Minnesota lawmakers present cannabis legalization proposal

Minnesota lawmakers have unveiled a bill to legalize cannabis that they hope to pass in 2023.

At a press conference on Thursday, the sponsors of the bill in the State House of Representatives and the State Senate provided a preview of the legislation, which is largely in line with a a previous measure already adopted by the House in 2021.

«Cannabis should not be illegal in Minnesota. Minnesotans deserve the freedom and respect to make their own responsible decisions about cannabis,» said Zach Stephenson, the representative sponsoring the bill in the House. «Our current laws do more harm than good.».

Minnesotans are ready. 2023 is the year we legalize adult-use cannabis in Minnesota. Today, @Lindsey_Port and I introduced a bill. We'll have our first committee hearing next Wednesday. The full text of the bill is available here: https://t.co/vCv6BBEjAt

— Zack Stephenson (@zackstephenson) January 5, 2023

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In the Senate, Lindsey Port is leading the effort. She said she would take the time to educate Senate members in order to «build the same kind of bipartisan support that was built in the House.» She hopes that an initial committee hearing will take place within two weeks.

Here are the main points of the proposed cannabis legalization bill in Minnesota:

• Adults aged 21 and older could buy up to two ounces of cannabis (56 grams), possess up to 2.5 kilograms at home, and grow up to eight plants, including four in bloom
• The measure promotes social equity by giving priority in the granting of certain licenses to people affected by the war on drugs
• Past criminal records related to cannabis would be automatically expunged
• In addition to creating a private network of cannabis businesses, municipalities and counties could own and operate public dispensaries
• Unlike what happens in many American states that have legalized cannabis, municipalities would not be allowed to ban cannabis businesses from operating within their jurisdictions, but they could establish «reasonable» regulations regarding the business hours and locations of these establishments
• Retail sales of cannabis would be taxed at 8 %. A portion of these revenues would fund substance abuse treatment programs, as well as subsidies to support farmers
• The law bans synthetic cannabinoids