ST. PETER — Healing Harvest is entering a new chapter in St. Peter as it transitions into a licensed cannabis dispensary rooted in education and wellness.

Following a yearslong application process starting with Minnesota’s adult-use legalization in 2023, the business received its cannabis license from the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management roughly two months ago, said co-owner Brittany Brown.

The most visible changes for customers will begin once new inventory arrives, including cannabis-derived and smokeable products that were previously unavailable.

“We want people to have a good experience with cannabis, and we want to help end that stigma of cannabis being this dangerous drug, when, in reality, you can dose that in a lot of different ways to get pain relief, to aid with sleep, to aid with anxiety,” she said.

Brown said the new license allows Healing Harvest to offer products that comply with Minnesota’s evolving cannabis legislation, particularly flower and vape products.

Healing Harvest’s first cannabis inventory comes from the Prairie Island Indian Community, which operates Island Pezi in Welch, and will supply cannabis grown using soil-focused and ecologically mindful cultivation methods, according to Forbes article that Brown referenced. Initial products are expected to include edibles and vape cartridges, with flower anticipated later, potentially in January, depending on regulatory approvals and supply timelines.

“It’s cool to see Minnesota Native American communities helping to support social equity stateside dispensaries and that is a really cool partnership I’m excited for,” she said.

Healing Harvest qualified as a social equity applicant under Minnesota’s cannabis law, which aims to support individuals and families harmed by past cannabis prohibition. Brown said her family’s history with a cannabis-related conviction made the business eligible.

Navigating the licensing was the most “challenging process” Brown ever experienced she said, requiring extensive documentation, including security plans, staff training protocols, contamination prevention measures and detailed standard operating procedures derived from hundreds of pages of state statutes and rules.

“It is a very, very intense, rigorous application process. A lot of people end up having to hire consultants or lawyers to be able to navigate the complexity of the application,” she said. “There’s a lot of people who also had to take a financial risk to see if they could even get a license to be in this industry.”

Brown cautioned that firm timelines are difficult in Minnesota’s new cannabis market due to regulatory reviews and inventory approvals, though Healing Harvest plans to communicate updates through its mobile app, email notifications and in-store signage when products become available.

Education remains central to the business’ approach. Brown said staff are trained to discuss cannabinoids, dosing and customer goals, particularly for first-time or cautious consumers. Co-owner and Brown’s wife Jennifer noted that many consumers lack basic information about dosage or product strength, which can lead to negative experiences.

“They’re not being told where they’re getting it from, whether it’s the retailer or it’s their friends that are just giving them an edible, so they can get really high on edibles and have a bad experience and not know why,” she said. “You need to be safe, and it needs to be something that your body tolerates.”

With nine staff members and strong community interest, Brown said Healing Harvest is a “safe, community cannabis hub where people know they can always come to us for information, for safe access to products, for a place where they feel included and welcomed.”