Minnesota took another major step toward building its adult-use cannabis industry this week. On Tuesday, July 22nd, the state held its second lottery to issue cannabis retailer licenses — a move that marks continued momentum in rolling out the regulated market.
Using random number-generating software, the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) selected 75 license recipients from a pool of 569 eligible applicants. These applicants included both general candidates and those applying under social equity provisions, which are designed to ensure that communities disproportionately impacted by past cannabis laws are given fair opportunities in the legal market.
The selection process was fully randomized, with each applicant having been previously assigned a number. These numbers were drawn during the lottery and matched to applications to determine the winners. The results — that is, the application numbers of the 75 selected — are available to the public on the OCM's official website. For those interested, a recording of the lottery drawing is also accessible online.
This second round of licensing represents progress in the state's effort to create a broad and inclusive cannabis market following the legalization of recreational marijuana in 2023. With this lottery, more entrepreneurs — particularly those from communities impacted by previous criminalization — have the opportunity to participate in what is expected to be a robust and growing industry.
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