MN Marijuana Bill: When, Where Could You Grow Or Smoke It Legally?

ST. PAUL, MN — A bill legalizing the sale, possession, and use of recreational marijuana in Minnesota will be discussed Wednesday afternoon by the state's House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee.

Last week, lawmakers from the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party introduced a bill that would legalize cannabis for adults 21 years or older. The legislation would also automatically expunge some cannabis convictions.

"Minnesotans are ready. 2023 is the year we legalize adult use cannabis in Minnesota," tweeted Rep. Zack Stephenson, one of the House authors of the bill. Sen. Lindsey Port introduced companion legislature in the Minnesota Senate.

It's not clear how many state Republicans will support legalization, but it also might not matter. Following November's landslide election for Minnesota Democrats, they now control the governor's mansion and both chambers of the state legislature.

"We have a pro-legalization majority," said Rep. Jessica Hanson, of Burnsville, at a news conference last week.

Though it has promising odds to become law, the bill has a long way to go. The legislation will have major ramifications on the state's criminal, tax, and business laws.

Here's a look at how marijuana would be regulated if House File 100 is passed into law:

In many ways, marijuana is treated like alcohol and tobacco by the piece of legislation. An eight percent sales tax would be imposed on cannabis products.

The bill states that people aged 21 or older are allowed to

• Use and possess cannabis paraphernalia
• Possess up to 2 ounces of cannabis in public
• Possess up to 5 pounds of cannabis in a person’s home
• Possess up to 8 grams or less of adult-use cannabis concentrate
• Possess edibles with up to 800 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol
• Use cannabis products in private areas
• Grow up to eight cannabis plants, but only up to four that are flowering

The bill also sets into motion the automatic expungement of nonfelony cannabis offenses in Minnesota.

Where you can't smoke, sell, or possess cannabis:

• No smoking cannabis in places where smoking is prohibited under the Clean Indoor Air Act
• Using cannabis products while driving, operating, or being in physical control of a motor vehicle is a misdemeanor offense
• Local governments in Minnesota can regulate use of cannabis in public places, but penalties are limited to a petty misdemeanor only
• Selling cannabis products without a state license is a felony offense
  • Increased penalties for repeat offenders, people who sell to kids, or sell in a school zone, park, treatment facility, public housing zone, etc.
• Prohibits cannabis retailers from operating between 2:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. Mondays through Fridays, and between 2:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Sundays.

Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this story.