Minnesota set to become 23rd state with legal adult-use cannabis
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Today the Minnesota Senate passed legislation to legalize and regulate adult-use cannabis (SF73/HF100) in a vote of 34-33. Legalizing adult-use cannabis is an opportunity to begin correcting historic wrongs from the impact of failed policies said Chief Author Senator Lindsey Port (DFL-Burnsville).
“The prohibition on cannabis has had tremendously negative impacts on the lives of Minnesotans, especially our communities of color, and it is time for us to change course and create a system that works,” said Sen. Port. “We have had a thorough conversation with fellow legislators, members of the communities, and stakeholders throughout the state in making sure our bill works for Minnesota, and it does. It’s time to legalize, regulate, and expunge.”
The measure (SF73/HF100) legalizes adult-use cannabis, establishes a regulatory and licensing framework, and makes reforms to Minnesota’s criminal justice system, including expunging low-level cannabis convictions and establishes a Cannabis Expungement Board to review convictions not automatically expunged to determine expungement or resentencing eligibility.
Other key provisions in the legislation include:
- Setting the legal age for the use of Cannabis at 21
- Eliminates current controlled-substance related crimes for the possession or sale of cannabis and establishes new crimes related to the possession, sale, & cultivation of cannabis, cannabis products
- Sets up grants, loans, and technical assistance for small businesses and individuals who wish to enter the cannabis industry with a focus on social equity
- Regulates cannabis in the same manner as alcohol for clear guidelines on workplace restrictions and requires testing and labeling of products, restricts packaging based on dosage size
- Provides funding for public health awareness, youth access prevention, and substance abuse addiction, treatment, and recovery, including treatment courts
- Establishes a tax on cannabis and cannabis products, subjects cannabis to the state sales tax and existing local sales taxes; establishes city and county revenue sharing
- Establishes a hemp industry and lower-potency hemp consumables structure independent of the cannabis structure
The House of Representatives passed their legislation legalizing adult-use cannabis on April 25, and now the differences between the House and Senate bills will be worked out in conference committee.
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