Minnesota Governor Signs Recreational Marijuana Legalization Bill

Forbes Lifestyle Vices Minnesota Governor Signs Recreational Marijuana Legalization Bill A. J. Herrington Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

I cover cannabis and hemp news, business, and culture. Following May 30, 2023, 01:16pm EDT | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday signed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana, making the state the 23 rd in the nation to end the prohibition of cannabis for adults.

Walz signed the marijuana legalization bill at a signing ceremony held attended by lawmakers and marijuana activists including former Gov. Jesse Ventura, an outspoken cannabis policy reform advocate who testified before a state Senate committee in favor of the legislation. The cannabis legalization bill, which was approved by the Minnesota legislature on May 20, allows adults 21 and older to use marijuana recreationally and to possess up to two ounces of cannabis in a public place, beginning on August 1.

The bill also legalizes the possession of up to two pounds of marijuana in a private residence and the limited home cultivation of cannabis by adults aged 21 and older. Under the legislation, adults would be allowed to grow up to eight cannabis plants at home, including four mature, flowering plants. Minnesota Gov.

Tim Walz has signed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana, making the state the . . .

[+] 23rd in the nation to legalize pot. getty More than two dozen legislative committees vetted the legislation, with the Minnesota House of Representatives and the state Senate approving separate bills to legalize recreational marijuana in late April. A conference committee then reconciled differences in the bills, with the House approving the consensus bill on May 18, followed by passage in the Minnesota Senate in the early morning hours of May 20.

Marijuana Legalization Supported By Minnesota Voters Public opinion polls have shown strong support for legalizing recreational cannabis in Minnesota, with a KSTP-TV/SurveyUSA poll released earlier this month showing that 64% of registered voters are in favor of legalizing marijuana for adults. Minnesota legalized medical marijuana in 2014. “The majority of Minnesota voters support repealing marijuana prohibition and replacing this failed policy with legalization and regulation,” NORML deputy director Paul Armentano said in a statement from the cannabis policy reform group after the measure was approved by the legislature earlier this month.

“Passage of this legislation is the result of years of grassroots activism by consumers and stakeholders, including Minnesota NORML. In fact, the impetus for the formation of Minnesota NORML was based upon a police raid and resulting marijuana arrest. These sort of destructive actions are now poised to come to an end in Minnesota.

” MORE FOR YOU Student Loan Repayments Will Resume After August As Part Of Debt Limit Deal Here s Why The Debt Ceiling Deal Still Faces Hurdles From Pipeline Conflicts To Hard Right Opposition Biden Confident Congress Will Pass Debt Ceiling Bill Before Deadline Despite Opposition From Some Lawmakers The bill also legalizes commercial cannabis activity, with regulated sales of recreational marijuana coming after rules are drafted and approved by the Office of Cannabis Management, a new state agency created by the legislation. The new agency will also regulate medical marijuana and cannabis products derived from hemp. State agencies have set a target date of May 2024 to begin accepting applications for adult-use cannabis retailers, according to a report from Minnesota Public, with dispensary sales of recreational marijuana anticipated to start in January 2025.

Once regulated sales of recreational marijuana begin, adults will be permitted to purchase up to two ounces of cannabis, eight grams of cannabis concentrate and edible products containing up to 800 milligrams of THC, the cannabis compound largely responsible for the classic marijuana “high. ” Legalization Bill Includes Social Equity Measures Minnesota’s cannabis legalization bill also includes social equity measures designed to address harms caused by decades of prohibition and ensure participation in the regulated adult-use cannabis industry by individuals convicted of marijuana-related offenses or their family members. The legislation also grants social equity status to military veterans or active service members who were denied honorable status because of a cannabis offense, farmers from underrepresented communities and residents of areas that “experienced a disproportionately large amount of cannabis enforcement.

” The legislation also includes measures to expunge past convictions for misdemeanor marijuana offenses and for sentence reductions for some more serious crimes. The automatic expungement process is expected to begin this summer but clearing all eligible criminal records could take until next year. Walz’s signature makes Minnesota the most recent of 23 states that have legalized recreational marijuana for adults.

The state is the second to do so this year, following Delaware’s approval of a measure to legalize adult-use cannabis in April. Regulated sales of recreational marijuana are expected to begin in Minnesota in 2025. getty Colin Ferrian, a Minnesota native and cannabis industry veteran who serves as a portfolio manager for the cannabis investment firm Poseidon, said that the legalization of recreational marijuana will present entrepreneurs in the state with new economic opportunities.

“Minnesota is poised to become the most innovative location for cannabis products and branding, upon Governor Walz’s approval of adult-use legalization,” Ferrian writes in an emailed statement. “Last July, the state was the first in the country to allow hemp-derived drinks and edibles to be sold across many of the channels where consumers could find alcohol, and soon, Minnesotans over the age of 21 will also be able to access flower and extracted products in dispensaries. ” Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn .

A. J. Herrington Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions.