started retail sales six months after Minnesota legalized marijuana.
