Wright County Cannabis – Is It Legal & Where To Buy 2025

Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in Wright County?

Licensed cannabis cultivation in Wright County is legal for both medical and adult use. Medical cannabis was legalized in May 2014 by the State of Minnesota’s Statutes §§152.22-152.37 and was governed by the Minnesota Administrative Rules Chapter 4770. On May 30, 2023, adult-use cannabis for individuals who are at least 21 years old was legalized in the state by Chapter 63 of the Minnesota Session Laws, which amended parts of Statutes §§152.22-152.37.

Chapter 63 created the Office of Cannabis Management to supervise medical cannabis and adult-use cannabis regulation and licensing. The Medical Cannabis Program under the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will be moved under the Office of Cannabis Management starting March 1, 2025.

Previously, the medical cannabis manufacturer license authorized the commercial cultivation of medical cannabis crops, the manufacturing of medical cannabis products, and the retail selling of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products to patients and caregivers who are in the state’s Medical Cannabis Registry. The new law has new medical and adult-use cannabis business licenses, though. There is a separate medical cannabis cultivator license with a $250 application fee and no fees for the initial license and its renewal. The medical cannabis combination business has a $10,000 application fee, a $20,000 initial license fee, and a $70,000 renewal fee.

There are also the following adult-use cannabis cultivator licenses:

1. The adult-use cannabis cultivator license has a $10,000 application fee, a $20,000 initial license fee, and a $30,000 renewal fee. For indoor cultivation, a maximum cannabis crop canopy of 30,000 square feet is allowed. For outdoor cultivation, a maximum of two acres of mature cannabis plants is allowed.
2. The adult-use cannabis microbusiness license has a $500 application fee and no fees for the initial license and its renewal. It authorizes the following:
   1. The indoor cultivation of cannabis crops with a maximum cannabis crop canopy of 5,000 square feet
   2. The outdoor cultivation of cannabis crops with a maximum of one acre of mature cannabis plants
   3. The manufacturing of adult-use cannabis concentrate and products
   4. The operation of one adult-use cannabis retail facility site
   5. The operation of one adult-use edible cannabis consumption site
3. The adult-use cannabis mezzo-business license has a $5,000 application fee, a $5,000 initial license fee, and a $10,000 renewal fee. It authorizes the following:
   6. The indoor cultivation of cannabis crops with a maximum cannabis crop canopy of 15,000 square feet
   7. The outdoor cultivation of cannabis crops with a maximum of one acre of mature cannabis plants
   8. The manufacturing of adult-use cannabis concentrate and products from a 15,000-square feet cannabis canopy only
   9. The operation of a maximum of three adult-use cannabis retail facility sites

As of July 2023, applications for the new medical and adult-use cannabis cultivation licenses were not yet accepted.

Effective August 1, 2023, individuals who are at least 21 years old in Wright County are allowed to grow in their primary residence not more than four mature cannabis plants, provided the cultivation area is enclosed, locked against intruders, and not visible to the public.

Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in Wright County?

Licensed cannabis product manufacturing in Wright County is legal for medical and adult-use cannabis products according to the new Chapter 63 of the Minnesota Session Laws, which revised portions of the previous Statutes §§152.22-152.37.

In addition to the adult-use cannabis microbusiness and mezzo-business licenses, the following are the other cannabis manufacturing licenses:

1. The medical cannabis processor license has a $250 application fee and no fees for the initial license and its renewal.
2. The adult-use cannabis manufacturer license has a $10,000 application fee, a $10,000 initial license fee, and a $20,000 renewal fee. To be able to manufacture edible adult-use cannabis products, the licensee is required to acquire from the Office of Cannabis Management a separate edible cannabinoid product handler endorsement.

As of July 2023, applications had not yet been opened for the new medical and adult-use cannabis product manufacturing licenses.

Is Cannabis Retail Legal in Wright County?

Licensed cannabis retail in Wright County is legal under Chapter 63 of the State of Minnesota’s Session Laws, amending sections of the earlier Statutes §§152.22-152.37. Chapter 63 states that licensed adult-use cannabis retailers may only sell adult-use cannabis and adult-use cannabis products to individuals who are at least 21 years old as proven by a valid ID issued by the government. Minnesota Administrative Rules 4770.1750 state that licensed medical cannabis retailers may only sell medical cannabis and medical cannabis products to registered patients and caregivers. The new law now also allows the sale of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products to patients visiting from other states who hold valid medical cannabis cards or their counterparts from their home states.

Apart from the adult-use cannabis microbusiness and mezzo-business licenses, the following are the other cannabis retail licenses:

1. The medical cannabis retailer license has a $250 application fee and no fees for the initial license and its renewal.
2. The adult-use cannabis retailer license has a $2,500 application fee, a $2,500 initial license fee, and a $5,000 renewal fee.

Before opening for business, any licensed medical or adult-use cannabis retailer must also register with the municipality where the facility will be located. Allowed operating hours from Monday to Saturday are from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m., and from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Sundays. These hours may be adjusted by the municipality by ordinance.

Only the following forms and limits of adult-use cannabis and adult-use cannabis products may be sold by a licensed adult-use cannabis retailer to a qualified consumer in one transaction:

• Cannabis flower at a maximum of two ounces
• Cannabis concentrate at a maximum of eight grams
• Edible cannabis products with a maximum tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of 800 milligrams

A single serving of edible cannabis products may only have up to 10 milligrams of THC, and a package of multiple servings may only have up to 200 milligrams of THC. A single serving of cannabis-infused beverages may also only have up to 10 milligrams of THC and a container may have a maximum of only two servings.

Minnesota Administrative Rules 4770.1750 limit each registered patient’s or caregiver’s purchase of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products to a 90-day supply for the same number of days. The dosage depends on the patient’s certification. All details of purchases are recorded on the registry.

As of July 2023, the application period had not yet begun for the new medical and adult-use cannabis retail licenses. Actual retail selling of adult-use cannabis and adult-use cannabis products is proposed to start within the first three months of 2025. There are, however, 15 existing licensed medical cannabis dispensaries across the state, with none of them in Wright County.

Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in Wright County?

Chapter 63 of the State of Minnesota’s Session Laws amended parts of the older Statutes §§152.22-152.37, resulting in the legalization of licensed cannabis delivery in Wright County.

A cannabis delivery service license is required to be able to deliver medical or adult-use cannabis and cannabis products to registered patients and caregivers or age-qualified consumers. A licensed medical or adult-use cannabis retailer is allowed to also hold a cannabis delivery service license. The cannabis delivery service license has a $250 application fee, a $500 initial license fee, as well as a $1,000 renewal fee.

For the delivery of medical or adult-use cannabis and cannabis products between cannabis businesses, a cannabis transporter license is required. It has the same fees.

How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Wright County

The State of Minnesota is not issuing medical cannabis cards. Instead, residents of Wright County must enroll as a patient in the Medical Cannabis Program after being certified by a state-licensed doctor, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse as having any of the qualifying illnesses listed below:

• Terminal illness with less than a year of life expectancy
• Glaucoma
• Sickle cell disease
• Chronic pain
• Chronic motor or vocal tic disorder
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Tourette syndrome
• Severe and persistent muscle spasms
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Cancer
• Seizures
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Alzheimer's disease
• DSM-5 Autism spectrum disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Intractable pain
• HIV/AIDS
• Irritable bowel syndrome (qualified by August 1, 2023)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (qualified by August 1, 2023)

The patient’s certification, name, and email address will be sent electronically to the Office of Medical Cannabis by the medical practitioner. A caregiver’s name and email address will be included for patients who are minors or adults who need to be assisted.

The patient will be emailed a link to complete the application and must do so within 60 days. The patient fee is $200 but is lowered to $50 with proof of being a beneficiary of any of the following programs:

• MinnesotaCare
• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
• Railroad Disability
• Veteran's Disability
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

The caregiver will also be emailed caregiver application instructions. The caregiver fee is $15.

Further inquiries may be sent to the following:

Minnesota Department of Health

P.O. Box 64975

St. Paul, MN 55164-0975

651-201-5000

888-345-0823

Office of Medical Cannabis

PO Box 64882

St Paul, MN 55164-0882

How Has Cannabis Legalization Impacted the Economy of Wright County?

A municipality in Wright County is allowed by Chapter 63 of the State of Minnesota’s Session Laws to charge every licensed adult-use retail facility within its jurisdiction an initial registration fee of $500 and a registration renewal fee of $1,000 from the second annual renewal onward. If a medical cannabis retail facility and an adult-use cannabis retail facility share one location, they must be charged only one registration fee. No application fees may be charged.

The state imposes the usual sales tax and local sales tax plus an additional 10% tax on sales of adult-use cannabis and adult-use cannabis products. These taxes do not apply to medical cannabis and medical cannabis products. From the adult-use cannabis tax earnings, the state will allocate 80% to the general fund and 20% as an aid to local governments.

The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in Wright County

Medical cannabis was legalized in Wright County in 2014, and adult-use cannabis has just been legalized in 2023.

Data sent by the Wright County Sheriff's Office to the Crime Explorer page of the FBI shows that in 2013, a year before the legalization of medical cannabis, there were 137 marijuana possession arrests and 131 marijuana sales arrests, totaling 268 arrests for marijuana offenses.

In 2015, a year after the legalization of medical cannabis, there were 59 marijuana possession arrests and 11 marijuana sales arrests, totaling 70 arrests for marijuana offenses.

In 2018, a year after the legalization of adult-use cannabis, there were 204 marijuana possession arrests and 4 marijuana sales arrests, totaling 208 arrests for marijuana offenses.

In 2021, the latest data available showed 225 marijuana possession arrests and 12 marijuana sales arrests, totaling 237 arrests for marijuana offenses.

The number of DUI arrests in those years was as follows:

• 2013: 294 arrests
• 2015: 194 arrests
• 2018: 238 arrests
• 2021: 253 arrests