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After marijuana's legalization elsewhere, why not Minnesota?
Source: Associated Press
After marijuana’s legalization elsewhere, why not Minnesota?
By STEVE KARNOWSKI
January 28, 2019
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Several Minnesota lawmakers launched an effort Monday to legalize recreational marijuana in the state, hoping to capitalize on recent successes the pro-cannabis movement has enjoyed elsewhere in the country.
Sen. Melisa Franzen and Rep. Mike Freiberg, both Democrats, anticipate major resistance to their push to set up a regulatory framework for legal sales of the drug starting in 2022, but they see an opening. Voters last November made Michigan the first Midwestern state — and 10th overall — to legalize recreational marijuana.
“The issue of cannabis legalization is one that’s moving incredibly fast around the country,” said Freiberg, of Golden Valley, who expressed hope that at least this would be the year for legislative hearings. “At a certain point it will become inevitable here in Minnesota.”
Historically liberal Minnesota authorized medical marijuana under strict regulation after a contentious debate five years ago, but the push to allow recreational use didn’t gain much steam until the midterm elections. That’s when two pro-marijuana parties in a pair of statewide races met the state’s 5 percent threshold to quality for major-party status, which carries automatic ballot access, and Democrats took control of the state House for the first time in four years.
-snip-
By STEVE KARNOWSKI
January 28, 2019
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Several Minnesota lawmakers launched an effort Monday to legalize recreational marijuana in the state, hoping to capitalize on recent successes the pro-cannabis movement has enjoyed elsewhere in the country.
Sen. Melisa Franzen and Rep. Mike Freiberg, both Democrats, anticipate major resistance to their push to set up a regulatory framework for legal sales of the drug starting in 2022, but they see an opening. Voters last November made Michigan the first Midwestern state — and 10th overall — to legalize recreational marijuana.
“The issue of cannabis legalization is one that’s moving incredibly fast around the country,” said Freiberg, of Golden Valley, who expressed hope that at least this would be the year for legislative hearings. “At a certain point it will become inevitable here in Minnesota.”
Historically liberal Minnesota authorized medical marijuana under strict regulation after a contentious debate five years ago, but the push to allow recreational use didn’t gain much steam until the midterm elections. That’s when two pro-marijuana parties in a pair of statewide races met the state’s 5 percent threshold to quality for major-party status, which carries automatic ballot access, and Democrats took control of the state House for the first time in four years.
-snip-
Read more: https://apnews.com/ec5aa61d1a6347edb4f1fe2d7c1c7ae5
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