Minnesota Governor Appoints Eric Taubel as Executive Director of the Office of Cannabis Management

“Eric Taubel’s stewardship of the Office of Cannabis Management over the past eight months has ensured that the priorities that drove cannabis legalization in Minnesota are reflected in Minnesota’s emerging market,” said Governor Walz. “Under his experienced leadership, I am confident that OCM and the Minnesota cannabis industry will continue to prioritize public health and safety, consumer confidence, and market integrity.” “I am honored to be appointed by Governor Walz as the executive director of the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management,” said Eric Taubel. “Serving the people of Minnesota has been a privilege. I look forward to continuing to work with the dedicated and talented public servants at OCM as we launch Minnesota’s cannabis market.”

Eric Taubel is currently the interim director for the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management, where he previously served as the office’s general counsel. Taubel arrived at OCM with experience in legal work at two other state agencies and in private practice. He was the first general counsel for the Minnesota Department of Education, where he was responsible for building the agency’s Office of General Counsel from the ground up. He also has experience as an attorney in the Office of the General Counsel at the Minnesota Department of Commerce, and worked at a law firm in Minneapolis, with a practice focusing on consumer protection. Eric earned a B.A from the University of Georgia, an M.A. from the University of Virginia, and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota.

Established in August 2023, Minnesota’s Office of Cannabis Management is responsible for developing operational and regulatory systems to launch and oversee Minnesota’s regulated cannabis and intoxicating hemp markets. OCM’s mission is to foster an equitable cannabis industry that prioritizes public health and safety, consumer confidence, and market integrity.

OCM manages the state’s medical cannabis program, which has been in place since 2014 and currently serves more than 56,000 patients statewide. The office’s Division of Social Equity is responsible for engaging with community and administering grants to communities that have experienced a disproportionate, negative impact from cannabis prohibition and cannabis use.