The effort for marijuana legalization in Minnesota fell short at the Capitol this session. However, some legalization supporters say political momentum is on their side as more states continue to adopt reform bills.

On May 13, the House approved a bill to make marijuana use legal for adults in Minnesota. But the Senate didn’t take up the legislation, and Congress adjourned its regular session on May 17, killing the legalization bill. 

The Fight for Legalization

The bill’s sponsor, House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, suggested that the legalization proposal could pass in the Senate if they gave the senators a chance to vote on the bill. 

Before ending up in the Senate, the bill made its way through 12 House committees. As a result, it was one of the most thoroughly vetted reform measures to move through a state legislature. 

Throughout the journey through all 12 House committees, the legalization bill slowly gained Republican support. Republicans have been slower to get behind full legalization. 

“I don’t think it makes people have a better life,” said Sen. Jim Abeler (R). “People who are drinking every day don’t have a better life, people who are smoking pot every day don’t have a better life.”

Realistically, the fastest political route to legalization would be by the Democrat-Farmer-Labor party gaining control of state government, as they are supportive of marijuana legalization.

Small Marijuana Victories

Some critics of cannabis legalization have acknowledged and seen the change in societal attitudes surrounding cannabis. For example, this year, Abeler and most of his Republican colleagues supported a significant expansion of the state’s medical-marijuana program. Now participants in the program will be able to smoke the raw cannabis flower.

“That was a big evolution for me,” said Abeler, who also proposed reducing penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana.

Minnesota’s Office of Medical Cannabis director said the raw cannabis program would not be operational until next spring. Due to all the preparation needed for the expected spike in participation as it is expected to spike three to four times the current enrollment numbers.

Adults in the program expect the costs to be lower because of the inexpensive production of smokable flower products.

Pushing for Legalization

Meanwhile, many other states, including the District of Columbia, have legalized recreational marijuana. In most of these states, legalization was accomplished through citizen-driven ballot initiatives. Unfortunately for advocates in Minnesota, the state Constitution does not allow for this. Many advocates also do not believe the state Constitution is the place to dictate cannabis law.

“I don’t think that’s where it belongs. I think in our state we’ve realized that social policy doesn’t belong on our Constitution,” Hanson said.

Even though the Republican-controlled Senate routed legal marijuana this session, support and opposition does not fall along partisan lines. Six House Republicans voted for the legalization measure, while a few Democrats were against it.

“We have to recognize that there’s a large percentage of our population that uses cannabis recreationally, and to ignore that is just doing an injustice to the people of our state,” Rep. Jeremy Munson (R) said. Munson supports legalization because he wants to see a system of regulation put in place.

Rep. Keith Franke (R) voted for the bill because he said, “I want to be part of the conversation” as the issue advances.

Even though the legalization bill stalled in the Senate, Winkler said that the push would continue next year. “We could take steps to make sure there’s a Senate vote next year.”

Many legislators against full marijuana legalization in Minnesota say they are probably in a losing battle.

“I do believe it’s going to happen sometime, for better or worse,” Abeler said.

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