Minnesota State Representative Dan Schoen, DFL-Cottage Grove, accepted a contract-basis job as a security consultant of the medical marijuana manufacturer LeafLine Labs.
The Cottage Grove police officer co-sponsored last year's medical marijuana bill, and worked with LeafLine Labs when the cannabis manufacturer was looking for cities in which to operate.
Schoen announced July 14 he will be working for LeafLine and is taking an unpaid leave from his job as a police officer at Cottage Grove throughout the rest of the year.
"With the expiration of our existing security director's contract, we were glad that Dan Schoen was willing to serve as our interim security director," said LeafLine Labs chief medical officer and a co-founder of the company Andrew Bachman. Bachman stressed that Schoen will be temporarily working for the company as it revaluates a "permanent solution for the need of security."
As security consultant, Schoen will assist in the opening of other clinics. He will be designing security procedures, outlining transportation routes and looking after the safety of the staff.
The Cottage Grove police officer, who also used to be a paramedic, said his experiences in both fields are just right for the job. He added that being a co-sponsor of last year's bill on medical marijuana will also help him in his job at LeafLine Labs.
"I have knowledge about the law, and the medical cannabis issue and that is unique in Minnesota," he emphasized.
LeafLine Labs, one of two medical cannabis companies in the state, was introduced by Schoen to the city administrators and mayors of the four cities he represents. Schoen said it is hard to say if he was hired because of this and for co-sponsoring the bill; however, he also stressed that as long as his community wants it, he will tirelessly advocate for it.
Schoen did not disclose how much the job offers, but said the pay is less than what he made as a police officer. Meanwhile, LeafLine did not reveal the terms of its temporary security consultant's contract.
In June, the medical cannabis company also hired its new chief executive, Associate Health Commissioner Manny Munson-Regala who used to oversee the state Office of Medical Cannabis, as well as the rollout of the state's medical cannabis program.
