Minnesota adult-use legalization law clears first hurdle

Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota have begun their push to legalize marijuana, with a bill this week removing the first of many legislative hurdles.

The bill “removed the first of as many as a dozen committee hurdles when the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee approved the measure Wednesday by ballot and sent it to the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee,” Minnesota’s Public Information Department said Services of the House of Representatives with.

The bill would legalize cannabis for adults 21 and over and establish the regulatory framework for the legal sale of marijuana, which would begin within months of the measure’s passage.

It was introduced by Democrats in the Minnesota House of Representatives last week.

“Cannabis shouldn’t be illegal in Minnesota,” said Democratic House Representative Zack Stephenson, one of the drafters of the bill, at a news conference announcing the law at the state Capitol last week. “Minnesotans deserve the freedom and respect to make their own responsible choices about cannabis. Our current laws do more harm than good. State and local governments spend millions enforcing laws that help nobody.”

Stephenson and his Democrats in St. Paul have long sought to bring cannabis legalization to the land of 10,000 lakes, but they have so far been stymied by Republican lawmakers.

But that all changed after the November election, when Minnesota Democrats regained control of the Senate and retained their majority in the House of Representatives.

The state’s Democratic Gov., Tim Walz, also won re-election last fall and has been a staunch supporter of legalizing marijuana in Minnesota.

“It’s time to legalize adult-use cannabis and get rid of cannabis convictions in Minnesota. I’m ready to sign it into law,” Walz said in a tweet after Democrats unveiled the legalization bill earlier this month.

At Wednesday’s committee meeting, Stephenson expressed his confidence that the bill, backed by public support, would eventually make it onto Walz’s desk.

The news service summarized amendments considered at Wednesday’s committee meeting:

“The issue of local control — or lack thereof — was the subject of a change unsuccessfully offered by Rep. Kurt Daudt (R-Crown). It would have given cities or municipalities the option to enact local ordinances regulating cannabis business licenses, which could differ from those proposed statewide. Two other Republican amendments were passed. One offered by MP Anne Neu Brindley (R-North Branch) would add a health warning to pregnant or breastfeeding women on cannabis products. And an amendment by Rep. Jeff Dotseth (R-Kettle River) would require the Office of Cannabis Management to investigate the health effects of second-hand cannabis smoke. Stephenson said the Dotseth Amendment was a good idea, but noted that his bill would ban smoking cannabis in places where smoking is not permitted under the Clean Indoor Air Act.”

Polls have shown that Minnesota voters are poised to enter a post-prohibition era.

The state Democrats’ moves were hinted at by one of Minnesota’s most prominent politicians, former Gov. Jesse Ventura, who said after the November election that Walz called him directly to say the legalization would go ahead.

“The sticking point for cannabis in Minnesota was the Republicans in the (Senate),” Ventura said at the time. “Well, they’ve lost it now, and the governor has assured me that one of the first things to pass — Minnesota, get ready — the ban on cannabis will be lifted. That’s the message I got today.”