Cannabis is now legal for adults 21 and older to use and possess in Minnesota, making it the 23rd state in the country to legalize cannabis for recreational use. The first dispensary selling marijuana for recreational use is now open and selling to people on the Red Lake Nation in north-central Minnesota.
Here’s what we know so far about the legalization of recreational cannabis in Minnesota.
When did Minnesota legalize cannabis?
Minnesota lawmakers approved a bill in 2014 that legalized the limited use of some forms of medical marijuana, and products became available in 2015. That program started with oils, pills and other non-smokable forms. Leaf form was authorized for that program in 2021.
In 2022, Minnesota legalized the sale and consumption of edibles containing small amounts of hemp-derived THC.
On May 30, Governor Tim Walz signed an expansive cannabis legalization bill into law, allowing the recreational use of cannabis for adults 21 and older starting Aug. 1. The Legislature passed the bill earlier that month, with a handful of Republicans joining a nearly united Democratic vote in favor.
When and where will recreational dispensaries open?
Dispensaries can’t open until the state figures out a licensing system for the businesses, so they won’t open for at least another year—some estimate in early 2025. However, tribal governments don’t have to wait for the state’s licensing system to open dispensaries. Minnesota’s 11 Native American tribal nations are sovereign, meaning they can operate independently from state laws and regulations.
The first recreational marijuana dispensary opened Aug. 1 on the Red Lake Nation in north central Minnesota. The Red Lake dispensary is called NativeCare and has been providing medical marijuana to band members and non-members since April. Anyone 21 and older will be able to shop there.
The White Earth Nation also recently legalized adult-use recreational cannabis and will begin selling it sometime in the first half of August. Both tribal members and non-tribal adults 21 years and older will be able to purchase from the nation’s dispensary.
White Earth Chairman Michael Fairbanks told MPR News in late July that White Earth may soon enter into agreements with other tribal nations across the state to supply them with cannabis products for retail.
Fairbanks also confirmed that White Earth, along with other tribal nations in Minnesota, are negotiating a compact with the state that would allow tribes to operate dispensaries off-reservation.
What is legal for me to have and do?
Even though recreational dispensaries aren’t widely available for Minnesotans to buy cannabis, people are allowed to possess, use and grow it. Possession of two ounces or less in public is no longer a crime. People are also permitted to have two pounds at home. They’ll also be able to grow up to eight marijuana plants. Only four can be mature enough to be flowering at once. Exceeding the limit could bring a civil penalty of $500 per plant.
The law allows for use by adults 21 and older, but there are limits. It can’t be: on public school grounds; where smoking is otherwise prohibited; in places where smoke or vapor could be inhaled by a minor; or behind the wheel of a car or boat. And without a license to do so, selling it could result in escalating criminal and financial sanctions based on the amount illegally sold. Some people prepared their home-grow setups in advance so they could begin growing cannabis at home starting August 1.
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