In just three days, on August 1, marijuana will become legal in Minnesota.
Starting Tuesday those 21+ will be allowed to possess up to two ounces of marijuana in public, and up to two pounds at a private residence. They will also be allowed to possess up to eight grams of marijuana concentrates and 800mg of marijuana edibles, and they can grow up to eight marijuana plants at a private residence (given it’s in an enclosed location).
All of this is possible due to the passage of legislation that was signed into law by Governor Tim Waltz in May. The law went through an extensive process that included over 30 committee hearings.
The part of the new law creating the Office of Cannabis Management, which is tasked with handling the licenses for the legal marijuana industry, took effect on July 1. However, it’s expected that licenses won’t be issued for marijuana businesses until sometime in 2025.
On August 1 the process of automatically expunging past marijuana convictions will also begin, with the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension overseeing the expungement process. It is expected that this will result in thousands of marijuana charges being removed from people’s records.
With Minnesota’s marijuana law going into effect on August 1, there will be 23 legal marijuana states, with all 23 legalizing in the past 11 years.