♪ ALL THE CLOWNS ARE BEING CLOUSEED DOWN ♪♪ >> CATHY: MARIJUANA HAS BEEN LEGAL IN MINNESOTA FOR NEARLY THREE MONTHS NOW, AND IT'S BEEN A ROCKY START FOR MINNESOTA'S OFFICE OF CANNABIS MANAGEMENT, THE NEW STATE AGENCY CHARGED WITH REGULATION OF THE INDUSTRY.

THE GOVERNOR'S FIRST CHOICE FOR CANNABIS DIRECTOR MADE IT LESS THAN A DAY AND A REPLACEMENT HAS NOT YET BE NAMED.

THROUGH ALL THE UPS AND DOWNS, LONGTIME STATE GOVERNMENT VETERAN CHARLENE BRINER HAS BEEN THE INTERIM HEAD.

WELCOME BACK TO "ALMANAC."

IT'S BEEN A WHILE.

>> IT HAS BEEN A WHILE BUT THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> Cathy: WHAT STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN TO FIND A QUALIFIED CANDIDATE.

THE GOVERNOR WAS SAYING I'M GOING TO FIND ANOTHER QUALIFY CANDIDATE.

WHAT ARE THE STEPS BEING TAKEN?

>> I THINK WE'RE EVALUATING.

YOU'VE HEARD THE GOVERNOR TALK ABOUT, I THINK THAT HE'S STARTING TO EVOLVE IN HIS THINKING AS WE ALL HAVE ABOUT THE NEED FOR A REGULATOR IN THE ROLE.

SO, REALLY THINKING ABOUT SEVERAL BUCKETS.

CANNABIS REGULATORS OF WHICH THE UNIVERSE IS NOT HUGE, RIGHT?

SO A LITTLE MORE THAN -- A LITTLE UNDER HALF THE STATES IN THE NATION HAVE LEGALIZED CANNABIS OF SOME FORM OR ANOTHER AND SO LOOKING AT THE UNIVERSE OF WHETHER IT'S CAN BEST REGULATORS OR KNOWN REGULATORS IN OTHER AREAS, CERTAINLY I, WHEN I CAME INTO THIS INTERIM ROLE, DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT CANNABIS BUT I DO UNDERSTAND HOW TO SETS UP A REGULATORY FRAMEWORK.

OR THERE ARE OTHER TALENTED INDIVIDUALS WHO BRING OTHER SKILLS SO WE'RE SORT OF LOOKING IN MULTIPLE BUCKETS AND TRYING TO THINK ABOUT WHAT OUR NEXT BEST STEPS ARE TO REACH OUT TO FOLKS.

>> Eric: WHY THE GAP BETWEEN LEGALIZING MARIJUANA IN LAST SUMMER AND THEN THE 2025 BEING THE DATE OF THE DISPENSARIES?

IS THAT GAP ON PURPOSE OR -- >> SO, IT IS WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER STATES.

SO IT'S NOT UNUSUAL TO ACTUALLY MAKE A DECISION THAT IF THE STATE HAS MADE A DECISION THAT THIS WILL NO LONGER BE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, YOU DON'T WANT TO PENALIZE PEOPLE FOR IT.

WHAT THAT DOES IS CREATE THIS TRANSITIONAL PERIOD IN WHICH THE LEGISLATURE GAVE US A LOT OF WORK DO IN RULE-MAKING SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO CREATE THE BUSINESS RULES THAT GIVE US THE DIRECTION OF HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE LAW.

THAT'S VERY SIMILAR, THE TIMELINE WHICH IS A YEAR TO A YEAR AND A HALF IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SEE IN OTHER STATES.

>> Cathy: SETTING UP A REGULATORY FRAMEWORK, AND I KNOW YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE IN DOING THAT, THOUGH, IN THIS REGARD, MUST BE -- THERE SHOULD BE SOME PRETTY BIG CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME.

>> WELL, IT'S A LOT SO THIS IS REALLY NOVEL WORK.

IT IS ERY UNUSUAL FOR A STATE TO ACTUALLY BUILD A STATE AGENCY FROM THE GROUND UP, RIGHT?

YOU CAN MERGE AGENCIES, YOU CAN TAKE WORK STREAMS LIKE WE'RE SEEING WITH THE NEW DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND YOUTH, BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY STARTING FROM SCRATCH.

WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE BUILDING IS, WE HAVE TO WRITE JOB DESCRIPTIONS, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH RULE-MAKING ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS, EVERYTHING FROM QUALITY STANDARDS TO LABELING TO PRODUCT TESTING, TO PESTICIDE USE AND WATER DISPOSAL.

SO THERE IS A LOT TO DETERMINE IN TERMS OF HOW THIS WILL ACTUALLY STAND UP IN THE NEXT 16 TO 18 MONTHS.

>> Eric: IN THE CHARGE FOR THE NEW AGENCY, THIS IS A SOCIAL JUSTICE COMPONENT.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT?

>> SO THAT'S REALLY ONE OF THE FOUNDATIONAL UNDERPINNING OF THIS NEW LAW SO WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY CRIMINALIZATION, AND SO I THINK THAT THE UTHORS AND THE ADVOCATES THAT REALLY WORKED HARD TO PASS THIS NEW LAW WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS SOME REPARATION, SOME HARM REPARATION DONE, INCLUDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS TO ENTER THE BUSINESS, TO ENTER THE INDUSTRY, INCLUDING REINVESTMENT IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED.

SO KEEPING THAT SOCIAL EQUITY LENS AT THE CENTER OF WHAT WE DO IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

IN ACT, ONE OF THE ONLY OFFICES SPECIFIED IN THE NEW LAW, OTHER THAN THE TRANSITION OF THE MEDICAL CANNABIS OFFICE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, IS AN OFFICE OF SOCIAL EQUITY, WHICH IS REALLY GOING TO HELP US WITH EVERYTHING FROM HIRING PRACTICES TO HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT APPLICATIONS TO HOW DO WE GIVE SUPPORT AND ADVICE ON THE FRONT ENDS TO FOLKS?

>> Eric: SO THAT'S AN ASPECT AND YOU'VE SIGNED SOME CONTRACTS, I GUESS, IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

>> WE HAVE, YES.

>> Eric: IS THAT PART OF THE OUTREACH EFFORT FOR PEOPLE F COLOR OR -- >> SO WE CERTAINLY -- THE TWO CONTRACTS, NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE TO BUILD A LICENSING SYSTEM, RIGHT, SO WHEN PEOPLE ARE GETTING READY TO APPLY, WE WANT TO HAVE THE SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO PROCESS THAT.

THAT'S A MASSIVE JOB.

WE ALSO HAVE A PROJECT MANAGEMENT FIRM THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH WHO HAVE HELPED OTHER STATES AND CANADIAN PROVINCES AND TRIBES SET UP THEIR CANNABIS PROGRAMS.

PART OF THAT IS HOW DO WE BUILD AN ENGAGEMENT PLAN THAT REALLY, REALLY INVOLVES AND ENGAGES FOLKS THAT HAVE A VERSED INTEREST IN THIS, THE ADVOCATES WHO ARE VERY INTERESTED.

THERE ARE A LOT OF BIG FEELINGS ABOUT THIS LAW, NOT ONLY FOLKS THAT REALLY WELCOME IT BUT PEOPLE THAT HAVE CONCERNS, PUBLIC HEALTH ENTITIES, LAW NFORCEMENT, EDUCATORS, AND SO WE EALLY WANTS TO ENGAGE EVERYBODY WHO HAS A VESTED INTERESTS.

>> Cathy: ARE THERE ADEQUATE RESOURCE TOSS LAUNCH THIS NEW AND LARGE AND VERY COMPLICATED AGENCY?

>> YES.

SO THESE THE GOOD NEWS.

THE LEGISLATURE HAD THE FORESIGHT TO THEN NOT ONLY PASS SOME FUNDING FOR IMPLEMENTATION, SO FOR THIS EARLY STANDS-UP WORK, BUT THERE IS AN APPROPRIATION THAT THE AGENCY, THE ACTUAL OFFICE OF CANNABIS MANAGEMENT WILL HAVE ONCE WE'RE FULLY UP AND RUNNING.

>> Eric: I'M GUESSING JUST LIKE THE LICKER BILL AT THE LEGISLATURE, THERE WILL BE A MARIJUANA BILL EVERY SESSION?

>> I HEARD A LEGISLATOR SAY THAT PROHIBITION STEP WHEREAS STOPPED 100 YEARS AGO AND THEY STILL HAVE LIQUOR LAWS COMING IN.

WE NEED TO ASK WHAT ARE THE CHANGES WE WANT TO SO WE CAN I WANT MENTION WELL AND LAUNCH A WELL-REGULATED INDUSTRY.

>> Eric: