MN OCM has announced that all social equity applicants must submit documents to a third-party verification portal which will open on June 24 and close on July 10. Non-verified people will NOT be able to apply as social equity applicants.

More information from OCM.

OCM will hold an implementation update webinar on Tuesday, June 18, from 4-5 p.m. Among the topics:

- General implementation update

- 2024 legislative session wrap up and updated timelines

- Rulemaking

- Outreach, engagement and upcoming technical assistance

You can sign up for the Webinar here: MN OCM Webinar

The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) will host Social Equity Applicant (SEA) Verification Workshop Registration on Friday, June 21, from 4-6 p.m. This event will provide training on how to complete OCM's social equity applicant (SEA) verification process.

You can sign up for this in-person Workshop here: MN OCM Workshop

Jen wrote a guest blog about Minnesota for a national cannabis law blog, Kight on Cannabis! It's called MINNESOTA LOOKS FORWARD TO LEGAL CANNABIS AND DRINKS HEMP, TOO

The closest legal cannabis dispensary to the Twin Cities is opening for business. It’s 182 miles or a little more than 3 hours from downtown Minneapolis to the dispensary in Walker. Read more at MPR.

Former Minnesota Governor and professional wrestler Jesse “the Body” Ventura greeted St. Cloud fans in early June. He was in the city to promote his new pre and post workout THC and CBD shooters.

Are you signed up for Star Tribune Nuggets? Read it here.

TL; DR: We are proud to launch our long-awaited License Builder for social equity applicants, just in time as OCM announced their verification portal will open on June 24. The License Builder is a tech-forward, user-friendly tool our clients can use to build their social equity applications and get a head start on the path towards licensing. We also want to spotlight a new member of our team: Chris Meehleib, who was integral in bringing the License Builder to life.

What Does the License Builder Do?

The license builder is a one-stop-shop for social equity applicants navigating the licensing process. It gives our clients one place to work on everything application related – from informational resources to document and file storage. The tool was designed to make the application process as streamlined as possible so the mundane tasks can be handled easily, giving clients more time to focus on more substantive things, like business strategy and compliance. For those navigating the novel process of starting a cannabis business in Minnesota, it means one less thing to worry about.

The tool is tech-forward while also being user-friendly, making it easy to access application-related resources, collaborate with a team, and store documents in a single place on a secure platform. It also gives our clients the opportunity to be involved as little or as much as they want while still staying up to date throughout the application process.

The license builder will be an ever-evolving resource which will adapt to the changing regulatory landscape. This enables our clients to stay up to date as rules are revised and regulations are modified.

The License Builder came to be thanks to Chris, who joined the Cannabis Team in April to focus on business strategy and consulting. Chris has his JD and MBA in addition to over a decade of experience in healthcare tech, which he leveraged to help bring the Cannabis Team’s vision to life. Chris has a passion for business and entrepreneurship and pursued his JD/MBA so that he can work with entrepreneurs and startups to help make their business dreams a reality. Foremost, Chris’s goal is to be a trusted advisor and business partner to any client he works with and hopes to leverage his experience working with healthcare and pharmaceutical regulations to bring value to our Cannabis clients.

Get In Touch with Our Cannabis Team

The license builder is just one of many ways our Cannabis Team can help you navigate Minnesota’s cannabis regulations. Don’t hesitate to contact us to learn how North Star Cannabis Law can help you throughout your business journey. Call us at (651) 384-2782 or contact Nikki@northstarlaw.com.

SOCIAL EQUITY FLAT FEE PLANS

Updates have been made for our Social Equity Licensing Flat Fee Plans!

Prices go up on Saturday July 1st, so if you're a social equity applicant, act now and secure your spot.

!!! Last Day to take the Survey is TOMORROW !!!

When the state legislature legalized cannabis in 2023, it created four programs to assist business creation and to train a workforce that is ready for jobs in cannabis. The Minnesota Department Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) are now seeking comments from Minnesota citizens on the four programs:

- CanGrow: A $2 million program to provide technical assistance and financing for farmers to enter Minnesota’s legal cannabis industry.

- CanNavigate: A $2 million program to expand technical assistance for businesses in the legal cannabis industry.

- CanStartup: A $6 million fund to help finance licensed cannabis microbusinesses.

- CanTrain: A $4 million workforce development program aimed at preparing workers for jobs in the legal cannabis industry.

These programs could benefit:

- Entrepreneurs interested in starting a legal cannabis business;

- Nonprofit lenders that would like to lend to licensed cannabis businesses;

- Experts in cannabis policy and industry; and

- Those who would like to pursue jobs and careers in the cannabis sector.

You can read more at KIMT or click the link below.

Accepting survey responses until June 14th.

Join Steve, Tanner and Marcus in Episode 36.

This episode also includes a preview of the March 2024 Class "How to Grow REALLY Big Plants" hosted by the Minnesota Cannabis College and Clean Green Media.

Click the Spotify link below to tune in.

North Star Law Group is a proud sponsor of the Northern Lights Podcast!

Here's an updated link to the full bill as a Session Law: Chapter 121 - MN Laws . Don't forget to also review existing Minnesota law, which does not appear in this year's bill unless the section was amended. Here's Chapter 342" Ch. 342 MN Statutes

Or, please contact us to discuss how the bill impacts your business and plans, and how North Star Cannabis Law can help you through licensing. Contact Nikki to help you schedule with us! Nikki@northstarlaw.com or 651-330-9678.

North Star is proud to be speaking at a License Application Workshop being put on by the Grow House! In return, our clients can get a substantial discount on the Grow House fees - contact us for the coupon code.

We'll be at the Growers Ball, dressed to the nines! Hope to see you there.

Ready to learn how North Star can help you?

Schedule a free 15-minute initial consultation by emailing Nikki@northstarlaw.com or calling 651-384-2782.