Minnesota sets rules for cannabis macrobusiness licenses

The law provides for cannabis macrobusiness licenses and sets rules for their operations. A macrobusiness may grow cannabis, make and sell products, and operate up to eight retail locations. If it operates more than five locations, at least three must be in areas the Office identifies as having high medical need. A macrobusiness must obtain a medical cannabis manufacturing endorsement and at least one other medical cannabis endorsement. Until the Office sets manufacturing limits by rule, a macrobusiness may use no more than 90,000 pounds of cannabis, or its dry-weight equivalent in raw concentrates, to make products. These provisions take effect January 1, 2027. By then, the Office must convert existing medical cannabis combination business licenses and applications to macrobusiness licenses and applications.

Eligible cannabis businesses may apply for medical cannabis endorsements. Microbusinesses, mezzobusinesses, macrobusinesses, and cannabis retailers with the required cannabis endorsements may apply for medical cannabis endorsements. Businesses with medical retail approval must offer patient consultations, give registered patients and caregivers priority service, and carry products the Office identifies as high medical need. Extra store locations are allowed only in areas the Office identifies as having high medical need, and the number allowed depends on the business's license type. The medical cannabis endorsement provisions take effect January 1, 2027.

Cannabis event organizers must register each temporary event with the Office. These requirements apply to organizers of temporary cannabis events, each of which may last no more than four days. Organizers must include proof of local approval and event details, such as the location, dates, participating businesses, and site layout. The Office may deny an event application if it is incomplete, lacks local approval, includes a materially false statement, lacks the required fee, or fails a required site inspection. The temporary event registration provisions take effect January 1, 2027.