Budding small business owners stuck in limbo amid cannabis license delays
Minnesota legalized recreational marijuana in 2023, and estimates then said that recreational marijuana would be legal by March of this year.
Eric Taubel, Interim Director at the Office of Cannabis Management, said licenses will be issued in the coming weeks, thanks to recently released rules.
To the dismay of small business owners, retail shop licensing continues to be delayed.
Andrew Caruthers, the owner of Twin Cities High in Golden Valley, opened his shop in 2023, selling CBD and THC products.
In preparation to sell marijuana, he has spent $50,000 to get ready, but now it's the waiting game to start selling.
"I initially was thinking possibly six months, you know, I thought summer of last year we would be open almost for sure" said Caruthers.
When he gets a license, he worries about product shortages and high costs. All marijuana sold legally in the state must be grown in Minnesota.
The Office of Cannabis Management estimates 1.5 million square feet of growing area is needed. Minnesota only has 69,000 square feet available.
"I am anticipating a slow rollout. Maybe we will have product for a few days, and then sell out, and we may not get more for a couple of weeks." said Caruthers, "It's like that everywhere it's become legal, the prices definitely start out."
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Chicago Tribune
12 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Batavia joins other local municipalities in restricting purchase of hemp-derived THC products
Batavia is joining other suburban communities in restricting access to hemp-derived THC products and Kratom, in a move officials say is meant to restrict access to the products in a similar way to restrictions on recreational marijuana. Without strong state and federal regulations, stores selling hemp products that can get users high do not face restrictions on the age of their customers, nor are they required to test and report on their products' potency or impurities they contain, according to past reporting on the topic. As a result, numerous Chicago suburbs have taken to issuing bans or regulations on the products. Now, Batavia is implementing restrictions of its own, focused on limiting access to customers 21 years old and older and instituting storage and packaging limitations meant to curb young people's access to the products. The idea of restricting access to hemp-derived products and Kratom has been months in the making, Batavia Police Chief Eric Blowers explained at a City Council Committee of the Whole meeting in May. Originally, there was a proposal to restrict the types of hemp-derived products that could be sold in Batavia, said City Administrator Laura Newman, but that idea was sent back to the drawing board. Blowers said he worked with Cheryl Cryer, the owner of Urban Apothecary in Batavia, to work up a new ordinance imposing restrictions on hemp-derived THC product and Kratom sales. The ordinance brought to the City Council in June did not include restrictions on the types of products that can be sold in the city, Newman explained, but focused on limiting who can buy the products and how. After getting approval from the City Council on June 2, the ordinance will establish a new chapter in the city's code as part of its business and license regulations. Here's what it includes: First, the ordinance defines what constitutes a hemp-derived product, and defines Kratom as 'any part of the plant Mitragyna speciosa, whether growing or not, and any compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of that plant, including, but not limited to, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine.' Then, it outlines the new rules governing the sale and display of the products. Per the new restrictions, businesses must check that a person buying any of these products is 21 years old or older by requiring them to show identification. Additionally, displays of 'intoxicating products' must be behind a sales or service counter or in a locked case so that a buyer requires an employee's assistance to get it, or it must be in a section of the business where other age-restricted products are kept. Or, a business can restrict access to customers 21 and older unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who is at least 21. The business must check for written proof of identity upon entry and post a sign at the entrance of the business that indicates access is restricted to those 21 and older. Businesses that opt not to restrict entry to those 21 and older unless they're accompanied by a parent or guardian must post a sign near every display of such products informing customers that buying these products is illegal if you are under 21. Lastly, the ordinance prohibits packaging that 'resembles trademarked, characteristic or product-specialized packaging' or commercially available candy, snacks, baked goods and beverages. It also states that hemp-derived THC products and Kratom products cannot contain images of food, candy, baked goods, cereal, fruit, beverages or the words 'candy' or 'candies,' nor can the packaging include images or graphics like those typically used to advertise to children, like cartoons, neon colors and celebrities. The age restriction is meant to mirror existing limitations on recreational marijuana purchases, Blowers previously told the City Council. And, the regulations on how the products are packaged are intended to 'limit the appeal of those products to kids, but also to prevent accidental ingestion by young children who may find an adult's hemp-derived THC and then mistake it for candy,' he noted. The restrictions passed recently apply to smoke and vape shops in the area, or other stores selling hemp-derived THC or Kratom products, according to Newman. It wouldn't apply to marijuana dispensaries, Blowers told The Beacon-News, because they're regulated by the state. Although more than 60% of Batavia voters came out in support of allowing recreational weed to be sold in 2020, no dispensaries currently operate in the city. But that's set to change soon, as a recreational marijuana dispensary is preparing to open in the near future at 144 S. Randall Road, according to past reporting. Despite some debate among residents as the proposal came before the City Council, it ultimately voted to approve the dispensary's plans in January, allowing the project by Rubino Ventures to move forward with getting the necessary city permits to open a Dutchess Cannabis location in the city. It would be their fifth location in the region. Following their passage by the City Council, the hemp and Kratom restrictions will take effect immediately, Blowers said. But they're taking an 'educational stance,' he said, as businesses get into compliance with the new rules. Blowers said they've informed businesses they know are selling these products of the new ordinance, and they will begin doing compliance checks in the near future.
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
Calif. teacher accidentally leaves $5K tip at vape shop
This slip-up was a real tipping point. A special education educator inadvertently left a $5,000 tip at a vape shop — and reportedly spent the next several months fighting with her bank to smoke out the eye-watering number. Linda Mathiesen, a Peninsula single mother who struggles with shoulder pain, made a $129.28 purchase for CBD gel to help with the nagging issue at a Bay Area shop last year — and wanted to leave an additional token of appreciation, according to a KGO report Wednesday. She told the station she only wanted to leave a $5 tip, but struggled to see the credit card pad on the tall checkout stand even on her tippy toes. Advertisement 3 Linda Mathiesen left the huge tip at a vape shop by accident. ABC 7 'He says enter a tip — so I did… I push what I thought was only two zeroes. Ended up being three zeroes,' Mathiesen claimed. 'But, there's no decimal point… I'm like, 'Wait, I want to delete this.'' Advertisement The clerk processed the charge and then claimed to Mathiesen he didn't know how to void it, she said. The employee also claimed the tip never went through, but Mathiesen's bank statement said otherwise, the station reported. 'Who would ever?' Mathiesen reportedly said. 'Like, $5,000? I don't have that kind of money.' The mother of two grown sons claimed she contacted her bank, Wells Fargo, 22 times, including calling them five minutes after leaving the store. Advertisement She was left frustrated for months to the point of tears before the bank recently stepped in after KGO reached out to them, the station reported. 3 Wells Fargo eventually refunded the money. Kristina Blokhin – The bank reportedly contacted Mathiesen and told her they would refund her the shocking figure, as well as interest. Wells Fargo told People in a statement Friday that when it became aware of the problem, it worked to 'resolve this situation.' Advertisement 3 She has been sifting through piles of paperwork. ABC 7 'We are committed to working with our customers to find solutions when they encounter issues,' the bank also said. The Post has sought comment from Wells Fargo late Friday. Meanwhile, a worker at the vape shop told KGO that ownership changed in January and had no comment.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Special Education Teacher Thought She Was Leaving $5 Tip, but It Was Actually $5,000
Linda Mathiesen said she accidentally left a $5,000 tip instead of a $5 tip at a California vape shop about a year ago She then claims she spent months trying to dispute the transaction before her bank refunded her Wells Fargo tells PEOPLE that they "resolved this situation" and "are committed to working with our customers to find solutions when they encounter issues"A California woman said she felt generous after shopping at a vape store and decided to leave a $5 tip — then realized she accidentally left three extra zeros. Special education teacher Linda Mathiesen told ABC affiliate KGO that about a year ago, she went to San Bruno Exotic to purchase a couple of items to help with her shoulder pain, including CBD relief gel. In a giving mood, she decided to leave a $5 tip, but Mathiesen told KGO that she couldn't fully see what she was doing at the tall checkout stand. "I push what I thought was only two zeros. Ended up being three zeros," Mathiesen said. Once she realized those zeros were in front of the decimal point, and not behind it, she tried to rectify her mistake, but the clerk reportedly said he didn't know how and processed the tip instead. Mathiesen alleged to KGO that she began the process of disputing the transaction with Wells Fargo that same day, but after dozens of attempts to try and reach them over several months, the matter hadn't been solved. However, the outlet claimed that after they reached out to the bank, Wells Fargo did respond to Mathiesen, promising to refund the tip plus interest. When reached for comment, a bank spokesperson told PEOPLE that after learning about what happened to her, they "resolved this situation." "We are committed to working with our customers to find solutions when they encounter issues," they added. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. According to KGO, the smoke shop, which now goes by Exotic Vapes, and a clerk they spoke with, who otherwise had no comment, claimed new owners took over in January. When PEOPLE reached for comment on Friday, June 6, the phone number was not in service. Mathiesen did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Read the original article on People
