Some Minnesota hemp-derived THC businesses prep for pot pivot
CANNON FALLS, Minn. -- Minnesota has joined the growing list of states to green-light recreational marijuana.
DFL Gov. Tim Walz signed the bill Tuesday that will allow people 21 and over to legally grow and use cannabis at home starting later this summer.
Long-time advocates, like former Gov. Jesse Ventura, applaud the change. But critics worry about the potential impacts on our community.
MORE: Gov. Walz signs recreational cannabis bill into law
Marijuana can also be bought and sold, but not right away. Those hoping for a quick transition to open dispensaries might experience a buzzkill.
THC-infused drinks are now headed into liquor stores and distribution by liquor distribution companies. After that, if you want flower or some other marijuana-infused product, it's going to take time.
Minnesota will officially de-criminalize the possession and use of marijuana on Aug. 1. But it's only lawful to have it and use it if it's homegrown in Minnesota. And that can't be done legally until growers obtain a license.
Minny Grown in Cannon Falls, which right now specializes in hemp products, plans to be among the first to sign up.
"Growing the actual crop is the same. If you want to grow outdoors, you plant it in late May, early June, just like, you know, other crops that are harvested throughout the year," said Minny Grown's Zach Rohr. "They'll be harvested in late September and October."
The new Office of Cannabis Management will issue those licenses. Rohr says Minny Grown will need to plant by next spring to produce some supply by January 2025.
"It's pretty much a startup industry," Rohr said.
MORE: Recreational marijuana is now signed into law. Here's what the new law will do
Last year at this time, hemp was the startup. So the good news is a lot of the manufacturing infrastructure is already in place. Tim Anderson of Stigma Hemp is predicting that hemp will remain popular despite the emergence of its more potent cousin.
"They both serve different markets. You know, the person who drinks high-test whiskey is not the same person who's drinking say a 3.2 beer," Anderson said. "The market is wide open for them, and we want to just get good-quality THC products in people's hands."
One challenge that growers might run into is how to get seeds, since right now legal pot is harvested out of state.
Local companies tell WCCO News they hope the state gives them guidance on how to obtain seeds legally.
