Minnesota will hold a series of marijuana business license lotteries on June 5, the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has announced.
(Photo credit: Vicente LLP).
The lotteries will include both social equity and general applicants seeking licenses to operate as cannabis cultivators, manufacturers, and mezzobusinesses. The OCM says these license types are key to building the infrastructure needed for the state’s recreational marijuana supply chain.
In addition, the agency will conduct a lottery specifically for social equity applicants pursuing a cannabis retailer license on the same day. A separate lottery for general retailer license applicants will take place later this summer.
All drawings will be livestreamed on the OCM’s YouTube channel. Once complete, results will be posted online and shared directly with applicants.
Under Minnesota law, those 21 and older are allowed to possess, use, and home cultivate marijuana following the legalization measure signed into law by Governor Tim Walz in 2023. Licensed retail sales are expected to begin either later this year, or in early 2026, once regulations and supply infrastructure are finalized. The state’s cannabis law also includes provisions for expunging certain past marijuana convictions and prioritizing licenses for social equity applicants.
