Minnesota Legalization Update

Walz has long been a proponent of legalizing adult-use recreational marijuana. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed a legalization bill during the 2021 session in which several Republicans voted yes, but the GOP-controlled Senate never voted for it. Even with the legalization of some THC products in Minnesota, employers can still enforce policies prohibiting employees from possessing, using, and being under the influence of THC during work hours and on labor property. In this sense, from a legal point of view, THC consumption in Minnesota is treated in the same way as alcohol consumption. An employee can legally consume certain THC products outside of work, and an employer can still prohibit employees from coming to work under the influence and having these products in the workplace. Minnesota employers with compliant policies may also continue to use spot testing (for safety-critical positions) and reasonable suspicion testing (for all positions) to address concerns about in-service poisoning. Employers should also ensure that supervisors are trained and document signs of impairment to facilitate the investigation of reasonable suspicion. In an interview with WCCO Radio on Friday, Walz confirmed the conversation, hinting that Ventura would be invited to the signing ceremony, as Ventura was one of the first governors in the country to support legalization. Bring me the news Here`s what`s in the DFL`s recreational marijuana legalization bill Angela Davis MPR News host talks about the future of marijuana legalization in Minnesota, what Minnesota can learn from other states, and how marijuana legalization influences policy. Welcome to the official website of adult cannabis legislation in Minnesota! Subscribe to our mailing list for exclusive news and updates on the movement to legalize cannabis for adults in Minnesota. Minnesota employers are concerned about potential liabilities stemming from their drug testing policies after the state recently legalized consumables containing marijuana`s active ingredient. Outrageously, however, the Republican majority in the Minnesota Senate refused to grant the bill (HF 600) or its Senate companion, even a committee hearing or vote — both in 2021 and when the bill was deferred to 2022.

Every Republican senator voted against a motion to give a vote to the Senate bill. The legislature adjourned and the legalization laws died for the year. FOX9 Minnesota House of Representatives Democrats push for marijuana legalization — again „Some cities have reviewed and updated their written personnel policies to ensure compliance with the THC Act,“ said Patricia Y. Beety, general counsel for the League of Minnesota Cities. A September poll by MPR News, The Star Tribune and KARE11 found that a slim majority of Minnesotans support legalizing recreational marijuana. And DFL Gov. Tim Walz, who is running for re-election, has said he supports legalization. WDIO DFL members reintroduce cannabis legalization bill Ventura, who supported legalization when he served from 1999 to 2003, announced on his podcast earlier this week that Walz called him the day after he was re-elected and said he now expects it to pass.

Ventura, an independent who generally has no support, supported Walz against Republican Scott Jensen. „I think it really opened up a broader discussion about what marijuana could be here in Minnesota in the future and the impact it has on employers` work environments,“ he said. The Republican majority that blocked cannabis processing in the Senate will disappear when the legislature convenes in January 2023, when Democrats will hold the triumvirate of control of both houses as well as the governor`s office. But lawmakers are just beginning to organize after the election, and the details have yet to be worked out. Twenty-one other states have approved recreational marijuana use. The MPR Legal Cannabis Act returns with still uncertain prospects Legalization would create tens of thousands of much-needed jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue, reducing unnecessary stops, searches and arrests that unfairly and unevenly target black people in Minnesota. A 2020 ACLU report shows that Minnesota has the eighth-worst racial disparity in the country, with blacks being arrested 5.4 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession than whites, despite nearly identical rates of use. Click here to download a fact sheet on cannabis law for adults. WJON MN House Democrats try again to legalize recreational marijuana In 2015, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that a worker who uses medical marijuana is not protected by that state`s „lawful activities“ law because of the federal ban on marijuana. That comes after voters turned against the Minnesota Senate, which participated in this week`s midterm elections under Republican Party control.

Forum News Service `Turning the tide` as Minnesota House scrambles to legalize recreational cannabis Minnesota employers can still take some action against workers who test positive for THC, lawyers said. South Dakota residents, including a significant number of Republicans, voted to legalize marijuana possession in 2020, but that law was struck down by the state Supreme Court in part because the proposal was associated with medical marijuana and hemp. This year, the recreational pot was alone on the ballot when it was defeated. But the Minnesota law „was made in a limited way that didn`t keep much eye on employers,“ he said. „It`s going to be something that evolves over time, and it will force employers to look at their policies and think“ about the impact it could have on some employees, such as those in safety-sensitive jobs, Goerke added. The new law, passed as a quiet provision of the legislature`s omnibus bill, amends Minnesota`s list of controlled substances to exclude „industrial hemp“ products that contain no more than 0.3 percent of any form of THC. This change brought Minnesota`s law into line with federal law. However, the law also allows Minnesota companies to sell edible and drinkable products that contain no more than five milligrams of THC per serving and no more than 50 milligrams of THC per package. The law does not distinguish between certain types of THC. As a result, delta-8 THC products that were previously unrestricted due to a federal loophole are now subject to Minnesota`s five-milligram service limit.