Local medical marijuana store on hold

The St. Cloud facility that was identified as a distribution point for medical marijuana could open early next year.

LeafLine Labs, one of two state-approved manufacturers and distributors of medical marijuana, has said it plans to open a store in St. Cloud. The timing of that opening has been in flux since medical marijuana use was approved in 2014.

Wednesday's announcement that Minnesota health officials will allow residents with intractable pain to buy medical marijuana starting in August expands the numbers of patients eligible to receive medical marijuana.

The St. Cloud store, which was to be in a strip mall near 33rd Avenue and Second Street South, originally was planned to open this year.

Manny Munson-Regala, LeafLine Labs’ chief executive, said the company is targeting early next year for opening the St. Cloud store. He said the company doesn't have a specific date for that opening.

Munson-Regala has said that the enrollment bump from Wednesday's expansion of who qualifies for medical marijuana could eventually be massive and is causing LeafLine to plan for extra staff and new medicines designed to treat patients in pain.

Follow David Unze on Twitter @sctimesunze or call him at 255-8740.