Minnesota

Staying Compliant with the Minnesota Department of Health

Getting to know regulations in Minnesota

In 2014, Minnesota passed a law legalizing medical cannabis, making it the 22nd state to do so. This allowed access to cannabis products for medicinal purposes. To ensure the safety and effectiveness of medical cannabis, the Task Force on Medical Cannabis Therapeutic Research was established to evaluate its impact on the people of Minnesota.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) oversees the Office of Medical Cannabis, which is responsible for enforcing the regulations and guidelines of the state's Medical Cannabis program. Under the law, only two manufacturers are permitted to operate in the state, each with a single manufacturing facility and eight dispensaries.

To maintain quality control, independent testing facilities play a crucial role. Minnesota has an open application process for these facilities, ensuring that medical cannabis undergoes testing by state-approved labs.

In an effort to enhance transparency and accountability, Minnesota has proposed implementing a state-centralized tracking and tracing system for medical cannabis. This system, known as "seed-to-sale," aims to monitor the entire lifecycle of cannabis products, from cultivation to distribution.