Gov. Tim Walz to sign recreational cannabis bill into law Tuesday
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Gov. Tim Walz says he will sign the bill legalizing recreational cannabis use, and expunging low-level cannabis convictions, Tuesday at noon.
SEE UPDATE: Gov. Tim Walz signs recreational cannabis bill into law
Prior to the 2023 session's end, the Minnesota Legislature this session approved the 300-page bill that will allow adults 21 and older to use recreational marijuana and transform a black market into regulated, state-licensed businesses throughout the state.
Gov. Tim Walz tomorrow will sign the bill to legalize recreational marijuana into law. #mnleg
— Caroline Cummings (@CaroRCummings) May 29, 2023
The bill makes sweeping changes authorizing the growth, manufacturing, and lawful sale of cannabis products. Minnesota would join 22 states plus Washington, D.C., where marijuana is legal.
The bill that legalizes marijuana creates a new regulatory framework to license businesses that would cultivate, manufacture, and sell marijuana at retail dispensaries. There are 12 different business licenses a person can apply for in the adult-use market, and there are additional licenses for medical cannabis.
As the number of cannabis-friendly states across the U.S. has grown, so, too, has the drug's usage among American workers.
An annual analysis from Quest Diagnostics medical lab and testing company shows the percentage of general U.S. employees who tested positive for cannabis in 2022 reached the highest level ever recorded by Quest, which began analyzing annual workplace drug testing data in 1988.