Adult-Use Legalization Bill Introduced in Minnesota

A bipartisan bill to legalize adult-use cannabis in has been introduced to the Minnesota state legislature, according to Rolling Stone.

The bill was sponsored by state Sens. Melisa Franzen and Scott Jensen and state Rep. Mike Freiberg. The bill would make it legal for anyone over the age of 21 to possess cannabis and would create a regulated structure for testing and sales. Home growing would also be legal under the bill.

Freiberg issued a statement addressing the outdated cannabis laws in Minnesota.

“It is forcing marijuana into a shady underground market, which creates more potential harm for consumers and communities than marijuana itself. Regulating marijuana would make our state safer by removing the criminal element and empowering our state and local governments to start controlling production and sales. Our focus in drafting legislation to end the prohibition of cannabis in Minnesota is to ensure we have a responsible regulatory model for consumer access that still provides for public health, safety and welfare. The time has come for us to have this debate.” — State Rep. Mike Freiberg, via Rolling Stone

The bill also prohibits marketing to teens, would allow local governments to have a say in what cannabis businesses are allowed in their towns, provides for expungement of some previous cannabis-related crimes, and appropriates $10 million annually towards poorer communities unduly affected by cannabis prohibition.

The bill tasks the Minnesota Department of Health with creating regulations for the cannabis market’s roll-out and operation.