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The hemp industry is facing what can only be described as a full-scale crisis: a complex, high-stakes tangle of regulation, litigation, and market uncertainty. For legal professionals, policymakers, and industry stakeholders, understanding how we arrived here and what lies ahead is critical. The irony is stark: the very law that...
Minnesota’s evolving recreational cannabis landscape presents both business opportunities and regulatory challenges, which can be overwhelming for entrepreneurs. If this describes your situation, you are not alone. Our blog provides straightforward guidance—from compliance to contracts—helping your cannabis business thrive with practical insights you can actually use.
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Carol Moss and Steven Forrest are pleased to announce a successful petition against the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) concerning an unpromulgated rule that prohibited hemp businesses from selling lower-potency hemp edibles (LPHE) directly to consumers. In October 2025, OCM published an FAQ stating that hemp edible businesses could...
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Fox 9 News recently featured Hellmuth & Johnson attorney Carol Moss as a contributor in their coverage of Minnesota’s hemp industry challenges. New testing regulations requiring in-state lab certification are creating bottlenecks for over 6,000 cannabis and hemp businesses. With only three licensed labs, and just two capable of conducting...
The hemp industry is facing what can only be described as a full-scale crisis: a complex, high-stakes tangle of regulation, litigation, and market uncertainty. For legal professionals, policymakers, and industry stakeholders, understanding how we arrived here and what lies ahead is critical. The irony is stark: the very law that...
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On “The Hill on NewsNation,” Hellmuth & Johnson attorney Carol Moss contributed to a discussion about an 11th-hour provision in the government funding bill that could devastate the hemp industry. The measure would ban nearly all hemp-derived THC products—including popular drinks and edibles—that were legalized in the 2018 farm bill....
As cannabis businesses progress through the pre-approval licensing stage, the next major challenge is securing a compliant location. During the 2023 legislative session, prior to the legalization of cannabis zoning, local control remained the final unresolved issue. Local governments were not granted the authority to ban cannabis outright, but they...
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AXIOS Twin Cities featured Cannabis Law attorney Carol Moss from Hellmuth & Johnson in their analysis of Minnesota’s recreational marijuana launch. The article examines the state’s behind-schedule cannabis rollout, recent licensing lotteries, and anticipated summer dispensary openings. Moss commented on the complex challenges facing new cannabis retailers, particularly the competitive...
Things are a bit chaotic in Minnesota’s cannabis industry in regards to social equity applicants (“SEA”), so I want to provide some highlights of where things are today: Last month, approximately ten SEAs, whose applications were rejected by the Office of Cannabis Management’s (“OCM”) pre-approval process, filed lawsuits in district...
A Ramsey County District judge paused the social equity applicant pre-approval lottery set for tomorrow, November 25, 2024. How did we get here and what’s next? Judge Stephen L. Smith of Ramsey County District Court heard consolidated arguments for three lawsuits involving eight plaintiffs who were verified social equity applicants...
We are now over a month and a half past the closing of the application window for social equity applicants to apply for pre-approval of cannabis licenses from Office of Cannabis Management. The burning question is: when will people know if their application was accepted into the lottery? We do...
The Office of Cannabis Management (“OCM”) finally released its draft rules for regulating the cannabis and hemp industry, which can be found on OCM’s website. These are not the proposed rules OCM will submit as part of the formal rule-making process, but rather the precursors to those proposed rules. To...
Carol R. M. Moss
Phone: 952-746-2187
Email: cmoss@hjlawfirm.com
Whether working with business or individuals, Carol brings a formidable array of talents to advocate for and advance her…
Nicole L. Rash
Phone: 952-746-2150
Email: nrash@hjlawfirm.com
Nicole Rash is an associate attorney in Hellmuth & Johnson’s cannabis law practice group. Having worked in a boutique…
Whether you are a legacy hemp business looking to expand or an established entrepreneur eyeing the recreational cannabis market, we understand your position—beyond startup, but not yet a corporate giant. You need a legal partner who speaks your language and understands your challenges.
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