Anoka County adds low‑potency retailers to cannabis business ordinance

The Anoka County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 28 unanimously adopted an amendment to the county’s cannabis business ordinance (Ordinance 2025-3) to bring low‑potency retailers under the county regulatory framework.

Joe Ammerman, senior program planner with Anoka County Public Health, summarized the change during a public hearing: “What we have before you today is a series of small amendments to the ordinance that was adopted in February governing cannabis businesses. These are specifically bringing low potency retailers under the same regulatory framework and basically just including them in the ordinance.” Ammerman told the board no written public comments had been received before the hearing.

Commissioners discussed the limits of county authority and the need for local rules. Commissioner Reinert said he opposed commercialization in principle but would support the ordinance so the county can set guardrails: “I’m not in favor of the commercialization of these substances, but that is out of our control. The state has decided that these substances are legal for commercialization. … We need to have an ordinance in place so the operation of these businesses do have some guardrails.”

Commissioner Heinrich asked for clarification about the term “low potency.” Ammerman and Public Health staff cautioned that the label is a regulatory term and does not mean the products are without risk: “Lower potency products are still very potent … We try to make sure that people keep that in mind because that terminology is, sort of a just for ease of definition and regulation, come down from the state,” Ammerman said.

The board moved and seconded the ordinance (moved by Commissioner Schulte; seconded by Commissioner Meissner) and approved it by unanimous voice vote.

Why it matters: The amendment brings convenience-store and similar retail sales of regulated low‑potency cannabis products into the county’s existing licensing and control framework, aligning county rules with state statute and giving local officials enforceable standards for retail sellers.