Is Weed Legal in Minnesota? Cannabis Legalization Guide (Updated – 2023)

According to the National Reform Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws 2022, a total of 38 states in the U.S. have legalized the use of Medical Marijuana in different ranges. One of them is the state of Minnesota. Weed is legalized for medicinal use and in only certain forms. A recognized medical marijuana program lives to overlook the misuse of marijuana without a card or certification.
Recreational and adult usage of marijuana is still illegal in Minnesota and can be offensive.

Minnesota Legislation History

2014

• Gov. Mark Dayton signed the Minnesota Medical Cannabis Act into law making Minnesota the 23rd state to pass medical marijuana legislation.
• This law enabled the treatment of nine severe medical conditions with marijuana.

2015

• The Minnesota Medical Cannabis Act began registration and actual distribution of prescribed medical marijuana.

2022

• With the Medical Cannabis Program and Registry in Minnesota, you can purchase flowers, gummies, and chews if there is a prescription by the doctor in the pharmacy.

Where is it safe to purchase?

Since there is Minnesota’s Medical Cannabis Program and Registry, purchasing weed is not much of a process to follow. Once you have the registration and prescription, you can purchase marijuana at state-approved dispensaries.
Registered patients can find licensed dispensaries by searching in cities including Minneapolis, Rochester, and Fargo. Delivery remains illegal but many dispensaries in Minnesota offer curbside pickup services alongside storefront sales.

In What Forms Can Weed be Consumed?

In Minnesota, only certain forms of marijuana are permitted for consumption even for medical purposes. It is one of the states with high restrictions on the usage of marijuana. Prescription of dosage can be provided in one of the below-mentioned forms.

1. Capsules
2. Liquid, including oil
3. Tablets
4. Oral sprays
5. Tinctures
6. Topicals
7. Vaporization cartridges

Consumption Guidelines

Any kind of activity that might be considered professional malpractice or prompt negligence under the influence of marijuana is considered an offense in Minnesota.

• Operating a vehicle
• Boarding on public transport
• Being in the circumstances of child-care facilities, children’s parks, etc…

Possession, Cultivation, and Sale

Registered and qualified patients can hold up to a 30-day supply of marijuana with them at any amount of dosage as prescribed by the pharmacist.
For Non-registered Minnesotaians, possession of fewer than 42.5 grams (1.5 ounces) of weed is a misdemeanor. First-time offenders may be ordered to attend drug rehab and a fine of up to $300. Possessing more than 42.5 grams of cannabis is considered a felony.
The law allows two manufacturers to be registered in the state. Each manufacturer must have one manufacturing facility and is permitted to have eight distribution sites throughout the state.

Minnesota Medical Marijuana Program

The Minnesota Department of Health administers the Medical Cannabis Program and Registry in MN. It maintains an archive of patients, caregivers, and medical practitioners and publicizes the program rules.

Qualifying Conditions

• AIDS/HIV
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis aka Lou Gehrig’s Disease
• Autism
• Cancer associated with severe/chronic pain, nausea or severe vomiting, or cachexia or severe wasting
• Chronic Pain
• Glaucoma
• Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease
• Intractable pain
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Seizures, including those characteristics of Epilepsy
• Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristics of Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Tourette Syndrome
• Terminal illness, with a probable life expectancy of less than one year

*Suffer from cancer or a terminal illness with a likely life expectancy of less than a year and produces severe or chronic pain; nausea or severe vomiting; or Cachexia or severe wasting.

Application process

To receive an MN Medical Marijuana Card, you must be registered with the MDH’s program of Medical Cannabis Program in Minnesota. This can now be done through telemedicine.

1. Application – Fill out an online form with all the necessary information about your health condition and personal details to get in virtual touch with a licensed doctor.
2. Appointment – For the state to approve, you must be diagnosed by the practitioner. This discussion goes both ways. If your medical condition is eligible for a marijuana prescription, then the doctor will write a recommendation.
3. Registration – Your consulted physician or doctor will submit the recommendation on your behalf to the state. All you have to do is wait for the official mail from the Program to proceed further.
4. Approval – The completion of your application and profile is all done online via the official website with a state fee of $200. If you are from a low-income family, then only $50 is charged.
5. Self-Evaluation Form – Once all this is completed, you will receive a self-evaluation form with which you will be permitted (must be done before each purchase) to purchase marijuana or visit a Cannabis Patient Center.

Caregiving

Unlike other states, Minnesota requires a patient to request a caregiver during the certification process itself if the patient is disabled or under the age of 18. The request must be approved by the healthcare practitioner providing the dosage for the particular patient.

• A caregiver can be a guardian, parent, or spouse of the patient.
• When the caregiver is approved, they can register on behalf of the patient.
• Submission of documents such as birth or adoption certificate or legal guardian documents, or marriage license is a must.

1. Once the registration is done, the caregiver has to wait for an email from the state.
2. A link will be sent through the mail and the caregiver must enroll through the provided link.
3. Submit the government ID proofs.
4. Print, complete, and mail background check form, $15 check, and stamped, self-addressed envelope (can take up to 30 days).
5. Finally, you will receive the confirmation email to be a legal caregiver.

Reciprocity

Minnesota does not acknowledge out-of-state medical marijuana cards. Thus, the state does not have reciprocity. However, all the procedures to legally access weed are made easy and convenient through telemedicine services.