Big news for Minnesota’s cannabis community – the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) just announced that the first round of cannabis license application lotteries will be held on June 5, 2025. This is a crucial step for cultivators, manufacturers, and mezzobusinesses looking to enter the state’s adult-use market. Here’s a quick breakdown:
What to Know About the Upcoming Lotteries
🔹 Social Equity and General Applicants: Both social equity and general applicants will have the chance to secure critical supply chain licenses, including cultivator, manufacturer, and mezzobusiness licenses.
🔹 Retailer Licenses for Social Equity Applicants: A separate lottery for cannabis retailer licenses will also take place for social equity applicants, preserving some of the advantages built into Minnesota’s cannabis legislation. Any social equity applicants not selected in this first lottery will have a second shot when the general retail lottery happens later this summer.
🔹 Behind the Scenes: According to OCM Interim Director Eric Taubel, the office has been focused on reviewing applications for these critical supply chain licenses to ensure a strong foundation for the state’s cannabis market.
What’s Next for Applicants?
Over the coming weeks, more applicants will find out if they’ve advanced to the lottery stage. According to Jess Jackson, OCM’s director of social equity, hundreds of social equity applicants are already deep in the process of completing their requirements, making this a thrilling moment for aspiring cannabis entrepreneurs across the state.
How to Watch the Lotteries Live
The lotteries will be livestreamed for the public and media on the OCM’s YouTube channel: youtube.com/@MNCannabisManagement. Results will also be posted to the OCM website and shared directly with applicants.
For more info, check out mn.gov/ocm.