The woman tapped to lead Minnesota’s cannabis regulation announced her resignation Friday after allegations emerged that she sold illegal products at her cannabis store.
The decision comes just a day after Gov. Tim Walz (D) named Erin DuPree as the first director of Minnesota’s Office of Cannabis Management.
DuPree’s Loonacy cannabis store reportedly sold products with higher concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) than permitted by law, as well as products with ingredients restricted by state law.
“I have never knowingly sold a non-compliant product, and when I became aware of it, I removed the products from inventory,” DuPree said in a statement to CBS Minnesota.
“Conducting legitimate business has been a goal of my career,” she continued. “However, it has become clear that I have become a distraction that would get in the way of the important work that needs to be done.”
Walz praised DuPree’s history as a small business owner and entrepreneur in his announcement of her appointment Thursday.
“With direct experience in the hemp and cannabis industry in Minnesota and over 20 years of success in starting, leading and growing companies and organizations, Erin DuPree is an excellent choice to lead the Office of Cannabis Management,” said Walz. “DuPree is a proven and effective leader who will succeed in strengthening Minnesota’s new adult-use cannabis market and helping Minnesotans succeed in the industry.”
Senior state government adviser Charlene Briner, who led the hiring process, noted DuPree’s “experience, credibility and passion” in the same announcement.
In his reaction to the news late Friday, Walz moved past DuPree’s resignation and focused on fostering an industry with community trust.
“We have a responsibility to assure Minnesotans that this emerging market will be safe, legal and well-regulated,” Walz said in a statement to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “We are making progress in implementing this work.”
The new agency now lacks a permanent director. The state’s first no-reservation cannabis stores are scheduled to open in 2025.
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