With license deadline approaching, shipping THC products directly to consumers will end in Minnesota

MOORHEAD, Minn. — Retail businesses in Minnesota have just two weeks left to apply for a license to sell low-potency THC products.

Without the license, businesses will no longer be able to sell drinks and edibles that contain low amounts of THC.

Along with retail licenses, Minnesota will also have separate wholesale, manufacturing, and transportation licenses. There is even a license for cannabis event organizing.

Licensed transporters of THC products in the state must have a manifest of all products on board, have random routes, and can’t have non-employees as passengers.

Identifying logos and or business names on the vehicle are also prohibited.

While holders of most of those licenses can also carry a license to transport THC products. However, it’s not the same for those with retail licenses.

“We are partnered with a lot of different companies, and they’ve talked about how difficult it is going to be just working through that, because a lot of their sales came from doing their online orders directly to consumers. They said they’re no long going to be able to do that,” said Curtis Blaske, manager of Unwind THC & CBD.

Unwind is currently working through the application process to become a full marijuana dispensary.

Even with all these rules, the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management says THC products will not be allowed to be sold directly to consumers.

KVRR News contacted the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management about the licenses and received the following statement:

“Under the 2023 bill legalizing cannabis and establishing a licensed hemp market, a license is required to sell cannabis, cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products to consumers. Once businesses are licensed under Minnesota Statutes, section 342, no business—either in-state or out-of-state—can ship directly to Minnesota consumers. The key reasons are that (1) these products can only be sold by a license holder, (2) an employee of the license holder is required by law to verify the age of consumers to ensure sales are not happening to minors, and (3) license holders are not permitted to sell to someone who is visibly intoxicated. These legal requirements cannot be met with direct-to-consumer shipping by either in-state or out-of-state operators.”