In the first four months since the launch of Minnesota's adult-use, recreational cannabis market, medical marijuana sales are still in the lead.
The state's Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) recently launched a market dashboard highlighting sales, licensing and tax revenue data. The figures show $31.1 million in adult-use cannabis sales since September, compared to $31.7 million in medical cannabis sales.
Minnesota faced delays in issues cannabis business licenses and retailers were struggling to find enough inventory to keep shelves stocked. But OCM Executive Director Eric Taubel said this year will be different.
“If 2025 was about launching the market, 2026 will be about market growth across the state,” said Taubel in a statement. “We are well on our way to building an equitable cannabis industry that prioritizes public health and safety, consumer confidence, and market integrity.”
The state issued its first licenses to cannabis businesses last June. At the end of 2025, 118 cannabis business licenses were issued in total by OCM. More than half (55%) of those licenses were issued to businesses qualifying as social equity applicants. Further, at the close of the year there were four license types where 100% of the licenses issued were to social equity applicants, including cultivators, manufacturers, mezzobusinesses and retailers.
“Launching an equitable cannabis market isn’t easy, and most states that have tried have come up short,” said Jess Jackson, OCM’s director of social equity, in a statement. “While we have work to do, the early data suggest that social equity applicants and businesses will play an important role in Minnesota’s market.”
