ST. PAUL, Minn. — As signatures are being gathered to put legalizing recreational cannabis for adults on the ballot in North Dakota, Minnesota lawmakers are working today to iron out its arrival in the state, and speeding up the process.
A bill, HF 4757, passed by the Senate on Friday, May 3, would let the Office of Cannabis Management start pre-approving dispensaries for licenses as early as this summer.
Besides the faster timeline for dispensaries the bill also lets cultivators start growing commercial crops later this year and gives the Office of Cannabis Management control over enforcement for hemp-derived edible products and medical marijuana.
Much of the lengthy session was focused on many amendments that were proposed and debated, ranging from establishing a ban on public consumption to clarifying rules for cities.
Lawmakers voted down an amendment to make minor possession or consumption of cannabis a misdemeanor, in line with current laws for minor possession of alcohol.
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Those who opposed the bill like Republican Senator from Fergus Falls Jordan Rasmusson expressed frustrations with proposed changes being rejected.
“We have a fix-it bill before the body that doesn’t include some of the most
