Adult use
What would the new recreational marijuana bill do?
The bill would legalize the possession and use of marijuana for
Minnesotans 21 and older. It would create a new state agency, called the
Office of Cannabis Management, tasked with licensing cannabis and hemp
businesses and overseeing a legal recreational market, as well as the
existing medical cannabis and hemp-derived markets. The bill mandates
the expungement of all misdemeanor marijuana offenses and creates a
Cannabis Expungement Board to review felony offenses for possible
expungement on a case-by-case basis. It also imposes new rules and
requirements for hemp-based THC drinks and edibles, which exploded in
popularity after they were
legalized last year.
When would the new law take effect?
It’s unclear in the bill. Many elements of the law —
including those pertaining to adult possession, use and home cultivation
of marijuana — would take effect July 1, according to the bill.
However, the bill does not lift the existing criminal penalties for
these same provisions until Aug. 1. Asked to clarify this discrepancy,
Minnesota House researcher Ben Johnson said Aug. 1 is the key date to
focus on for cannabis legalization.
Sen. Lindsey Port, who sponsored the bill in the…