>> MARY: AS YOU'VE BEEN HEARING, MARIJUANA BECOMES LEGAL NEXT WEEK.

THERE ARE A LOT OF CHANGES IN STORE FOR PEOPLE WHO ALREADY HAD HEMP-RELATED BUSINESSES AND ARE NOW TRANSITIONING TO THE NEW LAW.

HERE'’S A LOOK INSIDE OF ONE OF THOSE BUSINESS WITH SOME NOTABLE FOLKS BEHIND IT.

>> JEREMY, WHERE REWE?

>> WE ARE AT CROOKED BEVERAGE HEADQUARTERS.

>> Mary: IT'S GOT KIND OF A COOL VIBE.

>> YEAH, WE WANT IT TO BE FUN.

KEEP THE ENERGY UP FOR US.

IT'S WHERE ALL THE FOUNDERS MEET.

WE MEET WITH OUR DESCRIBILITIORS.

>> Mary: LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE GOT THE MARKETING THING DOWN.

>> YEAH, THIS IS OUR TV STUDIO.

>> Mary: TV IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT TO THE MAN WITH THE LAST NAME SUTHERLAND, JEREMY, THE BROTHER OF CELEBRITY CHEF JUSTIN SUTHERLAND.

>> ONLINE TRAINING VIDEOS, EDUCATION, TSMED H.C. EDUCATION, EDUCATION ON OUR PRODUCT.

>> Mary: YOU GUYS ARE I THINK GOING IND OF PROFESSIONAL HERE.

>> OKAY.

I'LL TAKE IT.

NO, NO, I'M GOING TO TAKE THAT.

>> Mary: LET'S TALK ABOUT STAFF.

WHAT DO PEOPLE DO HERE?

>> EVERYTHING FROM OUR DIRECT TO CONSUMER FULFILLMENT TO MANAGEMENT MEETINGS, FINANCIALS, IT'S KIND OF -- IT'S A NEW MARKET, BUT IT'S MOVING FAST.

>> Mary: THE T.H.C., HEMP, MASH OF MARIJUANA PRODUCT MARKET IS EXPLODING AS MORE STATES LIKE MINNESOTA HEAD TOWARDS EGALIZATION.

OKAY, THIS IS THE WAREHOUSE.

>> THIS IS THE WAREHOUSE.

>> THIS IS WHERE ALL THE STUFF IS BE RIGHT?

>> SOME OF THE STUFF.

SO A MAJORITY OF OUR PRODUCT IS STORED OVER AT OUR PARTNERS.

>> Mary: AND THAT SEEMS LIKE A MISSION DECISION TO WORK WITH OPPORTUNITY PARTNERS.

>> 100%.

MY BACKGROUND IS IN COMMUNITY AND GIVE BACK AND SOCIAL EQUITY AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

SO -- >> Mary: USUTHERLAND HAS BEEN WORKING TO COMMUNITIES OF COLOR CLOSER TO THE GAME OF GOLF WHITE ALSO CREATING SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS STREET WEAR.

HE'S ALL ABOUT A FRESH TAKE.

A CREATIVE LIFE STYLE ENTREPRENEUR BRINGING A NEW FACE TO THE FAIRWAYS.

HE GREW UP IN APPLE VALLEY, ATTENDED HOLY ANGELS AND PLAYED BASKETBALL OVERSEAS.

SO THIS SUTHERLAND IS NO STRANGER TO THE SPOTLIGHT.

>> I HUNG IT UP.

I'M A GOLFIER NOW AND A PICKLE BALLER.

>> Mary: WHY THIS?

WHY NOW?

>> TIMING, RIGHT?

OBVIOUSLY IT'S AN EXCITING MARKET.

IT'S NEW FOR MINNESOTA.

IT'S NOT NEW FOR 22 OTHER STATES.

SO THERE'S A BLUEPRINT FOR IT.

BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO JUMP INTO, DO IT RIGHT.

CREATE A REALLY COOL, SAFE, YOU KNOW, COMPLIANT MARKET.

>> Mary: THE MARKET IN MINNESOTA WILL NOW TAKE INTO COUNT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO HAVE BEEN PUNISHED BY THE JUSTICE SYSTEM FOR SOMETHING THAT IS NOW LEGAL IN ALMOST HALF THE COUNTRY.

>> THE EQUITY PIECE, SO PARTICULARLY WHEN IT CAME TO THIS BILL WAS JUST -- IT WAS IMPORTANT.

THEY LEANED INTO IT.

THEY MADE SURE THEY WERE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT PEOPLE WHO WERE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY D.H.C.

LAWS IN THE PAST AND REALLY HELP BUILD A FOUNDATION ALLOWED FOR THEM TO SUCCEED IN THIS MARKET.

>> Mary: FORMER LEGISLATIVE LEADER RYAN WINKLER IS A BUSINESS PARTNER.

>> I NEEDED TO CHANNEL SOME OF THE ENERGY AND DRIVE ROM A CAMPAIGN INTO SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND NEW AND THIS MARKETPLACE IS SO EXCITES AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IN MINNESOTA IS SO UNUSUAL, I WANTED TO HELP A COMPANY THAT WAS GOING TO SET A STANDARD AND SHOW WHAT ACTUALLY CAN BE DONE AS WE MOVE TOWARDS GREATER ACCEPTANCE OF CANNABIS.

WE DO HAVE THESE CHILD SAFETY CAPS ON ALL OF OR PRODUCTS THAT ARE SOLD IN FOUR-PACKS.

>> WANT TO GET WORD OUT TO DRIVERS TO NOT GET BEHIND THE WHEEL IF THEY CHOOSE TO USE CANNABIS.

DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED OFTEN HAS DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES.

>> Mary: HOW ABOUT IMPAIRMENT ON THAT?

OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE A LAWYER.

YOU RAN FOR COUNTY ATTORNEY?

HOW DO WE MEASURE IMPAIRMENT FROM THESE?

>> WELL, THE SAME WAY WE MEASURE IMPAIRMENT ON EVERYTHING EXCEPT ALCOHOL.

BY WHETHER THE PERSON IS DRIVING IMPAIRED OR NOT.

AND SO THE LEGISLATION, FOR EXAMPLE, GAVE A MORE TRAINING MONEY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO BE BETTER AT SPOTTING IMPAIRMENT.

>> Mary: THE PREVIOUS AND NEWEST LAWS ARE CONFUSING.

>> IN 2022 WE PASSED LEGISLATION THAT ALLOWED UP TO 5 MILLIGRAMS PER SERVING IN EDIBLES AND IN BEVERAGES.

IT CREATED EASIER ACCESS TO LOW-DOSE PRODUCTS ACROSS THE STATE AS LONG AS IT COMES FROM HELP ANTICIPATE.

HEMP IS FULL ELLY LEGAL.

WE WANT TO RESTRICTIONS ON WHERE HEMP CAN COME IN, ON HOW IT'S GLOWN.

YOU'LL NEED TO BE LICENSED IN ORDER TO SELL IT.

>> Mary: SO WHEN PEOPLE SAW YOU LOBBYING FOR THIS, THEY WERE WONDINGERRING IF WURP MAKING MONEY ON THIS.

>> I HAVE MADE ZERO MONEY ON THIS.

I STARTED IN 2023 ON THE BE HEARD ON CANNABIS TOUR.

HELPED MOVE THIS WHOLE ISSUE FRONT AND CENTER.

AND WHEN I LEFT OFFICE IN JANUARY, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PRINCIPLES THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR CANNABIS ACTUALLY WERE FOLLOWED THROUGH ON LEGISLATION.

AND SO I CONTRIBUTED ON A PRO BONO BASIS TO GET THAT BILL PASSED.

THE WORLD IS CHANGING.

SOCIETY IS CHANGING.

PEOPLE ARE MOVING AWAY FROM ALCOHOL AND CIGARETTES AND HAVE GROWING ACCEPTANCE TO THE RELATIVELY SAFETY OF CANNABIS PROBTS.

I LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE ENJOY HAVING A GOOD TIME AND I THINK CANNABIS DRINKS ARE A PRETTY