Update: Bill for the Legalization of Cannabis in Minnesota

Bill for the Legalization of Cannabis Introduced in Minnesota

Update date: June 23, 2023

Legislators in the state of Minnesota have recently introduced a bill to legalize cannabis and establish a legal industry. The bill, HF 4632, was introduced by the House of Representatives Majority Leader, Ryan Winkler.

Update: Bill for the Legalization of Cannabis in Minnesota

Bill for the Legalization of Cannabis Introduced in Minnesota

Update date: June 23, 2023

Legislators in the state of Minnesota have recently introduced a bill to legalize cannabis and establish a legal industry. The bill, HF 4632, was introduced by the House of Representatives Majority Leader, Ryan Winkler.

"We made a commitment to introduce a bill during this session, and we want to follow through on that commitment," said Ryan Winkler. "Our current priority is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, but after public assemblies and discussions around this issue, we still wanted to introduce a strong bill. As we seek to emerge from this crisis with a better and stronger Minnesota, we must continue to work on legalizing cannabis for responsible use by adults."

The Framework of the Bill

The bill aims to legalize the consumption as well as the possession of cannabis for adults. It is proposed that the possession of cannabis in public be set at 42g, and up to 4.5 kg could be kept at home. The cultivation of 8 cannabis plants, 4 of them flowering, would also be legal.

The bill also provides a regulatory framework for the creation of a commercial cannabis industry in Minnesota. Requirements for labeling, packaging, and analysis will be implemented for cannabis-based products, along with regulated dosages.

Social Justice Measures

The bill includes social justice provisions, including the creation of a social equity office that will distribute grants to promote economic opportunities and community stability. It also gives priority to people discriminated against by prohibition to have access to commercial licenses in the new cannabis industry. HF 4632 also provides for amnesty from cannabis-related convictions.

"Minnesotans have said loud and clear that our current laws on cannabis are doing more harm than good," said Winkler. "By creating a regulatory framework, this will address the harm caused by cannabis and establish a set of wiser laws to improve our health and criminal justice systems and ensure better outcomes for communities."

The Recent History of Cannabis Legislation in Minnesota

Last year, a bipartisan bill aimed at legalizing cannabis was introduced in Minnesota but did not survive a vote by a State Senate committee. When Winkler first announced the imminent introduction of the new bill in February, he acknowledged that it would be a long road to legalization subject to amendments and compromises and that it is "very likely that it will take more than a year to do so".