St. Louis County Board places five-month moratorium on new Cannabis businesses

The St. Louis County board decided Tuesday that they need more time to figure out how to regulate the cannabis industry. Following a public hearing, they voted 6-1 to put a five-month moratorium on new cannabis businesses. Commissioner Ashley Grimm was the dissenting vote.

The Board hopes this will provide more time for local governments to figure out how to regulate thr industry, including zoning and enforcement implications.

“There are a lot of details to sort through, and we need to make sure we do this properly,” said County Board Chair Keith Nelson. “The legislation has undergone numerous changes and processes are still being finalized, so we felt the best option was to slow down to allow ourselves and the jurisdictions within our county more time to develop strategies that serve all our citizens.”

This moratorium does not affect existing businesses involved with low potency hemp products.

In 2023, the Minnesota Legislature legalized adult-use cannabis in the state and established the Office of Cannabis Management.