DULUTH – The St. Louis County Board last week voted in favor of a five-month moratorium on new cannabis businesses to register or operate within the county — a move to allow local government more time to figure out how to regulate the industry, according to a news release.

County Board Chair Keith Nelson said there are a lot of details to sort through and it needs to be done properly.

"The legislation has undergone numerous changes and processes are still being finalized, so we felt the best option was to slow down to allow ourselves and the jurisdictions within our county more time to develop strategies that serve all of our citizens," he said.

The moratorium applies to all of St. Louis County, including cities and townships with independent zoning authority. It does not affect already established businesses.