Minnesota Governor legalizes medicinal cannabis flowers

It’s official: Minnesota has legal medicinal cannabis flower! Governor Tim Walz has just signed law giving medical patients access to flowers instead of extracts or nonsmokers.

Previously, Minnesota was just one of the few medically legal states where patients still did not have access to flower medicines.

Now patients aged 21 and over can also access flowers with a valid medical card. The bill was approved earlier this month as part of a broader collective bill by a committee of the bicameral legislative conference. The bill covered health care in general and was approved by both Minnesota House and the Senate.

The bill also enables roadside pick-up and increases the number of patients per nurse from one to six. The Commissioner can now remove existing qualifying conditions from the list of non-prescription patients if he receives a petition to do so. This means that those whose condition is not currently covered may soon have access to cannabis as a medicine.

In the house, the bill went 77 to 57, a narrow margin. The Senate passed this much more clearly on the last day of the 2021 legislative period with 66 to 1 votes. The stand-alone law that would have legalized adult cannabis and established a retail system was passed by parliament but not considered in the Senate.

Minnesota sees advances in cannabis policy

Despite this setback, some were excited when the Minnesota House of Representatives approved legislation legalizing adult cannabis and overturning previous convictions, as this was the first time such a bill was approved in the House. House File 600, sponsored by Democratic Majority Leader Ryan Winklery, would have allowed those 21 and over to own up to 10 pounds of cannabis in their homes and two ounces in public. It would also have allowed up to eight cannabis plants, four mature at the same time, for personal use. However, since there has been no progress, the state will have to wait a little longer for full legalization.

While the House of Representatives passed Bill 72-61, the Senate is still Republican and didn’t make it through. It would also automatically have overturned previous convictions, as well as enabling on-site consumption and home delivery, and a social justice plan to welcome color communities and other marginalized people into the industry. If it had existed, it would have been one of the most advanced legal cannabis plans in the country.

And while Minnesota is still somewhat conservative, the data supports the concept that Minnesota residents want to see a legal industry. According to national survey information, 51 percent of residents want to legalize recreational cannabis, up from 30 percent in 2014.

“It is time for Minnesota to lead the Midwest when it comes to sound marijuana policies,” said Carly Wolf, manager of NORML State Policies, of the bill. “Passing this bill would allow police and courts not only to re-prioritize their limited resources to tackle serious crime rather than interacting with otherwise law-abiding Minnesotans over low-possession crimes, but also thousands who suffer the consequences of security , Bringing relief to a marijuana arrest and conviction. I strongly encourage Senate members to follow the will of their constituents, a majority of whom support this change in policy, and am considering this sensible remedy against the failed ban policy. “

Even if Minnesota is not yet preparing for fully legal cannabis, allowing the use of flowers by medical patients is still a step in the right direction. Future legislative sessions and election years, as well as federal events, will continue to determine the fate of cannabis in Minnesota.