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Office of Cannabis Management seeks public input on regulations
ST PAUL, Minn. — The Office of Cannabis Management is tasked with coming up with rules for cannabis businesses seeking to operate in Minnesota such as growers, manufacturers and retailers. Now, the state’s newest department is turning to the public for help.
OCM is releasing surveys on everything from pesticides and fertilizers to labeling and packaging.
“There are people who are really excited because it’s an opportunity to right some of the wrongs as a result of the war on drugs and criminalization of cannabis,” Interim Director Charlene Briner told KARE 11 on Tuesday. “There are also folks who are really concerned about some of the implications and impacts that legalization could have. Everyone from public health advocates to employers who wonder what this means for some of their workplace safety concerns and so we want to cast the broadest possible swathe to gather input from everybody.”
The current questionnaire, Survey 5, asks how to create a fair licensing system for people referred to as “social equity applicants,” or those who were harmed by the war on drugs and now want to start a business all while larger operations also want in on the industry.
That survey’s due this Friday and there are at least 2 more scheduled. Survey 6 runs Jan. 29-Feb. 11 and is on laboratory standards and edible products standards. Survey 7 runs Feb. 12-26 and is on medical cannabis and patient registry program.
Briner says the office will then present a rough draft of the rules sometime this spring, and says potential stakeholders will be asked to check whether the language is simple and expectations are clear.
“And then allowing us some time based on that second round of feedback to do some adjustments if we need to,” she said.
Available surveys are listed on the Office of Cannabis Management website under Rulemaking Overview.
Last week, prosecutors charged John Sawchak with attempted 2nd-degree murder and other felony charges after he allegedly shot his neighbor Davis Moturi.
MINNEAPOLIS — Following the shooting between two neighbors, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to request that the city’s auditor conduct an independent investigation into the incidents and cases between Davis Moturi and John Sawchak.
Moturi was allegedly shot by his neighbor, Sawchak, on Wednesday, Oct. 23 but Minneapolis police did not arrest Sawchak until days later.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara defended not arresting Sawchak sooner, calling it a “high-risk” situation. O’Hara later said the victim, who had complained about harassment from Sawchak for months, was failed by police. Sawchak was arrested this past weekend after an hours-long standoff.
Moturi suffered a fractured spine, two broken ribs, and a concussion in the shooting. “Mr. Moturi’s life matters and I’m sorry that for nearly a year, MPD did not treat it like it did,” said Council Member Robin Wonsley in a news release, “Today’s vote affirms that the City Council is committed to taking meaningful actions towards accountability and restoration, starting with this independent review.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released this statement:
“Mayor Frey fully supports an independent review of this incident. The mayor and City are committed to always doing better, and this means closely examining past actions and finding where there may be ways to improve and grow. The mayor extends his condolences to Davis Moturi, his wife, Caroline, and their family and friends. The safety of our residents is a top priority and any form of violence or hate speech is completely unacceptable and does not align with who we are as a community. Brian O’Hara will continue to be the Minneapolis Police Chief.”
“This Valentine’s Day, 2025, will mark the five-year anniversary of the premiere of ‘Love is Blind,” Vanessa said on the Season 7 finale. “And, it is gonna be the launch of Season 8, which takes place in Minneapolis.”
The episode also revealed three of the new cast members, one of whom, “Alex,” told Lachey Minneapolis is “not like a major city, but it’s also not a small town,” which he said is just one of the obstacles in his way of finding the one.
“I just never found the right person that clicked for me,” he said.
Meantime, you can bone up on Seasons 1-7 streaming now on Netflix.
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
