Minnesota's state officials are lobbying for the green light to distribute temporary licenses for cannabis businesses, aiming to spark up sales ahead of the initially planned 2025 schedule. In an effort to iron out the wrinkles, the state's Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) presented a series of tweaks they're hoping lawmakers will hash out to expedite the market launch and offer social equity applicants a head start in the budding industry, as reported by CBS News Minnesota.
Charlene Briner, interim chief of the Office of Cannabis Management, shed light on an array of legislative changes suggested to ensure the state's cannabis commerce can flower without delay. "We want to include a mechanism for temporary licenses, particularly for social equity applicants," Briner stated in an informational webinar, according to Marijuana Moment.
Under the microscope is the current law demanding Minnesotan hopefuls lock down property before even getting a license, a process Briner described as financially onerous and incredibly risky. Meanwhile, Jason Tarasek of Vicente LLP underscored the time-sensitive nature of planting the seeds for this lucrative industry. "Some businesses will choose to sell the whole flower, the actual plant, but a lot of businesses I think want to process that into other products and that all takes time so the sooner we can get going the better," Tarasek told WCCO, as per CBS News Minnesota.
