Minnesota Senate Casts Final Votes To Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis

Early Saturday morning, the Minnesota Senate voted in favor of legalizing marijuana for adults. The bill passed to the desk of Democratic Governor Tim Waltz for final approval.

The bill would allow Minnesota residents 21 and older to purchase up to 2 ounces of cannabis flowers, 8 grams of concentrate, and 800 milligrams worth of edible products at a time. And it’s not limited to their homes. Adults can carry these amounts in public. However, within the comfort of their own homes, residents over the age of 21 can grow up to eight cannabis plants at once. However, always special marijuana laws only allow his four of these eight to mature and flower. one time. The tax rate for cannabis products will be 10 percent.

The Minnesota House of Representatives approved the bill last Thursday.

Democrats are already celebrating their victory. “The day has finally come. Today is the last day to vote here in the House of Representatives to legalize cannabis and bring about the change many Minnesotans have long wanted,” said Coon Rapids’ state representative. Democratic Rep. Zach Stevenson said. He became the proponent of the bill.

Even some Republicans have recognized the benefits of the bill, making Minnesota the 23rd U.S. state to legalize cannabis for adult use and the 11th to allow home-growing. Republican Rep. Nolan West, of Blaine, Minnesota, said he was happy to have Republicans on the Congress committee that finalized the bill. “It’s not a perfect bill, but it’s much better than it used to be. [first] I left the House,” West said. But he added that it would be nice for cities to be able to limit the number of cannabis retailers. This is good news for the black market, he added, but terrible news for those looking to enter the legal market because of taxes, bureaucracy and banking regulations. Above all, it is becoming increasingly difficult to make a profit.

But not all Republicans in Minnesota are so receptive. For example, Browns Valley Republican Rep. Jeff Bakker has made it clear that he opposes a provision allowing people to carry two pounds of cannabis flowers in their homes. (Most states that have legalized adult cannabis have much lower limits on domestic possession. For example, in California, dried cannabis flowers can only hold 1 ounce. “That’s 2,724 joints, folks. It’s going to end up in the hands of the kids,” said Mr. Bakker, an opponent who voted against the bill. “If we don’t protect the next generation, our children, why are we here?”

Republicans also expressed concern about more people driving under the influence of cannabis, even though a recent Canadian study found that legalizing marijuana did not lead to more car accidents. .

If passed, the bill would automatically vacate misdemeanor marijuana convictions and create a commission to review felony-level cannabis offenses. But according to the state’s Criminal Enforcement Agency, it could take up to a year for the agency to clear all misdemeanor records, so those most affected by the war on drugs still have time to settle their legal problems. can’t rejoice. What’s more, it could be up to him a year or more before legal dispensaries are up and running in Minnesota. If passed, the bill would also create a new state agency, the Bureau of Cannabis Control, to oversee licensing of both adult and medical cannabis, in addition to the cannabis-derived products already legal in the state. It will be.

But starting August 1, Minnesota will decriminalize cannabis possession, legalize home-growing, and begin expunging past cannabis convictions.