New marijuana dispensary opening in MN, licensing remains bumpy

New marijuana dispensary opening in Minnesota

The recreational marijuana market is expanding slowly in Minnesota, with White Earth Nation opening its second cannabis dispensary off the reservation on July 2 in St. Cloud.

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (FOX 9) - The recreational marijuana market is expanding slowly in Minnesota.

Cannabis coming closer

Marijuana menu:

St. Cloud will be home to a new retailer as of July 2.

But the licensing process is still a big burden for business owners.

"This is the sales floor showroom area," said Derek Lee as he gave FOX 9 a tour of the newest cannabis retailer. "We have menus."

Marijuana is on the menu at Waabigwan Mashkiki.

The White Earth Nation’s second off reservation retailer launches Wednesday in St. Cloud, complete with products grown on tribal land.

"We're really excited about being able to provide, from seed to sale, all the cannabis that we sell in our stores," said Lee. "It just makes it so much easier."

Barely legal

Slow roll:

Their doors open on Wednesday, but for a lot of would-be retailers, the doors are shut pretty tightly.

"A struggle," Mary Wedin called it.

She opened Wild Weed in St. Cloud in April 2024, hoping to eventually convert to recreational cannabis.

Eight months later, the city zoned the spot out of the marijuana business, even though her hemp-derived THC store is still fine and so are bars and liquor stores.

"So we have to find a new spot," Wedin said. "Which has turned out to be a little bit difficult."

State law requires St. Cloud to license at least six cannabis retailers because of its population, but so far the city council hasn’t approved any.

"It's been legal for a couple of years, so it's time that we get one in St. Cloud," said a customer who came a day too soon to Waabigwan Mashkiki.

MN cannabis requirements clash with hemp laws

Minnesota hemp businesses have to be licensed starting in October. However, it’s impossible to meet the requirement to include license numbers for all businesses involved in producing the products from seed to sale when other states don’t require the same. FOX 9’s Corin Hoggard explains the conundrum facing business owners.

Can't Hardly Wait

Here Comes A Regular:

Dozens of eager cannabis consumers have said hello before opening day.

A tribal compact lets White Earth Nation open a few stores without the state license.

They started in Moorhead in May, and they’re planning for a couple of hundred customers every day in St. Cloud, each of whom will hear appreciation in Ojibwe.

"You'll get a 'Miigwech' when you leave, meaning ‘thank you’," Lee said.