{"id":374277,"date":"2016-03-31T21:35:43","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:35:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/minnesota-law\/minnesota-marijuana-laws.html"},"modified":"2024-11-18T15:38:44","modified_gmt":"2024-11-18T20:38:44","slug":"minnesota-marijuana-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/minnesota-law\/minnesota-marijuana-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Minnesota Marijuana Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Minnesota Marijuana Laws<\/h1>\n
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\n By Kit Yona, M.A.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by John Mascolo, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Big changes are coming to Minnesota in marijuana. On May 30, 2023, Gov. Tim Walz signed a law legalizing cannabis use<\/a> for those 21 and older, effective Aug. 1, 2023. As a result, Minnesota became the 23rd state to approve marijuana for adult recreational use. The law set a plan for the licensing and operation of recreational marijuana dispensaries. Medical cannabis programs have been in Minnesota since 2014.<\/p>\r\n

State-regulated adult-use dispensaries are expected to open in early 2025. But there are other methods for getting cannabis products and seeds available now. The changes lawmakers approved doesn’t mean "anything goes" with recreational cannabis. There are still plenty of laws about the use of cannabis, and you should know what they are to avoid running afoul of law enforcement.<\/p>\r\n

In this article, we’ll discuss the limits set by Minnesota laws, how and by whom dispensaries will open, and the possible repercussions of stepping outside the bounds of legal use of marijuana<\/a> in Minnesota.<\/p>\r\n

The terms marijuana and cannabis<\/a> are related but have separate definitions. Cannabis more broadly refers to all products from the plant Cannabis sativa. Marijuana refers to products containing a high content of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive substance within certain cannabis products. But we will use these terms interchangeably when explaining Minnesota laws.<\/p>\r\n

This article will discuss Minnesota’s marijuana laws.<\/p>\r\n

Minnesota Marijuana Law: Possession, Purchase, and Use<\/h2>\r\n

Legal cannabis may have been long overdue in Minnesota, but there are still rules you’ll need to navigate. The first step is being aware of what’s legal and what isn’t. For example, it’s crucial to keep in mind that under federal law, marijuana is still a Schedule I drug<\/a>. So, while you can have and use cannabis in most of Minnesota at age 21, it’s still a crime in any of the federal parks or lands in the state.<\/p>\r\n

There have been recent attempts to get marijuana reclassified<\/a> at the federal level \u2014 in Congress and through the administrative process. As of November 2024, there has been no legal change in marijuana’s status. Check for any changes before exposing yourself to potential prosecution by taking marijuana over state lines.<\/p>\r\n

The Office of Cannabis Management<\/a> (OCM) oversees marijuana policies and programs. The OCM creates the regulatory framework for cannabis use in Minnesota.<\/p>\r\n

Minnesota Marijuana Possession<\/h3>\r\n

The law the Minnesota legislature passed in 2023 set the legal limits of cannabis Minnesotans can carry, possess, and cultivate. A person at least 21 years old can:<\/p>\r\n