The road to making marijuana legal for recreational use in Minnesota has been a long and bumpy one, and despite a historic bill passage, legalization is far from certain.
Minnesota House of Representatives yesterday voted 72-61 to approve a bill that would allow adults in the state to buy and possess up to 1.5 ounces of pot and grow up to eight plants, four of which could be mature.
But after making it through 12 different committees and being passed by the House, the GOP-led Minnesota Senate is set to puff, puff, pass on the bill with the Majority Leader Paul Gazelka saying that The marijuana bill in the Senate is up in smoke. That s not going to happen.
Is Recreational Weed Legal in Minnesota? House Passes Marijuana Bill
On 5/14/21 at 5:50 AM EDT
The Minnesota House of Representatives approved a bill on Thursday that would legalize marijuana for recreational use, but the legislation faces an uphill battle in the Republican-controlled state Senate.
Minnesota lawmakers backed the amended bill in a 72-61 vote. The legislation would limit the use of cannabis to those aged 21 and older, while also wiping the criminal records of people who previously committed minor cannabis-related drug offenses.
Regulatory boards and advisory councils would be created, product standards would be introduced and restrictions would be placed on cannabis advertising. Taxation on marijuana product sales would also be put in place.
Senate leaders on Thursday said the measure would go up in smoke in that chamber. 11:09 pm, May 13, 2021 ×
Minnesota House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, D-Golden Valley, on Thursday, May 13, 2021, spoke to reporters at the Minnesota Capitol about his proposal to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use. (Dana Ferguson / Forum News Service)
ST. PAUL The Minnesota House of Representatives on Thursday, May 13, advanced a proposal to legalize marijuana for adult use, marking the first time in state history that the chamber weighed and passed the proposal.
On a
72-61 bipartisan vote, lawmakers moved the proposal to the GOP-led Senate, where it has little chance of passing into law.
Special session on the horizon, adult-use marijuana clears hurdle at Minnesota Capitol
As the clock ticked down on the legislative session, leaders suggested they d need to work in overtime to get a state budget and other priorities finished. 10:00 am, May 14, 2021 ×
Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-East Gull Lake, on Thursday, May 13, 2021, spoke to reporters at the Capitol about end-of-session negotiations. (Dana Ferguson / Forum News Service)
ST. PAUL The Minnesota Legislature geared up for overtime as the clock ticked down on the regular 2021 legislative session and top leaders and the governor failed to reach a deal.
Gov. Tim Walz; House Speaker Melissa Hortman, D-Brooklyn Park, and Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-East Gull Lake, spent days behind closed doors trying to bridge a $1 billion divide between DFL and GOP budget proposals and square dozens of policy priorities before turning loose budget targets. Late this week, th