Albert Lea City Council blocks Minnesota's first non-tribal cannabis dispensary
There have already been a lot of complications in the rollout of the Office of Cannabis Management. From botched lotteries and lawsuits to leadership changes, it's been a chaotic ride from the start.
Marijuana was legalized in August of 2023, with sales expected to begin in 2025. Now eight months into the year, that deadline keeps getting pushed back.
A new decision from the Albert Lea City Council could be a sign of more difficulties for the industry ahead.
The first non-tribal dispensary was finally supposed to open up there this year. But during a council meeting this week, city leaders voted that down. The decision is halting a Minnesota legal cannabis market milestone, but it also could shake up things for other budding businesses.
According to state law, business applicants must work with local government to ensure law compliance, but cities also can't prohibit the sale of cannabis.
This could mean more lawsuits, a loss of funding and dragging out an already long rollout.
The Smoking Tree in Albert Lea was on track to open the first retail, non-tribally owned dispensary off tribal land in a matter of weeks. WCCO spoke with the owner earlier this month after he passed a state inspection, a key hurdle to secure an official license to operate.
Now, he faces another hurdle.
In a meeting Monday night, after heavy debate, City Council members rejected the business license. Those who voted in favor of the business say they can't afford to fight it. Those opposing questioned the morality of the legal drug and government control.
When pleading his case, the Smoking Tree's owner said he got into the business for a reason.
"I had to bury over half a dozen of my friends due to a bad batch of heroin going around Austin. Southern Minnesota is my home. And I take it very personally, all these concerns that everyone brings up. And I want them all to be known," Jacob Schlichter said. "I hear you all and I will keep that in the forefront of my mind moving forward."
According to Minnesota's Guide for Local Governments for adult cannabis use, local governments aren't required to seek out cannabis businesses, but they also can't reject them if the requirements for a cannabis store aren't already met.
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