By Melissa Vonder Haar
Originally published in NACS Magazine, October 2023

On July 1, 2022, Minnesota passed a law regarding hemp-derived THC products.
Unlike the 15 states that have banned Delta-8 sales by law or administratively, Minnesota took a more permissive approach, especially when it came to which retailers can sell hemp-derived THC. The rule allowed low-dose edible hemp-derived THC products to be sold at mainstream retailers, including convenience.
Don’t let the “low-dose” label fool you: The 5 mg of THC per-serving threshold set by Minnesota effectively allowed retailers to sell edibles at an intoxicating level similar to what’s found in a dispensary. Minnesota followed the lead of states like Louisiana, where dispensary-level servings of hemp-derived edibles are also allowed (though Louisiana’s state senate is attempting to roll back those permissions).
“One of the beneficiaries is convenience stores as well as minorities and other communities that have traditionally been left out,” said Lonnie McQuirter, director of operations for Minneapolis-based 36 Lyn Refuel Station. “Hopefully Minnesota leads as an example of what good policy looks like.”
While many cited the rushed nature of the 2022 hemp law, when the state passed a broader adult-use cannabis law this summer, it doubled down. Under the 2023 law, retailers will continue to be able to sell low-dose hemp THC edibles so long as they register with the state and collect taxes on them.
Here’s a look at how Minnesota’s THC law came to be, how retailers in the state are already benefitting and what it means for the future of cannabis in convenience.
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