The Minnesota House gave approval today to legislation that would allow legal recreational marijuana sales to begin sooner than initially expected.
Legislation to legalize recreational marijuana was signed into law by Governor Tim Walz in May, with marijuana stores expected to open in 2025. Now, the state’s House of Representatives has voted 69 to 62 to pass legislation that would the Office of Cannabis Management to quickly begin issuing licenses for recreational marijuana sales this summer.
“A number of provisions in this bill are designed to expedite the process of setting up a good legitimate marketplace for cannabis to displace that illicit marketplace that’s out there,” says State Representative Zack Stephenson (D), the bill’s prime sponsor.
The measure would also put the Office of Cannabis Management in charge medical marijuana and hemp-derived products, which currently fall under the enforcement of the Department of Health.
The measure is supported by Democrats, but opposed by most Republicans.
“This bill does some good, but it really doesn’t fix much of anything on what’s not going to work in the cannabis bill,” says State Rep. Nolan West (R). “It does a triple backflip handstand to try and shoehorn ideological positions that are not about a safe and functioning marketplace.”
Stephenson says “The difference here between current law and the bill is moving from a more subjective scoring system under current law, to a more objective sort of binary yes-no choice under this bill. And that’s designed to make things smoother, clearer, less subject to litigation and have it happen faster.”
Before passing the bill, the House approved a Republican amendment requiring the Office of Cannabis Management to study the impact of marijuana on minors.
The proposal now heads to the Senate. Approval through the Senate will send the measure to Governor Walz for final consideration.
