GRAND MARAIS, Minn. (Northern News Now) – Now that recreational marijuana is legal in the state of Minnesota, one Northland county is looking to open up its own dispensary when the cannabis retail industry is regulated by 2025.
Cook County is exploring the idea of opening up a municipal cannabis dispensary of its own. The City of Grand Marais already owns a municipal liquor store.
Cook County Administrator James Joerke said he sees some possibilities since the state allowed for local governments to enter the cannabis business, once the industry is allowed to conduct retail sales.
“We see it as a potential opportunity to generate a new source of revenue,” Joerke said. “The benefit of that would be to offset the need for property taxes.”
Joerke said that ideally the dispensary would be in the heart of Grand Marais and all of the revenue would go back to help residents.
“Supporting law enforcement, public health, you know, social services,” he said. “All of the services that the county provides.”
Grand Marais Mayor Tracy Benson said that, currently, no other county or city government in the nation is running their own dispensary. She would like to see Cook County change that.
“I think we need to get ready