Several weeks earlier, the state of Minnesota passed a law legalizing cannabis for adults and concurrently established a 32 ounce, or 2-pound limit for personal use at home.
Minnesota is now one of the 23 states that have passed legislation allowing adult use of cannabis, and it stands out for setting one of the highest limits for personal use at home—32 ounces or 2 pounds. Nonetheless, with the state’s restriction on home cultivation to four plants, some critics argue that even 2 pounds might not be enough.
In Minnesota, adults are permitted to possess up to 2 pounds of cannabis in their homes, without the need for a grower’s license. However, once they step outside their home, they are only permitted to carry 2 ounces of cannabis.
Other states, like California, Washington, and Nevada, allow individuals to have one ounce of cannabis at home. Colorado permits up to 2 ounces. On the higher end, Michigan, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts allow possession of up to 10 ounces at home.
“The large majority of states that permit adult use and home cultivation don’t set explicit limits,” states Morgan Fox, NORML’s Political Director. “Most explicitly allow you to retain whatever amount you cultivate in your own home. Excluding Minnesota, only four states have set actual limits. Massachusetts and Michigan both allow 10 ounces, Oregon permits eight ounces, and New York allows for a hefty 5 pounds.”
“If there’s going to be a limit, it should ideally be towards the higher end of the range to prevent accidental criminalization of individuals growing their own medicine or cannabis for personal use and not for distribution or sale,” Fox comments.
He goes on to say, “It is also crucial to avoid potential arrests if they exceed the limit slightly due to variations in harvest yields. In some states, exceeding the limit can attract significant penalties, even felonies if it involves pounds. Therefore, if any limit is to be imposed, it should be as high as feasible to prevent recriminalizing home growers of cannabis.”
Minnesota lawmakers assert that they decided on higher limits to simplify the program, permitting the same quantity to be grown and possessed.
State Senator Lindsey Port, who championed the State Senate’s version of the cannabis bill, supports the set personal limit. “Our goal was to decriminalize as much as possible while ensuring control over the black market,” Port explained to CBS News affiliate WCCO News. “We aimed to align the possession limit with the potential yield from home cultivation.”
“Based on our analysis of other states, it’s not so much about possession limits as it is about controlling the black market,” Port added.
Is the Limit Adequate?
However, local business owners argue that they anticipate that 99% of consumers in the state won’t require 2 pounds of cannabis at home. If they do, they are likely to distribute it illegally.
Despite the generous limit, industry experts claim it’s not enough given the state’s four-plant home grow limit.
The Minnesota Hemp Growers Cooperative stated in a letter to the committee that the law permits individuals to cultivate up to four mature cannabis plants at a time, which could produce more than the allowed personal possession limit of 2 pounds.
“With the right cultivation techniques, it’s possible to harvest significantly over 6 pounds from four plants,” wrote Shawn Weber, the cooperative’s president. “Does this make sense to anyone?”
Laying the Foundation for the Recreational Cannabis Market in Minnesota
On May 30, Gov. Tim Walz signed the bill legalizing adult use of cannabis in Minnesota, officially making it the 23rd state in the U.S. to do so.
During the signing ceremony, Walz acknowledged that prohibition has failed and that he and other lawmakers are ready to start the expungement process for eligible Minnesotans. He further noted that adults should be able to make informed decisions about such matters.
The bill also legalizes the possession of up to two pounds of cannabis in private residences and permits limited home cultivation for adults over 21. In public, adults in Minnesota can possess up to two ounces. The legislation allows adults to cultivate up to eight cannabis plants at home, including four mature, flowering ones.
For adults 21 and older, possession will officially be legal in the state starting August 1.
