| To ensure receipt of our e-Newsletters to your inbox, please add news@go.informaretail.com to your contact list or white list the following IP address: 141.145.10.126 |
| Happy Friday, cannabis and convenience enthusiasts! |
Last weekend, CSP’s cannabis editor, Heather Lalley, took a closer look at the hemp-THC landscape in her home state of Minnesota—better known as the birthplace of THC beverages. (Check out next week’s Cannabis newsletter for her full report on how the Land of 10,000 Lakes became the gold standard for retail hemp-THC sales.)
For those who may not know, Minnesota was the first state to open the doors for mainstream retailers (convenience included) to sell hemp-derived THC. The law, passed in 2022 and updated in 2023, established a clear framework: low-dose hemp-THC products (originally capped at 5 milligrams per serving, later raised to 10 milligrams) could be sold as long as retailers registered with the state and collected a 10% tax.
Since then, convenience retailers, liquor stores, grocers, bars and even breweries have leaned in. One convenience operator who invested early told me his THC baskets typically range from $75 to $400—a serious win. Jon Halper from Top 10 Liquors has shared that THC beverages made up 15% of his sales in 2023, with expectations to climb to 20% this year. Minnesota breweries, once sidelined from selling to-go alcohol during the pandemic, say THC beverages have been a lifeline for their businesses.
And it’s not just businesses benefiting. In the first full fiscal year, Minnesota collected more than $11.6 million in hemp-THC taxes.
Why does this matter outside Minnesota? Because the state provides a real-world example of how smart regulations can work—for consumers, businesses and governments alike. As other states consider their own paths, Minnesota offers a clear, data-driven blueprint for what a well-regulated hemp-THC market can look like.
Melissa Vonder Haar
Chair, CSP C-Store Cannabis Board |
| |
 |
| |
|
