On August 3 in Albert Lea, Minnesota, The Smoking Tree opened to the public. Owned by 29-year-old Jacob Schlichter, it is the state’s first state-licensed cannabis retailer.
That “state-licensed” distinction is important. Nearly a dozen Tribal Nations in Minnesota have been selling cannabis under their own sovereign regulations for more than a year. Schlichter’s store is the first to open under the state’s new licensing program, which Governor Tim Walz signed into law in 2023 under HF 100. Schlichter was present at the signing ceremony.
A License Followed by a Local Roadblock
The Smoking Tree’s path to opening was not straightforward. On July 17, after a year-long application process with the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management, Schlichter received his social equity microbusiness license and paid his city registration fee the same day.
On July 28, the Albert Lea City Council voted 4–3 against approving his registration. Schlichter says this decision violates Minnesota Statute 342.13(b), which prohibits local governments from banning state-licensed cannabis businesses. City officials who voted “no” cited a lack of local control in the state licensing process, disagreement with legalization itself, and concerns about potential loss of state local government aid and litigation risk. The city attorney told council members that blocking the license would likely lead to a lawsuit, and the city would have a “low likelihood” of winning.
“This has been no easy feat. I’ve spent years getting to this point. Nearly a whole decade of my life, and I’m not even 30 yet,” Schlichter told High Times. “To have my time, money, and good intentions cast aside because the City Council and my Mayor don’t like how my state handled legalization is a slap in the face. There’s plenty of modern research and education out there about cannabis. Either educate yourselves and your constituents …
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Author: Javier Hasse / High Times
