Minnesota Lawmakers’ Poll Shows Support For Letting Cities Ban Marijuana Businesses

Minnesota’s House of Representatives circulated a poll at this year’s State Fair that asked attendees about the idea of allowing localities to enact bans on marijuana businesses within their borders. Most respondents who have an opinion on the issue agree with the policy, despite it not currently being a part of the state’s cannabis laws.

The survey, which touched on a variety of policy issues, asked: “Should cities and counties be allowed to prohibit cannabis businesses in their community?”

Minnesota legalized adult-use marijuana in 2023, but regulators are still working to implement licensed sales. Under the legislation that Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed, local governments are barred from preventing cannabis businesses in their jurisdiction—but House lawmakers evidently wanted to gauge public opinion on that local control option.

According to the survey results, a plurality (47 percent) are in favor of letting localities opt out of permitting marijuana businesses, while 41 percent said they oppose that policy. An additional 10 percent said they were undecided or have no opinion.

Nearly 10,000 people participated in the poll.

✔️ Nearly 10,000 fairgoers took this year's #mnhouse opinion poll at the Minnesota State Fair — see the results: https://t.co/nskYfwxGnT#mnleg#mnstatefairpic.twitter.com/NK8XUd2bCw

— MNHouseInfo (@MNHouseInfo) September 4, 2025

Advocates and regulators in legal cannabis states have cautioned that allowing local restrictions, especially in an emerging market, could undermine efforts to eradicate illicit sales by limiting access to regulated sources.

By law, Minnesota allows local governments to limit the number of retailers in their jurisdictions, though it requires leaders to allow at least one marijuana store for every 12,500 residents.

But the House’s survey could add impetus for lawmakers to revisit the current law, which is still in the process of being implemented.

Ahead of the enactment of legalization in Minnesota, lawmakers separate State Fair polls that found majority support for the reform.

Meanwhile, the governor recently selected a top cannabis regulator for the state who will oversee the adult-use market rollout. And while there may be some jurisdictions in favor of a local control option for licensees, over a dozen Minnesota cities have signaled interest in government-run cannabis retailers.

—Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.—

In June, Minnesota’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) issued the state’s first recreational marijuana license for a cultivation microbusiness.

OCM said at the time that it’s taking further steps to build up in the industry and create opportunities to entrepreneurs, including opening a new licensing window for cannabis testing facilities, accepting the first applications for marijuana event licenses and verifying more social equity status requests.

Separately, after Minnesota lawmakers passed a bill to end the criminalization of bong water containing trace amount of drugs, the governor signed the measure into law in May.

The change addresses an existing policy that had allowed law enforcement to treat quantities of bong water greater than four ounces as equivalent to the pure, uncut version of whatever drug the device was used to consume.

Also in Minnesota, a Native American tribe earlier this month opened the state’s first-ever legal recreational marijuana store outside of a reservation. The shop in Moorhead was followed by another location in St. Cloud that’s also operated by the White Earth Nation.

The launch of the shop comes after Walz signed of a landmark agreement this year to allow the tribe to operate up to eight retail marijuana stores across the state.

Minnesota’s 2023 cannabis legalization law allows tribes within the state to open marijuana businesses before state licensing of businesses begins. Following the law’s enactment, a number of tribal governments, including White Earth Nation, the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, made early moves to enter the market.

In April, meanwhile, state officials moved to delay a separate drug reform—the opening of safe drug consumption sites, meant to allow people to use drugs in a safer, supervised setting.

“More work needs to be done on a state and federal level before these services can be implemented in a way that is safe for participants and Harm Reduction programs,” a representative for the Department of Human Services (DHS) Behavioral Health Administration said at the time.

In March, lawmakers also filed legislation that would create a system to allow legal access to psilocybin for medical purposes. That came just days after the introduction of a separate bill that would legalize personal psilocybin use and possession among adults.

Photo courtesy of Martin Alonso.

Another Minnesota House Committee Approves Marijuana Legalization Bill, With Senate Panel Considering Amendments

Another Minnesota House committee approved a bill to legalize marijuana in the state on Tuesday, with a Senate panel also taking up its version of the legislation but delaying a vote until a future meeting.

The House Health Finance and Policy Committee passed the legislation from Rep. Zack Stephenson (D) in a voice vote on Monday, marking the 10th panel to clear the reform in that chamber.

In the Senate, meanwhile, the Health and Human Services Committee took up a companion measure that’s being sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Port (D). While the panel acted on several amendments, it ran out of time to finish its work on the legislation for the day.

“Minnesota’s current laws are doing more harm than good,” Stephenson told members ahead of the vote. “Minnesotans deserve the freedom and respect to make their own decisions about cannabis.”

Port said at the hearing in her chamber that “prohibition of cannabis is a failed system that has not achieved the desired goals and has had incredible costs for our communities, especially for communities of color.”

“We have an opportunity today to continue the process to undo some of the harm that has been done and create a system of regulation that works for Minnesota consumers and business while ensuring an opportunity in this new market for communities that have been most affected by prohibition,” she said.

Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, who has championed marijuana reform for decades, testified before both the Senate and House panels.

“It feels great that I am still alive to see this bill pass and become law,” he told senators.

Former Gov. Jesse Ventura testifies before the #mnhouse Health Finance and Policy Committee Feb. 21 in support of HF100, a bill sponsored by Rep. @zackstephenson, right, that would legalize adult-use cannabis in Minnesota.

📸 Andrew VonBank #mnlegpic.twitter.com/cgCfNDQpfM

— MNHouseInfo (@MNHouseInfo) February 21, 2023

As he did when he appeared before a prior committee earlier this month, Ventura spoke about how his wife used medical cannabis to treat a severe seizure disorder, saying that the substance “saved my life.”

With majorities in both the House and Senate and control over the governorship this session, Democratic-Farmer-Labor party officials are confident that legalization will be enacted in short order following the extensive committee consideration.

The governor recently released his biennial budget request, which included proposed funding to implement marijuana legalization and expungements, and made projections about the millions of dollars in cannabis tax revenue that his office estimates the state will earn after the reform is enacted.

Gov. Tim Walz (D) discussed his proposal in a recent interview, explaining why he’s calling for a tax rate on marijuana sales that’s nearly double that of the bill that’s advancing in the legislature.

That legislation is an iteration of the 2021 House-passed bill from former Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (D), who now serves as campaign chairman of the advocacy coalition MN is Ready. That group announced last month that it would be lobbying for the measure while leading a grassroots effort to build support for reform.

The governor has called on supporters to join lawmakers and the administration in their push legalize marijuana this session, and he circulated an email blast last month that encourages people to sign a petition backing the reform.

Much of the revised bills that are advancing through committee are consistent with Winkler’s legislation, though there are a few key changes, in addition to the newly adopted amendments. For example, it adds a new license category for businesses that sell “lower-potency edible products” under Minnesota’s unique THC law that the governor signed last year.

There would also be reduced regulatory requirements for those licensees, and they’d be able to permit on-site consumption if they have a liquor license, which is meant to ensure that shops currently selling low-THC beverages and edibles don’t face disruption.

During Tuesday’s hearing, members of the House committee considered a handful of amendments.

As of today, the bill to legalize cannabis for adults ages 21 and up has been approved by 1️⃣0️⃣ House committees. We are working hard to vet this bill and get this right.

— Minnesota House DFL Majority (@mnhouseDFL) February 21, 2023

One proposal was withdrawn after Stephenson pledged he would incorporate its provisions into a future larger author’s amendment. As drafted, it would add a representative of the Local Public Health Association of Minnesota to the Cannabis Advisory Council, require the commissioner of health to consult with local health departments on a youth education program about the harms of marijuana, direct the health commissioner to distribute marijuana education grants to localities and tribes and add an appropriations provision to fund those efforts.

Another amendment that would have placed a 35 percent THC potency cap on cannabis flower and a 60 percent THC potency cap on concentrates was defeated.

Also rejected was a proposal to require cannabis product labels to include a warning stating that they are “not recommended for individuals under the age of 25” and direct regulators to review scientific evidence on the effects that marijuana use has on brain development for people under 25. Stephenson said he would adopt certain provisions in his next sponsor’s amendment, however.

The Senate panel separately adopted a number of amendments at its hearing, including several from Port.

One of the sponsor’s changes would make it so hospitals and medical facilities cannot “unreasonably limit a patient’s access to or use of medical cannabis,” remove restrictions on when patients with certain conditions can qualify for medical marijuana, declare patient registrations to be permanent instead of lasting for only one year, delete a provision prohibiting medical cannabis consumption “on the grounds of a child care facility or family or group family day care program” and require child care facilities to inform parents or guardians if they permit such use on the premises.

Another of her amendments would add the commissioner of human services and two licensed mental health professionals to the Cannabis Advisory Council, require an additional warning to marijuana products that includes the phone number of the Minnesota Poison Control System, add a provision to appropriate funding to the Poison Control System and allow the Department of Health to enforce laws related to edible cannabinoid products.

Other Port amendments would delete a provision stating that “the registration or reregistration period of a medical cannabis manufacturer expires on July 1, 2024,” clarify that cannabis event organizers cannot permit marijuana smoking in any area where tobacco smoking is not allowed, replace references to substance use “disorder” with a focus on “recovery” when describing the scope of grants that are created and funded by the legalization bill, substitute references to “artificially” derived cannabinoids with the word “synthetically” and prohibit people from smoking or vaping marijuana in areas where minors could inhale the residue.

Approved amendments filed by other lawmakers would require officials to collect data on trends in hospital treated cannabis poisoning and adverse events and add experts in toxicology, pediatric medicine and adult medicine to the Cannabis Advisory Council and the Substance Use Disorder Advisory Council.

The sponsor of another amendment that would have required that 20 percent of marijuana revenues in the general fund be transferred to the substance use disorder treatment and prevention grant account chose to withdraw the proposal.

Finally, an amendment to change the legal age for marijuana from 21 to 25 with also withdrawn, but the sponsor suggested he may bring it up for a vote when the panel reconvenes.

While senators initially intended to take the bill back up on Wednesday, that meeting has been postponed as a result of weather.

The bill’s next stop in the House is the Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee, which was expected to take up the proposal on Thursday—but that has also been postponed. The Senate version will go to the Human Services Committee after it clears the current panel.

Here are the main components of the revised marijuana legalization bills, HF 100 and SF 73:

Adults 21 and older could purchase up to two ounces of cannabis and cultivate up to eight plants, four of which could be mature.

They could possess up to two ounces in a public place and up to five pounds in a private dwelling.

Gifting up to two ounces of marijuana without remuneration between adults would be permitted.

It would promote social equity, in part by ensuring that diverse licensing by scoring equity applicants higher.

Prior marijuana records would also be automatically expunged. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension would be responsible for identifying people who are eligible for relief and process the expungements.

In addition to creating a system of licensed cannabis businesses, municipalities and counties could own and operate government dispensaries.

On-site consumption permits could be approved for events, and cannabis delivery services would be permitted under the bill.

Unlike in many legal states, local municipalities would be banned from prohibiting marijuana businesses from operating in their areas, though they could set “reasonable” regulations on the time of operation and location of those businesses.

Retail cannabis sales would be taxed at eight percent. Part of that revenue would fund substance misuse treatment programs, as well as grants to support farmers.

A new Office of Cannabis Management would be established, and it would be responsible for regulating the market and issuing cannabis business licenses. There would be a designated Division of Social Equity.

People living in low-income neighborhoods and military veterans who lost honorable status due to a cannabis-related offense would be considered social equity applicants eligible for priority licensing.

The legislation as revised fixes an issue in current statute that prohibits liquor stores from selling THC products.

It also contains language banning synthetic cannabinoids, which is consistent with Board of Pharmacy rules put into place last year.

The House panels that have passed the legislation in recent weeks are the Education Finance Committee, Human Services Policy Committee, Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee, Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee, State and Local Government Finance and Policy Committee, Labor and Industry Finance and Policy Committee, Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee, Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee and Commerce Finance and Policy Committee.

The Senate committees that have signed off so far are the Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee, Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development Committee, Jobs and Economic Development Committee, Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee and Judiciary and Public Safety Committee.

—Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.—

Lawmakers and the governor have expressed optimism about the prospects of legalization this session, especially with Democrats newly in control of both chambers, whereas last session they only had a House majority.

Following their election win in November, Democrats internally agreed to discuss the issue imminently.

House Speaker Melissa Hortman (D) said recently that she expects cannabis reform to be included in the governor’s forthcoming budget request, though she reiterated that the reform “will take a long time” to move through the legislature.

While marijuana reform was excluded from a list of legislative priorities that Democrats unveiled last month, Hortman said that the issue is “a priority,” albeit a “very big, complicated.”

The governor included funding for implementing legalization in his last executive budget request, but lawmakers were unable to enact the policy change. He and Hortman have differing opinions about how quickly the issue can advance this session, however, with Walz recently saying it would be done “by May” and the speaker indicating it could take until next year.

Winkler told Marijuana Moment last month that he agrees with the governor, saying “it is likely that [passing legalization] will be done by May.”

“The reason is that the legislature adjourns until next year at the end of May, and so if they don’t do it in that timeline, it’ll take another full year—and I don’t think anything will be improved or bettered by waiting,” he said. “So it’s in everyone’s interest to get this bill passed.”

Two polls released in September found that the majority of Minnesota residents support adult-use marijuana legalization—and one survey showed that even more Minnesotans approve of the state’s move to legalize THC-infused edibles that was enacted earlier this year.

A survey conducted by officials with the House at the annual State Fair that was released in September also found majority support for legalization. That legislature-run poll found that 61 percent of Minnesotans back legalizing cannabis for adult use.

Support was up this year from 58 percent when the House Public Information Services polled fair goers on the issue in 2021. In 2019, the House poll found 56 percent support for legalization.

New Jersey Police Can’t Be Tested For Marijuana In Most Cases, State Attorney General Says

Minnesota Lawmakers Approve Marijuana Legalization Bill With Amendments In First House Committee Stop

Minnesota lawmakers approved a marijuana legalization bill, with a series of amendments, in a House committee on Wednesday.

It’s the first of what’s expected to be many committee stops for the legislation, which builds on a reform measure that passed the full House in 2021. With majorities in both the House and Senate and control over the governorship this session, Democratic-Farmer-Labor party officials are confident that legalization will be enacted sooner than later.

The House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee approved several amendments to the legislation, which was unveiled last week. The revised bill then passed the panel, which is chaired by the sponsor Rep. Zack Stephenson (D), in a voice vote.

Sen. Lindsey Port (D), who is sponsoring the companion version of the bill in her chamber, said recently that it would also receive committee consideration in that chamber in the coming weeks. In the House, the next stop is the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee.

“Minnesotans are ready. Cannabis should not be illegal in Minnesota,” Stephenson said at the opening of the hearing. “Minnesotans deserve the freedom and respect to make responsible decisions about cannabis themselves. Our current laws are doing more harm than good.”

“Our bill will create a safe, well-regulated, legal marketplace where Minnesotans can grow, sell and buy cannabis if they choose to do so,” he added. “It includes best practices for consumer protection, health and public safety. And critically, it includes robust expungement programs so that people—and we should be clear that it is disproportionately people of color—who have been caught in the criminal justice system due to cannabis offenses are able to move on with their lives.”

The legislation is an iteration of the House-passed bill from former Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (D), who now serves as campaign chairman of the advocacy coalition MN is Ready. That group announced this month that it would be lobbying for the measure while leading a grassroots effort to build support for reform.

Gov. Tim Walz (D) has called on supporters to join lawmakers and the administration in their push legalize marijuana this session, and he circulated an email blast last week that encourages people to sign a petition backing the reform.

Much of the revised bill that cleared committee is consistent with Winkler’s legislation, though there are a few key changes, in addition to the newly adopted amendments. For example, it adds a new license category for businesses that sell “lower-potency edible products” under Minnesota’s unique THC law that the governor signed last year.

There would also be reduced regulatory requirements for those licensees, and they’d be able to permit on-site consumption if they have a liquor license, which is meant to ensure that shops currently selling low-THC beverages and edibles don’t face disruption.

The bill was further amended on Tuesday to include tribal representatives on a new Cannabis Advisory Council that would be established and add a packaging requirement on cannabis products to warn about consumption by pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Today's #mnhouse Commerce Finance and Policy Committee hearing on marijuana legalization bill, HF100 — LIVE now on HTV1

▶️ Stream it on the House website https://t.co/zZ2uilvH36 and YouTube https://t.co/NZRGWXRDyh#mnlegpic.twitter.com/Ucn53Fo2D5

— MNHouseInfo (@MNHouseInfo) January 11, 2023

Lawmakers also approved amendments to require regulators include a section in an annual report on adverse health effects related to secondhand cannabis exposure and revise language on certain local zoning requirements.

Members rejected a number of other amendments, including one that would have allowed private events to ban marijuana, clarified that banks and credit unions aren’t mandated to work with cannabis businesses and permitted regulators to revoke licenses for businesses that failed to pay property taxes.

The committee also rejected what would have been a major change to the legislation: an amendment that would have made it so local governments, rather than the state, would be responsible for licensing retailers, microbusinesses, lower potency edible retailers and medical cannabis retailers. The state would have still been in charge of licensing cultivation, manufacturing, wholesale, transporter, testing, event organizer and delivery businesses under the proposal.

Here are the main components of the revised marijuana legalization bill, HF 100, as approved by the committee:

Adults 21 and older could purchase up to two ounces of cannabis and cultivate up to eight plants, four of which could be mature.

They could possess up to two ounces in a public place and up to five pounds in a private dwelling.

Gifting up to two ounces of marijuana without remuneration between adults would be permitted.

It would promote social equity, in part by ensuring that diverse licensing by scoring equity applicants higher.

Prior marijuana records would also be automatically expunged. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension would be responsible for identifying people who are eligible for relief and process the expungements.

In addition to creating a system of licensed cannabis businesses, municipalities and counties could own and operate government dispensaries.

On-site consumption permits could be approved for events, and cannabis delivery services would be permitted under the bill.

Unlike in many legal states, local municipalities would be banned from prohibiting marijuana businesses from operating in their areas, though they could set “reasonable” regulations on the time of operation and location of those businesses.

Retail cannabis sales would be taxed at eight percent. Part of that revenue would fund substance misuse treatment programs, as well as grants to support farmers.

A new Office of Cannabis Management would be established, and it would be responsible for regulating the market and issuing cannabis business licenses. There would be a designated Division of Social Equity.

People living in low-income neighborhoods and military veterans who lost honorable status due to a cannabis-related offense would be considered social equity applicants eligible for priority licensing.

The legislation as revised fixes an issue in current statute that prohibits liquor stores from selling THC products.

It also contains language banning synthetic cannabinoids, which is consistent with Board of Pharmacy rules put into place last year.

“HF 100 is a viable path toward responsibly legalizing marijuana use and possession for Minnesota adults,” ACLU of Minnesota said in written testimony. “It has strong provisions that don’t simply replace marijuana prohibition with onerous fines and fees that can disproportionately affect marginalized families. It also provides clemency or resentencing for certain marijuana convictions and expungement of past marijuana convictions.”

The Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association (MLBA) also voiced support for the legislation, writing that members “welcome the regulations and safeguards for consumers included in this adult-use cannabis proposal.”

—Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.—

The Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association (MCPA) and the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association (MSA) submitted testimony “strongly” opposing the reform measure. The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce expressed concerns about efforts to “prematurely legalize” and recommended that lawmakers simply form a task force to study the issue.

Lawmakers and the governor have expressed optimism about the prospects of legalization in the upcoming session, especially with Democrats newly in control of both chambers, whereas last session they only had a House majority.

Following their election win in November, Democrats internally agreed to discuss the issue in short order.

House Speaker Melissa Hortman (D) said recently that she expects cannabis reform to be included in the governor’s forthcoming budget request, though she reiterated that the reform “will take a long time” to move through the legislature.

While marijuana reform was excluded from a list of legislative priorities that Democrats unveiled this month, Hortman said that the issue is “a priority,” albeit a “very big, complicated.”

The governor included funding for implementing legalization in his last executive budget request, but lawmakers were unable to enact the policy change. He and Hortman have differing opinions about how quickly the issue can advance this session, however, with Walz recently saying it would be done “by May” and the speaker indicating it could take until next year.

Winkler told Marijuana Moment last week that he agrees with the governor, saying “it is likely that [passing legalization] will be done by May.”

“The reason is that the legislature adjourns until next year at the end of May, and so if they don’t do it in that timeline, it’ll take another full year—and I don’t think anything will be improved or bettered by waiting,” he said. “So it’s in everyone’s interest to get this bill passed.”

Two polls released in September found that the majority of Minnesota residents support adult-use marijuana legalization—and one survey showed that even more Minnesotans approve of the state’s move to legalize THC-infused edibles that was enacted earlier this year.

A survey conducted by officials with the House at the annual State Fair that was released in September also found majority support for legalization. That legislature-run poll found that 61 percent of Minnesotans back legalizing cannabis for adult use.

Support was up this year from 58 percent when the House Public Information Services polled fair goers on the issue in 2021. In 2019, the House poll found 56 percent support for legalization.

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Photo courtesy of Brian Shamblen.