Minnesota governor will sign legal cannabis bill

In 2019, Corey Day, a former executive director of the state Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) party formed Cannabis for Economic Growth and made the dollars and cents case for legalizing for all adults in Minnesota so towns like Pipestone, Luverne, Worthington, Lake Benton, Ortonville and Hendricks near the South Dakota border could reap the coming cannabis whirlwind. 

On Saturday Minnesota's DFL-dominated legislature passed a bill sending the measure to Governor Tim Walz to sign into law. The mechanism for dispensaries is at least a year away but the possession of two pounds at home, provisions for home growing and two ounces on ones person are parts of the statute.

The state would impose a 10 percent tax rate, which is lower than a lot of other places where it is sold legally. The proceeds would be used toward fostering the legal market through start-up grants and other regulatory steps. Eighty percent would flow to state coffers and the rest would be earmarked for local governments. 

Cities and counties could cap the number of cannabis retailers based on population size, with at least one for every 12,500 in a jurisdiction. There would be a floor and communities could issue more licenses. 

Criminal records of past marijuana offenses could be expunged. That automatic process for the lowest-level crimes would start in August but reach into 2024. More complicated cases would go before a new board for review. [MPR]