For the first time, Minnesota has sued a cannabis dispensary for selling illegal products containing more than 70 times the permitted amount of THC.
The Office of Cannabis Management filed the legal action against Zaza Cannabis, which has been ordered to destroy the illegal products.
According to the Star Tribune, during early inspections, an employee at Zaza would distract an inspector while another employee removed the illegal products through a rear door.
During a September inspection, one inspector went inside while another waited near the rear entrance, resulting in a large amount of illegal products being seized.
“In this case, despite repeated inspections, both routine and triggered by complaints, Zaza refused to comply with the law. The egregious nature of the violations required the office to escalate our enforcement action,” an OCM spokesperson said.
Some hemp-based THC products are legal to sell in Minnesota but vape pens and hemp flower are not allowed.
Last year, Minnesota legalized recreational cannabis. The state is still on track to officially launch the market next year.
