Minnesota cannabis store owners lament testing backlog: "It's getting frustrating for everyone involved"

One of five cannabis testing sites in Minnesota is shutting down, citing exorbitant costs as the reason.

William Drexler is moving product he has around as he waits patiently for more. He says customers who come into Grey Area, on Grand Avenue in St. Paul, are looking for adult-use items, which he says are being held up by a backlog in testing.

"We haven't had problems with drinks or edibles yet, but for the adult-use products that where we've seen the delays, like your pre-rolls, your flowers, we haven't even gotten pens in yet," Drexler said.

He says getting cannabis products in his store has been an issue since he got his license to sell them a few months ago.

"I've heard pretty much from every vendor that it's testing that we are waiting on. That's been the normal thing to hear, and week by week they may say, 'it's next week,' and that can delay into the following week. So at this point I don't think many of them are giving a date," he said.

He anticipates getting those products will take even longer now that one of the testing sites is no longer testing.

In a statement, Legends Technical Services said, "under the current regulatory framework, we do not foresee an ability to continue to meet our client expectations in an economically viable manner. "

"We've already seen testing delays from the get go, so vendors aren't really giving us time frames because they are probably hearing different time frames themselves," Drexler said. "It's getting frustrating for everyone involved."

For now, Drexler contacts growers to see how long before his shelves are in full bloom.

"These companies here, it's the same story kind of from them when we contact them. 'Hey, we need more product. We're hoping for new [product] soon, but it's coming out of testing soon,'" he said.

WCCO has reached out to Minnesota's Office of Cannabis Management for comment on the backlog.