MN Cannabis Hub Podcast

MN Cannabis Hub
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Business News

Minnesota's weekly cannabis news, dispensary updates, and policy briefings. Recreational and medical, OCM moves, new strains, dispensary openings, and the people running the industry. Brought to you by mncannabishub.com and Leafwell (code MNHUB — $99 medical card visits).

  1. 8h ago

    MN Cannabis Hub - August 14, 2026

    Your go-to source for Minnesota cannabis news, dispensary updates, and everything you need to know about the state's evolving cannabis landscape. From OCM regulations to recreational legalization, we break it all down. Visit mncannabishub.com for dispensary menus, product reviews, and the latest MN cannabis coverage.

  2. Jul 31

    MN Cannabis Omnibus SF 4401 Takes Effect, Osseo Dispensary & OCM Petition Deadline

    Big week for Minnesota cannabis: the 2026 Cannabis Omnibus Bill (SF 4401) takes effect August 1, OCM's annual petition window closes July 31 at 4 p.m., and Osseo moves toward becoming the state's second municipally owned dispensary. In this episode: OCM's annual petition window closes today (July 31, 2026, 4 p.m.) — any Minnesotan can petition for new medical cannabinoid products, categories, or delivery methods. SF 4401, signed by Gov. Tim Walz on May 26, 2026, takes effect August 1 — hemp businesses can now hold cannabis licenses without divesting hemp operations. The "macrobusiness" tier and full collapse of the bifurcated hemp/cannabis supply chain hit January 1, 2027. Social equity operators can now take outside investment up to 33% (up from 10%) across as many as four businesses, keeping 65% ownership and governance control. OCM's ability to open additional cultivator, manufacturer, retailer, and mezzobusiness licenses got pushed to July 1, 2027. Osseo targets a mid-2026 opening for a government-run cannabis store — Minnesota's second municipal dispensary — alongside approved private retailer Roz Chunks. Context: Minnesota's first non-tribal recreational dispensaries opened September 22, 2025. Consumer-ed segment on myrcene, the common cannabis terpene linked to sedative, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory effects in preclinical research. Sources: Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management OCM FAQ (tribal sovereignty note) OCM Cannabis Market Monitor dashboard Foley Hoag: Walz signs landmark Cannabis Omnibus Bill MJBizDaily: Minnesota's first municipal cannabis dispensary MN Reformer: First non-tribal rec dispensaries open Star Tribune: MN legal dispensary map Meet Minneapolis cannabis events calendar NIH: Myrcene preclinical review NIH: Entourage effect review Subscribe: mncannabishub.com Full transcript Will: —and that's the thing, like, today is literally the last day of it. Four p.m. today. If you're a Minnesotan and you've been sitting on some idea for a medical cannabinoid product you want OCM to greenlight... clock's ticking. Matilda: Wait, today today? Like, the July 31 today? Will: Today today. The OCM annual petition window opened July 1 and it closes at 4 p.m. this afternoon. Matilda: Okay, so if anyone's listening to this on their lunch break, you've got, what, a couple hours. Will: Couple hours. And it's not just products, it's product categories, delivery methods... like if you think there's a form of medical cannabis Minnesota should be approving and isn't, this is your one shot a year. Matilda: One shot a year is kind of wild when you think about it. Will: It is a little spendy on the timeline, yeah. Matilda: "Spendy on the timeline." Will. Will: What. Matilda: Nothing. Keep going. Will: Okay so, petition window today. But honestly the bigger deal for most people listening is what happens... tomorrow. Matilda: Tomorrow being August 1. Will: August 1. That's when most of the Cannabis Omnibus Bill actually kicks in. Walz signed it back in May. Matilda: SF 4401, right? Will: SF 4401. And it is... it's a big rewrite of how this industry works in Minnesota. Matilda: Okay but define "big" for me, because everybody says every bill is big. Will: Fair. So the biggest structural thing — they're collapsing the split between the hemp side and the cannabis side of the supply chain. Matilda: Which has been a mess. Will: Which has been a mess, yeah. For years hemp businesses had to basically pick a lane. If you were selling THC beverages under the hemp framework, you couldn't just also grab a cannabis license without unwinding half your company. Matilda: Right, and there are real MN brands that got stuck in that. Like the Stigma THC Beverages folks, Simply Crafted — those were hemp-side operators watching the rec market get built next door. Will: Exactly. And now under the new law, hemp businesses can hold cannabis licenses without having to divest the hemp operation. Matilda: Oh that's... okay that's actually a huge deal for those brands. Will: Huge deal. Now — the full "macrobusiness" tier, the really big vertically-integrated license? That one doesn't switch on until January 1, 2027. Matilda: So August 1 is act one, January 1 is act two. Will: Basically. Matilda: Okay hold on though, I want to push back a little. Will: Go. Matilda: You're framing this like it's just good news for operators. But if you're a small social equity applicant who's been waiting in line for a retail license... doesn't collapsing the supply chain just mean the big hemp companies eat your lunch? Will: Yeah. That's the tension, and I don't want to pretend it isn't. Matilda: Because a hemp beverage brand that's been operating for three years has capital, has distribution, has shelf relationships... Will: They have everything. And a new social equity applicant has a piece of paper and a dream. Matilda: Right. Will: So — and this is the part I actually think is underrated — the same bill raised the outside-investment cap for social equity operators. Matilda: Oh. Will: Used to be capped at ten percent outside money. Now they can take up to 33% outside investment. Matilda: Across how many businesses? Will: Up to four. As long as the social equity applicant keeps at least 65% ownership and governance control. Matilda: So they can actually raise real capital now. Will: They can actually raise real capital. Which — look, that doesn't magically fix the competitive gap with a hemp giant, but it's meaningfully different than what they had six months ago. Matilda: Okay, that's fair. I still think we should be watching how it plays out and not just clapping, but... that's a meaningful change. Will: I think that's the right posture. Matilda: The right POSTURE. Listen to you. Will: I'm serious. Matilda: I know, I know. Will: Also — one more piece of the omnibus t...

  3. Jul 24

    MN Cannabis: Omnibus Bill, License Cap Review & New Dispensaries

    Minnesota cannabis is moving fast this summer — OCM's license cap review is underway, the 2026 Cannabis Omnibus Bill takes effect August 1, and new dispensaries are opening across the state. OCM License Cap Review: July 1, 2026 triggered OCM's statutory reassessment of cultivator, manufacturer, retailer, and mezzobusiness license caps — no changes are guaranteed, but the review is real and ongoing. OCM Petition Period Closes July 31 at 4 p.m.: Anyone — patients, companies, researchers — can petition OCM to add new medical cannabis products, product categories, delivery methods, or to declare a cannabinoid nonintoxicating. 2026 Cannabis Omnibus Bill (Gov. Walz, May 26): Sponsored by Rep. Jessica Hanson (DFL–Burnsville), the bill merges medical and adult-use supply chains on August 1, allowing one operator to serve both patients and adult-use customers. Hemp + Cannabis Dual Licensing: Starting August 1, hemp businesses can hold cannabis licenses without divesting — a major shift for the THC beverage sector. New Dispensaries: Winona opened its first dispensary at 173 East Second Street (July 2026); Anoka launched Minnesota's first city-owned dispensary in February 2026; Osseo's municipal dispensary (former Press & News building) targets a Nov/Dec 2026 opening. Social Equity Caps Under Review: Pre-July SEA caps stood at 25 cultivator, 12 manufacturer, 75 retailer, and 50 mezzobusiness licenses — half of all capped licenses remain reserved for verified social equity applicants. Myrcene 101: The most common terpene in cannabis, myrcene is linked to analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and sedative effects in peer-reviewed research — check your COA for myrcene % and ditch the outdated indica/sativa labels. Legacy Cup Year 6: Minnesota's largest cannabis festival returns to Surly Brewing's Festival Field in Minneapolis, featuring hemp-derived THC beverages and live music. OCM FAQ — mn.gov OCM Annual Petition Period News Release OCM Social Equity Licensing & Lottery Gov. Walz Signs 2026 Cannabis Omnibus Bill — JD Supra Minnesota Merges Medical and Adult-Use Supply Chains — MJBizDaily 7 Changes to Minnesota Cannabis Laws — Star Tribune Winona's First Dispensary Opens — Winona Post Anoka Municipal Cannabis Dispensary — MPR News Osseo Municipal Cannabis Store Update — Minneapolis Media Myrcene Research — NIH/PubMed Legacy Cup — Minneapolis.org Subscribe: mncannabishub.com Full transcript Will: —and that's the thing, Matilda, like, July hits and suddenly everybody's a policy expert. My group chat is UNHINGED right now. Matilda: Oh I bet. Because of the license cap review? Will: Because of the license cap review. July 1 was the trigger date, right? That's when OCM is officially supposed to sit down and go, okay, are these caps actually matching what the market needs. Matilda: Right, and people hear "review" and immediately assume it means more licenses tomorrow. Will: Exactly. Ope, slow down there, buddy. Matilda: It's a review. It's not a giveaway. Will: It's a review. But it IS a real moment. Like, this is the first time the state has to actually look at the caps and say, is 75 retailers on the social equity side the right number? Is 25 cultivators the right number? Matilda: Wait, so those are the pre-July numbers you're talking about? Will: Those are the pre-July SEA caps. 25 cultivator, 12 manufacturer, 75 retailer, 50 mezzobusiness. Half of everything reserved for verified social equity applicants. Matilda: And that's what's being re-evaluated. Not thrown out, re-evaluated. Will: Correct. And I want to say this plainly because I think people get confused — the social equity structure isn't going anywhere. That's baked in. What's being looked at is the SIZE of the pie. Matilda: Okay. Because I've seen people online swearing the caps are getting doubled next month and I'm like... where are you getting that. Will: The internet, Matilda. The internet is getting that. Matilda: Fair. Will: I don't actually know what OCM is gonna land on. I want to be honest about that. Could be modest bumps, could be a bigger rethink, could be "yeah these numbers are fine, next." Matilda: See, that's the part I appreciate. Because everybody wants to talk like they've got the inside line. Will: I don't got the inside line. I've got the same FAQ page you've got. Matilda: Which, hey, mn.gov/ocm/faq — it's actually readable. Which for a government site is a minor miracle. Will: It's shockingly readable. You betcha. Matilda: Okay, one you-betcha per episode, that's the rule. Will: That's the rule. But while we're on OCM — the petition window. This is the part I don't think enough people know about. Matilda: Oh, tell them. Will: So OCM has an annual petition period. It's open right now, and it closes at 4 p.m. on July 31. Matilda: 4 p.m. Not end of day. 4 p.m. Will: 4 p.m. sharp. Government hours, doncha know. Will: And what you can petition for is genuinely broad. New medical cannabis products. New product categories. New delivery methods. Or — and this is the interesting one — you can petition to declare a specific cannabinoid nonintoxicating. Matilda: Wait, hold on. Anybody can file that? Will: Anybody. You, me, a patient, a company, a researcher. Matilda: That's actually kind of wild. Because I always assumed that stuff was, like, industry-only. Will: Nope. It's a public process. Which means if there's a delivery method that isn't currently on the medical side and you think it should be, you have until July 31 to say something. Matilda: Okay, that's genuinely useful information. That's the kind of thing that never makes it into a headline. Will: Never. Because "annual petition period opens" is not clickbait. Matilda: It really isn't. Will: But it matters. Especially for patients — like, if there's a form of medicine that would actually help you and it's not available, you have a lane. Matilda: O...

  4. Jul 24

    MN Cannabis Hub - July 24, 2026

    Your go-to source for Minnesota cannabis news, dispensary updates, and everything you need to know about the state's evolving cannabis landscape. From OCM regulations to recreational legalization, we break it all down. Visit mncannabishub.com for dispensary menus, product reviews, and the latest MN cannabis coverage.

  5. Jul 17

    MN Cannabis July 2026: OCM Cap Review, Omnibus Bill, Winona & Osseo Open

    Minnesota's cannabis market hit a July inflection point: OCM opened its statutory license-cap review, the 2026 Omnibus Bill takes effect Aug. 1, and May sales set a record. We break down what changes for operators, patients, and shoppers. In this episode: OCM's July 1 statutory checkpoint on license caps — supply, stability, competition, and displacing the illicit market. OCM's cannabinoid product petition window open through 4 p.m. July 31, 2026 for new products, categories, and delivery methods. 2026 Cannabis Omnibus Bill (SF 4401 / HF 4203), signed by Gov. Walz May 26, most provisions effective Aug. 1 — merging medical and adult-use supply chains. New macrobusiness license (effective Jan. 1, 2027): 38,000–45,000 sq ft canopy, up to 8 retail locations. Social equity outside-investment cap raised to 33% (from 10%) across up to 4 businesses, with SE applicants keeping ≥65% ownership/governance. May 2026 record: $28M combined sales ($18M adult-use, $10M medical); 240 licenses issued, 1,332 preliminarily approved as of mid-June; testing backlog with only two operational state-licensed labs. New openings: Winona's first dispensary at 173 East Second Street; Osseo preparing MN's second municipally-owned shop, following Anoka Cannabis Company. Tribal & equity: White Earth Nation's Waabigwan Mashkiki can run up to 8 off-reservation dispensaries; plus Lake Leaf, Anang, NativeCare, Sweetest Grass, and Island Pezi. Consumer education on β-myrcene — GABAA activity, sedative signaling, and a human pilot on divided-attention effects. Save the date: CannaFest returns Nov. 12, 2026 at The Lowlands in St. Paul. Sources: Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management OCM cannabinoid product petition guidance Foley Hoag: Walz signs landmark Cannabis Omnibus Bill Marijuana Herald: MN sales hit new monthly high Axios Twin Cities: MN cannabis by the numbers Winona Post: Winona's first dispensary opens MJBizDaily: MN's first municipal cannabis dispensary MPR News: Anoka municipal dispensary opening Cannabis Business Times: MN tribal cannabis compact NIH/PMC: β-myrcene GABAA and sedative signaling research NIH/PMC: β-myrcene human divided-attention pilot Minnesota Monthly: CannaFest 2026 Subscribe: mncannabishub.com Full transcript Will: —and that's the thing, Matilda, like, July hit and all of a sudden every cannabis reporter in the state is refreshing the OCM page like it's a Vikings score. Matilda: Right? Because July 1 was the checkpoint, yeah? Will: Yeah. Statutory trigger. OCM has to actually sit down and go, okay, are these license caps doing what we said they'd do. Matilda: Which is what, exactly? Like in plain-person terms. Will: Supply. Stability. Competition. And the big one — are we actually pushing the illicit market out. Matilda: Okay so translation for someone who just wants to buy a gummy at Green Goods without a headache... this could mean more stores? Will: Could. Or a different MIX of licenses. They can adjust the number AND the type. Matilda: Hm. Will: You don't sound convinced. Matilda: I mean, regulators reviewing their own rules... historically a real thrill ride. Will: Uff da, okay, fair. Matilda: No but seriously — I'll believe adjustments when I see them on a shelf. Will: That's the right instinct. Because the OTHER thing happening right now, and this is the one people are sleeping on... Matilda: The petition window. Will: The petition window. Yeah. Through 4 p.m. July 31. Matilda: For? Will: New cannabinoid products, new categories, new delivery methods. If you're an operator and you've got an idea that doesn't fit neatly into what's already legal, this is the door. Matilda: Okay wait — 4 p.m. though? Not end of day? Will: 4 p.m. Government hours, doncha know. Matilda: Of course. Will: So if you're a Stigma THC Beverages type of shop, or Simply Crafted, and you've been sitting on some format idea — clock is ticking. Matilda: That's actually a big deal for beverage folks specifically, right? Because that space is moving so fast. Will: Moving crazy fast. And I think Stigma's whole thesis has been, like, meet people where they already are, which is at the bar or at a cookout with a can in their hand. Matilda: Instead of asking them to learn a whole new ritual. Will: Exactly. Matilda: Okay. Bigger picture though. The omnibus bill. Will: Yeah. The big one. Matilda: Walz signed it back in May. SF 4401, I think? Will: SF 4401, HF 4203, signed May 26. Most of it kicks in August 1. Matilda: Two weeks. Will: Two weeks. Ope. Matilda: Ope indeed. Will: The headline thing — and this is genuinely a big structural change — is they're merging the medical supply chain and the adult-use supply chain into one operation. Matilda: Wait, so a grower doesn't have to pick a lane anymore? Will: Right. One unified supply chain. Which, I mean, if you talk to anyone on the cultivation side they've been asking for this for a while. Matilda: Because running two parallel businesses is nuts. Will: It's expensive and it's spendy and it slows everybody down. Matilda: Okay push back on this though — doesn't the medical program lose something when you fold it in? Like, patients had a specific channel. Will: That's the fair critique. And I'll be honest, I don't know how patient access is going to feel in September versus how it feels today. Matilda: Yeah. Will: I've seen the structural argument, the efficiency argument. I have NOT seen a clean answer on, like, is my aunt who's a medical patient going to walk into her regular spot...

  6. Jul 17

    MN Cannabis Hub - July 17, 2026

    MN Cannabis Hub Podcast

  7. Jul 15

    MN Cannabis Hub - July 14, 2026

    Your go-to source for Minnesota cannabis news. Visit mncannabishub.com.

  8. Jul 10

    MN Cannabis Market Monitor, Anoka City Dispensary & SF 4401 Omnibus Bill

    Will and Matilda break down Minnesota's fast-moving cannabis market: a brand-new OCM dashboard, farmer grants closing this week, the country's first city-run dispensary in Anoka, and the sweeping SF 4401 omnibus bill taking effect August 1, 2026. In this episode: OCM launches the Cannabis Market Monitor — monthly public data on sales, license counts, and product mix across adult-use and medical. CanGrow farmer training and loan grants are open through 4:30 p.m. July 13, 2026 for small MN cultivators. Licensing scorecard: ~240 licenses issued out of ~3,541 applicants, with 1,800+ still in qualified/preliminary status; statutory caps expired July 1, 2026. Anoka opened the nation's first city-owned recreational dispensary on Feb. 7, 2026 — months after non-tribal adult-use retail launched Sept. 16, 2025. SF 4401 (signed May 26, effective Aug. 1) merges medical and adult-use supply chains and creates a new macrobusiness license: up to 38,000 sq ft canopy and up to 8 retail locations. Hemp + cannabis co-location under common ownership; hemp retailers can sell large-format beverages (≥750 mL, ≥17 servings) in child-resistant resealable bottles. Wholesale flower topping $4,500/lb as supply lags retail demand — why shelf prices still feel high. Consumer science: myrcene, MN's most common terpene, and its "couch-lock" reputation; plus CanRenew equity grants and the Lucky Leaf Expo Minneapolis Aug. 28–29, 2026. Sources: OCM Cannabis Market Monitor announcement Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (CanGrow) OCM licensing lottery overview Marijuana Moment: Anoka's city-owned dispensary MN Reformer: first non-tribal recreational dispensaries Foley Hoag: Walz signs SF 4401 omnibus Star Tribune: 7 changes to MN cannabis laws Cannabis Business Times: MN adult-use launch CannaMD: understanding myrcene Lucky Leaf Expo Minneapolis 2026 DEED CanRenew cannabis grants Vicente LLP: MN cannabis grant programs Subscribe: mncannabishub.com Full transcript Will: —and that's the thing, Matilda, you can actually SEE it now. Like, on a dashboard. Matilda: Wait, the OCM one? The Market Monitor thing? Will: Yeah. The Cannabis Market Monitor. They just rolled it out. Matilda: Okay so break it down for me. What am I actually looking at when I pull that up? Will: Sales numbers, license counts, product mix. Adult-use and medical, side by side. Matilda: Monthly? Will: Monthly. Public. Free. Matilda: Huh. That's... actually kind of a big deal. Will: For the first time, Minnesotans can see the market by the numbers, you know? Matilda: Right, because up until now it's been vibes. Like, "the market feels expensive," "shelves feel thin"— Will: Exactly. Matilda: —but now there's a receipt. Will: There's a receipt. I like that. Matilda: Okay but real talk, Will, is anybody outside the industry gonna look at it? Will: Ope, that's fair. Probably not your average shopper. Matilda: Right? Will: But journalists will. Advocates will. And when somebody claims something wild about the market, you can just... pull it up. Matilda: Accountability. Okay. I'll give you that one. Will: You betcha. Matilda: Don't. Will: What? Matilda: You don't get to "you betcha" me when we're talking about spreadsheets. Will: Fine, fine. Moving on. Matilda: Move on. What else is OCM cooking? Will: CanGrow. The farmer grants. Matilda: Which are for— Will: Small Minnesota cultivators. Training grants, loan grants. The application window's open right now. Matilda: How long? Will: Deadline is July 13. 4:30 in the afternoon. Matilda: Oh that's like— Will: Days away. Yeah. Matilda: Will, that's THIS week. Will: I know, I know. So if you're a small grower, or you know one, mn.gov slash ocm. Don't sleep on it. Matilda: Okay that's genuinely useful. That's the kind of thing that doesn't get in front of the people who need it. Will: Right. The big operators have lawyers watching for this stuff. The little farm up north does not. Matilda: Up north with a laptop and a spotty connection. Will: Exactly. Matilda: Alright. Licensing. Where are we? Will: So as of June, OCM's issued around 240 licenses. Matilda: Out of? Will: About 3,541 applicants. Matilda: That is a gap. Will: It's a big gap. And there's still like 1,800-plus sitting in that qualified or preliminary status. Matilda: Waiting. Will: Waiting. Matilda: Okay so hold on. When people complain that the rollout is slow, that's the number they're pointing at. Will: That's the number. Matilda: But — and I'm gonna push back a little — issuing a license isn't the same as opening a store. Right? Will: Right, totally. Matilda: Some of those 240 aren't operating yet either. Will: Correct. So the shelf you're standing in front of at a dispensary is a lagging indicator of a lagging indicator. Matilda: That's bleak. Will: It's Minnesota nice bleak. Matilda: Okay and the caps — the statutory license caps — those expire July 1? Will: Expired. July 1, 2026. So OCM now gets to reassess whether to raise them, based on how the market's actually performing. Matilda: Which is why the dashboard matters. Will: Ohhh, see, you're connecting it. Matilda: I see what you did there. Will: The dashboard feeds the decision on the caps. You can't a...

See All (31)

About

Minnesota's weekly cannabis news, dispensary updates, and policy briefings. Recreational and medical, OCM moves, new strains, dispensary openings, and the people running the industry. Brought to you by mncannabishub.com and Leafwell (code MNHUB — $99 medical card visits).

Information

  • Creator
    MN Cannabis Hub
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 MN Cannabis Hub. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    MN Cannabis Hub Podcast