Minnesota governor signs cannabis legalization bill into law
Minnesota is officially the 23rd state to legalize adult-use cannabis.
Democratic Governor Tim Walz signed House File 100 into law today at a ceremony attended by lawmakers, advocates, and former Governor Jesse Ventura, a long-time proponent of legalization who obtained cannabis illegally for his wife, who has epilepsy.
“This has been a long journey,” Gov. Walz said during a press conference. “We’ve been working on this since 2019. Adults need to make their own decisions.”
The bill legalizes the sale and public possession of up to two ounces of cannabis flower, eight grams of concentrates, and/or 800 milligrams of edibles for adults 21 and over. Lawmakers seek to have the first dispensaries open in Q1 of 2025.
“I have been on the Minnesota medical program for eight-plus years; I use cannabis as a form of medicine, and it is a necessity,” said Stefanie Mulrooney, director of client relations at cannabis beverage maker BLNCD, in a text to GreenState. “I am happy that legalization will make cannabis more accessible, put more safe and regulated products on the market, and hopefully force medical (cannabis) companies to reduce their prices.”
While Minnesotans will have to wait for retailers to open, they can possess cannabis and grow up to eight plants in their home (four of which can be flowering) starting August 1st. In addition, going into effect immediately is a provision allowing liquor stores to sell so-called “low-dose” edibles and beverages containing hemp-derived delta-9-THC.
“We may not have gotten everything we wanted in this bill, and there is more work to do, but we are finally legalizing cannabis in Minnesota for all Minnesotans,” Bridgette Pinder, owner of Minnesota hemp retailer Grounded Gardens, told GreenState. “As a long-time advocate in Minnesota, I am excited for legalization to break the stigma and help small businesses succeed.”
Minnesota’s legalization bill also calls for the automatic expungement of certain misdemeanor cannabis charges, which could start as soon as August. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension will lead that process, with a newly created Cannabis Expungement Board tasked with identifying felony-level expungement cases and potential sentence reductions for incarcerated people.
“While we are all excited for the future, we shouldn’t lose sight of the activists that spent years and even decades of their lives to get to this point,” noted Minnesota-based attorney Carol Moss and partner at Hellmuth & Johnson, in a message to GreenState. “And for that, we have gratitude.”
The signing of HF 100 comes after the Minnesota legislature voted to approve a version of the bill containing revisions from the state House and Senate. Some of the final components include a 10 percent excise tax on cannabis, an amendment that permits cities and counties to cap the number of dispensaries per capita at one per 12,500 people, and the ability for adults to possess up to two pounds of cannabis in their private residences.
