In recent years, Minnesota’s cannabis industry has experienced dramatic fluctuations. If everything goes according to plan, the recreational cannabis club will soon expand. The Minnesota Star Tribune reported that the state House of Representatives passed a measure on a 71-59 vote to legalize adult-use marijuana on Tuesday, and the state Senate is expected to follow suit with its own bill on Friday.
If lawmakers are successful, Governor Tim Walz has promised to sign the bill into law, making Minnesota the 23rd state to fully legalize marijuana for adults. One point of contention among Minnesota lawmakers has been local control for cities and counties that don’t want to embrace legal cannabis. As approved, the House bill will not allow localities to opt out of marijuana commerce or directly revoke licenses of operators.
However, there are still some kinks that need to be ironed out between the House and Senate bills, such as personal possession limits and state cannabis tax rates. While the full market may not launch until next year at the earliest, personal possession and consumption will be legalized this summer, and residents will be permitted to grow up to eight cannabis plants per person at home, according to CBS.
The two chambers have until May 22 to approve a final bill before the session adjourns. The Minnesota cannabis market has been a wild pendulum ride, from one of the most restrictive medical marijuana markets in the country, with only two companies allowed to grow and produce MMJ products, to a largely unregulated hemp edibles market. The latter development prompted more calls for crackdowns, and regulators have begun to sue companies that break the law.
If passed, the latest bills will establish a new state agency, the Office of Cannabis Management, which will be responsible for drafting regulations and issuing business permits. The bill also prioritizes social equity for licensure, demonstrating policymakers’ desire to correct the wrongs caused by the war on drugs, according to the Associated Press.
CHECK THIS: Minnesota Legalizes Recreational Cannabis, Becomes 23rd State
