Waite Park City Council to Discuss THC Product Sale Ordinance Monday Night

(KNSI) — Monday night, the Waite Park City Council will discuss a proposed ordinance for allowing the sale of hemp-derived THC products.

The ordinance is expected to mirror the one passed by the St. Cloud City Council at its September 12th meeting.

Under the proposed ordinance, businesses must be licensed, applications would be reviewed by the city and police chief, and there would be an application fee. Dispensaries would have to renew their licenses yearly and be subject to compliance checks. Pop-up shops, self-service kiosks or vending machines, free samples, and issuing coupons or discounts would not be allowed. Products must be sold in child-proof packaging and clearly marked as a THC edible. Packaging cannot bear the likeness of cartoon characters, mimic toys or other brands sold to children, or resemble a trademarked, characteristic, or product-specialized packaging of any commercially available food product. The ordinance would also limit sales to between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Violations would result in a $300 fine for the first, a $600 fine and a 30-day license suspension for the second within 36 months, and the third violation in 36 months would be a $1,000 fine and a license revocation. A violation within the timeframe of a license suspension would also cost a vendor its license.

The meeting gets underway at 6:30 p.m.

St. Cloud became one of the first cities in Minnesota to approve an ordinance regulating and licensing the sale of THC edibles.

Hemp-derived THC products became legal in Minnesota on July 1st, but the law contained no regulation for their sales, leading many cities to enact moratoriums until ordinances could be drafted.

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