How to Safely Attend Cannabis Events and Purchase Legal THC Products
- Real Deal
- Apr 20
- 8 min read
Updated: 18 hours ago
Since legalizing cannabis in 2023, Minnesota's laws have undergone significant changes, specifically with regards to new regulations and legal challenges currently shaping the state's approach to both recreational and medical cannabis. This page is intended to shed some light on some of the more recent key developments in Minnesota’s Cannabis Laws.
As of July 1, 2024, all enforcement, including oversight of the existing medical cannabis market and hemp-derived products, transferred to the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). The OCM requested legislative approval to expedite this transition, moving it up from March 2025 to July 2024.
Also in July 2024, the OCM issued warnings to approximately 4,000 retailers, reminding them that only delta-8 and delta-9 THC are allowed in hemp products, prohibiting variants such as THC-V.
NOTE: Businesses will be able to petition the OCM starting in 2026 to request that additional cannabinoids be legalized for commercial use.
Minnesota's Cannabis Law Changes
- Summer 2024 -
As of July 1, 2024, Minnesota law prohibits smoking or vaping cannabis in multi-family housing. The ban applies to recreational users in apartments, condos, and other multi-unit dwellings. Violations can result in a $250 civil administrative fine.
NOTE: Registered Medical Cannabis Patients are still allowed to smoke and vape cannabis in multi-family housing.
In another significant move to protect citizens' rights, a new state law enacted in June 2024 prohibits police from conducting searches during traffic stops based solely on the odor of cannabis. This law codifies a 2023 Minnesota Supreme Court ruling that banned warrantless searches of vehicles based only on the smell of marijuana.
The Hemp-Derived Cannabinoid Market
Minnesota has taken several steps to attempt to regulate the proliferation of hemp-derived products throughout the state, with their approach becoming slightly more aggressive in recent months.
Beginning in December 2023, state officials declared most hemp-derived consumables illegal, citing lack of FDA approval. By May 2023, state officials began to implement strict regulations for hemp-derived products, permitting only edibles or beverages for human consumption and products for external use, and restricting sales for all of these products to adults 21 years of age and older.
All synthetic cannabinoids or artificially derived cannabinoids other than delta-8 or delta-9 THC are prohibited (i.e. THC-P, THC-O, THC-V, HHC)
Creams, ointments, and other externally applied products containing hemp-derived cannabinoids must be clearly labeled for external use only
Consumable products cannot contain ingredients not approved by the FDA for food use, and packaging must not mislead consumers about the contents
NOTE: Products containing nonintoxicating cannabinoids intended for smoking or vaping are prohibited in Minnesota, except for those distributed for use by Registered Medical Cannabis Patients.
The OCM partnered with the Minnesota Department of Health in March 2024 to conduct a series of quality assurance investigations. As of June 2024, state regulators have seized and destroyed at least 120 pounds of illegal cannabis flower from over 90 retail locations. Since then, inspectors have removed over 32,000 edibles with THC content exceeding legal limits from store shelves, with some products reaching potency levels up to 100 times the legal dose.
These enforcement actions demonstrate Minnesota's commitment to maintaining a strictly regulated cannabis market, even before the official launch of adult-use sales. The OCM is continuing to conduct targeted enforcement and responding to complaints about non-compliant products, and state inspectors are reviewing certificates of analysis for raw flower products to verify THC content.
Retailers found violating the law could face fines of up to $1 million, with violations impacting a person's ability to receive a license for a cannabis business when legal sales begin.
NOTE: Current legislation prohibits the OCM from issuing future business licenses to operators who are currently selling illegal products.
Attending Cannabis-Themed Events
The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) provides the following information to those wishing to attend public events. The new law includes specific sections that make possible the ability to host an event, open to the public, where cannabis and hemp-derived edible products are consumed.
However, while most parts of the law went into effect on July 1, 2023, until the Office’s rules are in full force there is no mechanism for the OCM to license event organizers or to issue on-site endorsements for other cannabis license holders.
The information below provides key information that may impact where and if you can safely and legally attend an event, and what products or activities may be allowed at such an event:
You can attend an event allowing the sale and consumption of hemp-derived cannabinoid products following the existing section 151.72 regulations.
OCM has not issued cannabis licenses yet so no cannabis can be sold at these events.
Personal use is permitted anywhere consumption is allowed under section 342.09. Other factors, such as the Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act and Minnesota Statutes, section 342.56, subd. 1(b), may affect where consumption is permitted.
Culinary events are not allowed.
NOTE: The information in this section is designed to assist people wishing to attend public events celebrating adult-use cannabis and lower-potency hemp edibles. This information is not intended to provide legal guidance to any person or business.
Minnesota Statutes 342.09 currently regulate the locations where cannabis may and may not be used. Specifically, cannabis use is allowed only for those age 21 and over:
at a private residence;
on private property, not generally accessible by the public, where allowed by the property owner; or
on the premises of an establishment or event licensed to permit on-site consumption.
The office will begin licensing for cannabis event organizers in 2025. The requirements for licensure are detailed in Minnesota Statutes, section 342.40. Until then, there are no state licensed cannabis events and holding a cannabis-related event is likely subject to local ordinances and guidance. Depending on where you host your event, you may be required to obtain local permits, insurance, and/or security. If you plan to sell hemp-derived cannabinoid products for on-site consumption, for example, you will want to ensure that the location of the event has a liquor license issued by the appropriate authority under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 340A. And if the event will feature retail sale of tobacco, tobacco-related devices, and electronic delivery devices, it may require a local tobacco license, under Minnesota Statutes, section 461.12.
Purchasing Cannabis Products at Events
Minnesota Statutes 342.09 currently prohibit the sale of cannabis flower and cannabis products “without a license issued under this chapter that authorizes the sale.” Licenses to sell cannabis at retail will only be issued once the office adopts rules governing the cannabis industry.
Moreover, while Minnesota has legalized the adult use of cannabis flower, cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, or hemp-derived consumer products, the legislature did add new statutory provisions, making illegal the unlawful sale of cannabis.
With respect to both consumption and sale, any cannabis event would need to comply with the new cannabis law as it stands today, the existing laws on hemp-derived cannabinoid products, and any applicable local ordinances or rules related to events—in particular those related to alcohol and lower-potency hemp products.
Minnesota Statutes 342.09 also regulate the sale of hemp-derived edibles to adult consumers age 21 and over and assigns regulation of this market to OCM. Any retailer or business wishing to sell edible cannabinoid products must register with OCM. The statutes contain provisions for the sale of product designed to be consumed on-site:
the retailer must hold an on-sale license issued under chapter 340A;
products must be served in original packaging, but may be removed from the products’ packaging by customers and consumed on site;
products must not be sold to a customer who the retailer knows or reasonably should know is intoxicated;
products must not be permitted to be mixed with an alcoholic beverage; and
products that have been removed from packaging must not be removed from the premises.
NOTE: Depending on where the event is being hosted, the event organizers may be required to obtain local permits, liquor licenses, tobacco licenses, insurance, and/or security. It is recommended that you reach out to the municipality with jurisdiction over your event’s location to ensure that your event is in compliance with all local requirements.
When state rules are in effect, OCM will issue licenses for cannabis event organizers. The requirements for licensure are detailed in Minnesota Statutes Chapter 342.09. Until the state rules are in effect, there are no state licensed cannabis events, and holding a cannabis-related event is likely subject to local ordinances and guidance.
Additional Hemp-Derived Product Laws
On April 14, 2025, Minnesota's cannabis rules (Minnesota Rules, part 9810) went info effect. The office will begin issuing licenses for cannabis businesses and will open an application period for hemp businesses this fall. Minnesota Statutes, section 151.72 is the controlling statute on the regulated sale of hemp-derived edibles to adult consumers ages 21 and up, and the office is the market regulator. Any retailer or business wishing to sell edible cannabinoid products must be registered pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 342.02, subdivision 5, prior to the adoption of rules, and will have to convert to a lower-potency hemp edible retailer license or other license type that allows such business activities when business licenses are available. Section 151.72 also contains provisions for the sale of product designed to be consumed on-site:
The retailer must also hold an on-sale liquor license issued under chapter 340A.
Products, other than products that are intended to be consumed as a beverage, must be served in original packaging, but may be removed from the products' packaging by customers and consumed on-site.
Edible cannabinoid products that are intended to be consumed as a beverage may be served outside of the products' packaging if the information that is required to be contained on the label of an edible cannabinoid product is posted or otherwise displayed by the retailer.
Products must not be sold to a customer who the retailer knows or reasonably should know is intoxicated.
Products must not be permitted to be mixed with an alcoholic beverage.
Products that have been removed from packaging must not be removed from the premises.
See the Hemp-Derived Cannabinoid Product Event Checklist (PDF) for information on hosting a hemp-derived cannabinoid product event.
Selling food infused with cannabis is selling cannabis without a license, and doing so would place a business at risk of being banned from acquiring a cannabis business license for five years.
Edible cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products are not considered food under state law (Minnesota Statutes, section 34A.01, subdivision 4). Combining any of these items with food is prohibited and would be considered an “adulteration of food.” For more information see Hemp in Food FAQs from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
Consumers should also be aware that adding cannabis to food increases the risk of overconsumption. The amount of THC that an individual consumes in food is difficult to measure and often unknown or inaccurate. Batch testing and potency labeling requirements are defined in law and are in place to protect public health and safety, and infused foods are not typically compliant with these requirements.
NOTE: The information displayed in the preceding sections above, regarding cannabis events in Minnesota, is reproduced from the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) website for the convenience of our users. Real Deal Med + Rec is not the author of this content and makes no claims about its accuracy or currency. Please refer to the OCM website at the link below for the most up-to-date information.
Last Updated: June 11, 2024
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