Albert Lea City Council blocks Minnesota’s first non-tribal cannabis dispensary
By Beret Leone
Click here for updates on this story
ALBERT LEA, Minnesota (WCCO) — It’s been a long road toward the legalization of cannabis in Minnesota. Now, that road might be getting a little longer.
There have already been numerous complications in the rollout of the Office of Cannabis Management. From botched lotteries and lawsuits to leadership changes, it’s been a wild ride from the start.
Marijuana was legalized in August 2023, with sales expected to begin in 2025. Now, eight months into the year, that deadline keeps getting pushed back.
A new decision from the Albert Lea City Council could be a sign of more difficulties for the industry ahead.
The first non-tribal dispensary was finally supposed to open up there this year. But during a council meeting this week, city leaders voted that down. The decision is halting a Minnesota legal cannabis market milestone, but it also could shake up things for other budding businesses.
According to state law, business applicants must work with local government to ensure law compliance, but cities also can’t prohibit the sale of cannabis.
This could mean more lawsuits, a loss of funding and dragging out an already long rollout.
The Smoking Tree in Albert Lea was on track to open the first retail, non-tribally owned dispensary off tribal land in a matter of weeks. WCCO spoke with owner Jacob Schlichter earlier this month after he passed a state inspection, a key hurdle to secure an official license to operate.
Now, Schlichter faces another hurdle. In a meeting Monday night, after heavy debate, City Council members rejected the business license. Those who voted in favor of the business say they can’t afford to fight it. Those opposing questioned the morality of the legal drug and government control.
When pleading his case, Schlichter said he got into the business for a reason.
“I had to bury over half a dozen of my friends due to a bad batch of heroin going around Austin. Southern Minnesota is my home. And I take it very personally, all these concerns that everyone brings up. And I want them all to be known,” Schlichter said. “I hear you all and I will keep that in the forefront of my mind moving forward.”
According to Minnesota’s Guide for Local Governments for adult cannabis use, local governments aren’t required to seek out cannabis businesses, but they also can’t reject them if they don’t have at least one cannabis store already.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
