Minnesota lawmakers continue to clear the way for recreational marijuana use, as a proposed cannabis legalization bill passes through another House committee.
Minnesota Marijuana Bill Pushes Through Fourth House Committee
Minnesota, a state that’s currently home to some of the toughest medical marijuana restrictions in the nation, is in the midst of a push toward broad cannabis law reform. House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (D) filed the legislation at the end of January, and—while doing so—he emphasized the widespread acceptance of marijuana legalization in today’s political landscape.
“The issue of legalizing cannabis, creating a fair regulated marketplace, addressing the deep inequities in our criminal justice system — is a mainstream, bipartisan, broadly supported issue,” said Winkler in a press conference following the filing. He continued, explaining that the bill will provide, “Minnesotans the freedom to make their own decisions on a product that has some challenges, but is relatively safe, especially compared to other products.”
Winkler’s proposal mirrors a bill the Majority Leader filed back in 2020, to no avail. Under the proposal, Minnesota residents 21 and older would be allowed to possess up to 1.5 ounces, or 42.5 grams, of marijuana. In addition, adults would be permitted to cultivate up to eight plants at home. But, home growing is just one reason why Winkler was calling his proposal the “best legalization bill in the country” nearly a year ago.
The measure also includes on-site consumption and marijuana delivery services, in addition to language that would ban local governments from prohibiting cannabis companies from opening and operating in their municipalities. As for the regulating and licensing of the marijuana marketplace, the bill would establish a Cannabis Management Board of seven people to oversee the program.
How the Proposed Cannabis Legalization Bill Would Promote Social Equity in Minnesota
Retail cannabis sales would come along with a 10% tax, and a portion of the revenue gained would be allocated to a grant program to develop economically distressed communities. This is just one way Majority Leader Winkler believes the bill will help promote social equity.
“We’ve heard consistently that a cannabis marketplace is an opportunity for small- and medium-sized Minnesota businesses to be successful, to create jobs and opportunity throughout Minnesota, and we want to make sure that people who have been most adversely affected by the war on drugs have an opportunity not only to have criminal records expunged and to have their records cleared, but to have an opportunity to participate in the growth of a new business at the very foundation,” commented Winkler.
The expungement of cannabis-related crimes comes alongside priority business licensing for “social equity applicants” — Montanans residing in economically-depressed areas as well as military veterans that have lost honorable status because of cannabis crimes.
In weeks past, the bill has been approved through hearings with the Workforce and Business Development Finance and Policy Committee, the Labor, Industry, Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Committee, and the Commerce Finance and Policy Committee. Most recently, on March 24th, lawmakers in the House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee approved the bill with an 8-5 vote after hearing testimonies from cannabis advocates and industry experts.
Despite the momentum building behind the bill, Minnesota’s Republican-controlled Senate has a history of shutting down cannabis law reform. If Winkler’s measure is eventually blocked by GOP lawmakers, he’s convinced that it could pass by other means.
“I think if they would agree that we could put this on the ballot in 2022, I think it would pass overwhelmingly,” said Winkler. For future updates on Minnesota’s push for cannabis legalization, continue checking back at The Weed Blog.
Additional Resources:
At The Weed Blog, we strive to produce the latest online news resources regarding marijuana. We also review various strains of cannabis or other edible counterparts. We are committed to helping you find valuable information about marijuana on our website. With marijuana laws constantly changing, learn from us what you can do to promote activism in your area. Otherwise, consider these other top-tier articles regarding cannabis:
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