Recreational cannabis has been legal in Minnesota for nearly two years. State lawmakers took regulators — and some politicians — by surprise in 2022 when they legalized THC-infused edibles and beverages.
Gov. Tim Walz signed a full legalization bill last May allowing adults 21 and older to cultivate, carry and smoke marijuana flower. Saturday will mark the first 4/20 — the pseudo-holiday dedicated to all things pot — that weed has been legal in Minnesota.
The state is a year away from allowing recreational dispensaries to open; currently, two Native American tribal-owned dispensaries are up and running. Minnesota’s Office of Cannabis Management is still setting rules for the state’s legal market. Licensing should fully open sometime in early 2025. And even then, growers warn that marijuana flower may be in short supply if they don’t get the go-ahead to start cultivating plants soon.
So, where and how can you legally celebrate 4/20 in Minnesota? We’ve got you covered.
What can I legally carry?
Minnesotans 21 and older may legally possess up to 2 ounces of cannabis flower and 8 grams of cannabis concentrates. They can also carry edibles that contain up to a total of 800 milligrams of THC. State law also allows the possession of up to 2 pounds of marijuana at home.
Minnesotans may also grow up to eight cannabis plants per resident, although no more than four may flower at the same time. The plants may be grown indoors or outdoors but must also be kept in an enclosed and locked space away from public view.
Red Lake, White Earth nations operate state’s only dispensaries
A pair of Native American tribes currently operate Minnesota’s only recreational marijuana dispensaries.
The Red Lake Nation, a federally recognized sovereign nation covering nearly 1,300 square miles, opened its NativeCare dispensary on Aug. 1 last year — the effective date of Minnesota’s full legalization bill. The White Earth Nation opened its own dispensary, Waabigwan Mashkiki, days later in Mahnomen.