Minnesota officials have issued the state’s first recreational marijuana business license following the enactment of legalization in 2023.

The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced on Wednesday that it has issued the license to Herb Quest, LLC, a cultivation microbusiness.

“Issuing the first business license is a major milestone for the office,” OCM Interim Director Eric Taubel said in a press release.

“With our first licensed cultivator now able to begin growing plants, and more than 600 businesses within the final steps of completing their applications and securing approvals from local governments, we are now seeing the first pieces of Minnesota’s adult-use market fall into place,” he said.

Additionally, OCM said it’s taking further steps to build up in the industry and create opportunities to entrepreneurs, including opening a new licensing window for cannabis testing facilities, accepting the first applications for marijuana event licenses and verifying more social equity status requests.

For cannabis testing facilities, licensing applications will open on August 1. To prevent delays, lawmakers enacted a policy change to the process that also allows such licenses to be issued as applicants are awaiting accreditation from the International Standards Organization (ISO).

“ISO accreditation is a lengthy process, so we wanted to provide a shorter runway for labs who wish to enter Minnesota’s cannabis market in such an essential way while also helping other cannabis business owners get up and running with safe, tested products,” Max Zappia, OCM’s chief regulatory officer, said. “Having testing facilities with capacity is essential to our mission to establish an equitable cannabis industry that prioritizes public health and safety, consumer confidence, and market integrity.”

Applications for cannabis event organizer licenses will also start being accepted on August 1.

“Pursuant to Minnesota law, cannabis events must be limited to ages 21 and older and may not include the sale or consumption of alcohol,” regulators said. “Cannabis events may feature the on-site sale and use of adult-use cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products.”

Unlike other license types, the event organizer license is temporary and people will need to apply for new ones per event.

Meanwhile, shortly after Minnesota lawmakers passed a bill to end the criminalization of bong water containing trace amount of drugs, Gov. Tim Walz (DFL) has signed the measure into law late last month.

The change addresses an existing policy that had allowed law enforcement to treat quantities of bong water greater than four ounces as equivalent to the pure, uncut version of whatever drug the device was used to consume.

Also in Minnesota, a Native American tribe last month opened the state’s first-ever legal recreational marijuana store outside of a reservation. The new shop, in Moorhead, will be followed next month by another location in St. Cloud that will also be operated by the White Earth Nation.

The launch of the new shop comes after Walz signed of a landmark agreement last month to allow the tribe to operate up to eight retail marijuana stores across the state.

Minnesota’s 2023 cannabis legalization law allows tribes within the state to open marijuana businesses before state licensing of businesses begins. Following the law’s enactment, a number of tribal governments, including White Earth Nation, the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, made early moves to enter the market.

Separately, as the state’s adult-use cannabis market gets up and running, more than a dozen cities and counties are seeking to open their own government-run stores.

At least 13 cities and counties have applied for licenses to operate their own marijuana stores. The city of Anoka, for one, broke ground last month on a new $2.7 million facility, though the city’s liquor and cannabis operations manager says they’re still waiting on final approval from OCM.

Other municipalities seeking licenses to run their own dispensaries include St. Joseph and Osseo, which are reportedly waiting to secure licenses before breaking ground on the facilities.

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Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.

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By law, Minnesota allows local governments to limit the number of retailers in their jurisdictions, though it requires leaders to allow at least one marijuana store for every 12,500 residents.

Separately in Minnesota, a state appeals court is set to decide whether state officials have the authority to prosecute tribal members for cannabis crimes committed on tribal land. The case centers on a White Earth citizen who allegedly sold cannabis from his tobacco store on reservation land in Mahnomen.

In April, meanwhile, state officials moved to delay a separate drug reform—the opening of safe drug consumption sites, meant to allow people to use drugs in a safer, supervised setting.

“More work needs to be done on a state and federal level before these services can be implemented in a way that is safe for participants and Harm Reduction programs,” a representative for the Department of Human Services (DHS) Behavioral Health Administration said at the time.

In March, lawmakers also filed legislation that would create a system to allow legal access to psilocybin for medical purposes. That came just days after the introduction of a separate bill that would legalize personal psilocybin use and possession among adults.

Alaska Activists Launch Campaign To Put Psychedelics Legalization Measure On 2026 Ballot

Photo courtesy of Brian Shamblen.

The governor of Colorado has announced a first-ever round of mass pardons for people with psilocybin-related convictions.

Just about two weeks after Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed a bill into law empowering him and future governors to issue clemency for people who’ve committed psychedelics offenses, he announced during a speech at the Psychedelic Science 2025 conference on Wednesday that he’s exercising that authority.

The pardons he’s granting through executive order will provide relief to anyone with a state-level conviction for psilocybin and psilocyn possession.

“Colorado has been a national leader in breaking through outdated laws around cannabis, and now we are doing the same for natural medicine,” Polis said in a press release. “This action eliminates past state-level convictions for psilocybin and psilocin possession that would be legal today. With these pardons, we are fulfilling the will of Colorado voters and moving away from ineffective drug policy and encouraging local municipalities to follow suit.”

At the conference, the governor stressed that, while his executive order covers state-level convictions, the major of people with psychedelics-related records were prosecuted at the local level, so he urged people to reach out to their city council representatives and mayors and ask them to pursue similar clemency actions.

“This is an important step forward, of course, for the individuals who will now have this cleared from their record—but also to really acknowledge the error in public policy that led to their conviction, creating a more just system to break down barriers and help them move on with their lives,” he said. “Maybe they want to go on to higher education or get a sensitive job that requires a criminal background check, and they will now be able to do that because, of course, they have not violated anything that is currently a law of Colorado.”

The executive order states: “Pursuant to the authority granted to me by SB 25-297, I am granting full and unconditional pardons for State convictions of possession of psilocybin and psilocin for those 21 years old or older at the time of the offense because possession of psilocybin and psilocin is no longer illegal in the State of Colorado and it should not be held against people since it is not a crime.”

In addition to granting the clemency, the order also calls on the Department of Public Safety, through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, to develop a process to indicate on criminal background checks that these individuals’ convictions have been pardoned.”

Shortly after signing the legislation that now allows him to grant the pardons, Polis said the reform represents another step “towards a fairer future.” He’s advocated for the policy change since the state legalized certain entheogenic substances in 2022.

“Governor Polis is showing exactly the kind of courage and compassion that we hope to see from all governors across the country by using his executive authority to right the wrongs of prohibition and calling on Colorado municipalities to do the same,” Jason Ortiz, director of strategic initiatives for the Last Prisoner Project (LPP) told Marijuana Moment.

“I look forward to working with his office to support and empower local municipalities to carry the torch of freedom forward until there is no one burdened by a criminal history for actions that are now generating tax revenue across the state of Colorado,” he said.

The psychedelics clemency move comes several years after Polis issued mass pardons for people with prior marijuana convictions.

The recently enacted psychedelics legislation from Sen. Matt Ball (D) and Rep. Lisa Feret (D) authorizes governors to grant clemency to people with convictions for low-level possession of substances such as psilocybin, ibogaine and DMT that have since been legalized.

It will also require the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Department of Revenue (DOR) and Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) to “collect information and data related to the use of natural medicine and natural medicine products.”

That must include data on law enforcement activities, adverse health events, consumer protection claims and behavioral impacts related to psychedelics.

Prior to passage by the Senate, a committee amendment removed a government appropriation to pay for data collection and tracking, replacing a reference to “ongoing appropriations” with “appropriations or gifts, grants, or donations.” Ball said at the time that lawmakers have a letter of intent from the Psychedelic Science Funders Collaborative—a nonprofit that supports advancing psychedelic therapy—to fund the program for the entirety of its five-year duration.

The bill earmarks $208,240 in those funds for the governor’s office of information technology. “To implement this act, the office may use this appropriation to provide information technology services for the department of public health and environment,” the text says.

The legislation further amends rules around licensing and ownership of psychedelic healing centers. For example, it removes a requirement for fingerprint background checks for owners and employees of licensed facilities, making it so they would only be subject to a name-based criminal background check.

It additionally “requires the state licensing authority to adopt rules related to product labels for regulated natural medicine and regulated natural medicine products and permits the state licensing authority to adopt rules regarding the types of regulated natural medicine products that can be manufactured.”

The proposal overall earned support from an array of advocates, including psychedelic medicine proponents as well as groups more skeptical of legalization. Public commenters at a hearing seemed to agree that the bill’s data collection provisions would help observers both inside and outside Colorado better understand the outcomes around regulated psychedelics.

Late last month, Polis touted the fact that Colorado’s legal psychedelics program is “fully launched” now that regulators have issued licenses for each part of the psilocybin supply chain.

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Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.
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Earlier this session, the governor signed into law a bill that would allow a form of psilocybin to be prescribed as a medication if the federal government authorizes its use.

While Colorado already legalized psilocybin and several other psychedelics for adults 21 and older through the voter-approved ballot initiative, the newly enacted reform will make it so drugs containing an isolated crystalized version synthesized from psilocybin can become available under physician prescription.

Polis signed a bill to create the regulatory framework for legal psychedelics in 2023.

Separately in Colorado, a bill that would have limited THC in marijuana and outlawed a variety of psilocybin products died following the lead sponsor’s move to withdraw the legislation.

Minnesota Officials Award State’s First Marijuana Business License

[PRESS RELEASE] – PORTLAND, Ore., and ST. LOUIS, Mo., June 18, 2025 – Missouri cannabis consumers can now experience a new kind of high. Grön, the industry’s most flavor-obsessed edible brand, and Head Change, Missouri’s trusted craft rosin producer, have teamed up to launch exclusive solventless hash rosin-infused edibles—available now across the state.

Born from a shared commitment to clean extraction and bold expression, the collection infuses Head Change’s award-winning live rosin into Grön’s signature Pearls and MEGAs, delivering a high-integrity, high-impact edible made for real cannabis enthusiasts.

“This partnership is built on a shared respect for the plant and the people who truly appreciate it,” Grön Chief Marketing Officer Michael Thale said. “It’s not just a collab—it’s where two crafts collide. We’ve long admired Head Change’s quality-first approach, and this drop is a perfect example of what happens when both teams bring their best.”

Rosin Pearls (10mg THC per piece):

• Orange Yuzu (Sativa) – A zesty burst of citrus that sharpens focus and fuels creativity.
• Electric Honeydew (Hybrid) – Juicy melon, bright and balanced, with a lightly buzzing finish.
• Dragon Punch (Indica) – Dragon fruit with a knockout dose of chill. Sweet, tropical, and lights out.

Rosin MEGAs (100mg THC per gummy):

• Baja Blaze (Sativa) – Tangy citrus-lime that channels breezy, beachy energy.
• Peach Mango (Hybrid) – Sun-warmed and fruit-forward with a tangy twist. Like summer in every bite.
• Cherry Cola (Indica) – Old-school cola meets bold cherry for a nostalgic flavor hit.

Each edible is crafted with real fruit, natural colors, and Head Change’s terp-rich, solventless live rosin—never any artificial ingredients or chemical shortcuts. Every bite is sugar-coated, sealed for freshness, and built for a consistent, full-spectrum experience that honors the plant and satisfies the palate.

“At Head Change, we believe rosin represents the purest expression of the plant,” CEO Peter Seay said. “Partnering with Grön—an innovator in edible experiences—lets us honor that purity in a new format. This collab brings solventless hash to a wider audience without compromising on quality or intention. It’s the kind of alignment that we respect so much from Grön.”

Now Available Across Missouri
The Grön x HeadChange collection is now available at licensed dispensaries statewide. To find a retailer near you, visit: https://eatgron.com/where-to-buy/

Want the Full Story
Watch the video that captures the making of the collab and the passion behind every gram and gram of sugar HERE.