Jason Tarasek is a knowledgeable cannabis partner at Vicente LLP. He has been working in the Minnesota hemp and cannabis industry since 2018. In 2019 he served as Minnesota’s Political Director for Marijuana Policy Project, where he helped orchestrate the state’s first-ever legislative hearing on cannabis legalization. 

As a cannabis policy advocate, Jason has spent many hours at the Minnesota State Capitol. In 2022, Jason successfully lobbied in favor of Minnesota’s “edible cannabinoid product” law, which sparked an explosion in the popularity of hemp-derived THC beverages throughout Minnesota and the United States. In 2023, he advocated for Minnesota’s passage of an adult-use cannabis bill. Today, Jason continues to strive for sensible policy as Minnesota implements its adult-use cannabis program while expanding its trailblazing hemp-derived THC beverage industry. 

In this episode, I sit down with Jason and talk about our long history of working together to connect and improve Minnesota cannabis for hemp entrepreneurs, homegrowers, tribal businesses, consumers, and medical patients. We discuss how Vicente got started, and why it might not be a good idea to have more dispensaries than Starbucks in the Twin Cities. 

We cover Jason’s optimism and his hope for equilibrium in 2026 as it relates to supply and demand within Minnesota’s cannabis industry. We also touch on the Wisconsin cannabis industry, or lack thereof, and his work with Tribal organizations who are interested in the Minnesota model and how they can replicate something similar in their state. The only problem? Wisconsin doesn’t even have a medical cannabis program! 

Lastly, we clear up a misconception around one of Jason’s clients and his involvement in the delay of the social equity lottery. 

This is a really great episode if you’re interested in the Minnesota cannabis industry and the greater opportunity across the midwest. Thanks for listening.