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.
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.
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.
Both dispensaries are more than 230 miles northwest of the Twin Cities, or a three-hour drive from the metro.
The Prairie Island Indian Community plans to open a third cannabis dispensary in Goodhue County this year. But that operation, about 45 miles southeast of Minneapolis, won’t go live until summer.
Many Minnesota breweries have embraced THC-infused drinks since the 2022 law went into effect, offering a variety of tinctures, sodas and seltzers. These products contain hemp-derived THC. The current legal limit is 5 milligrams per serving and no more than 50 mg per package. Some beverages contain more than one serving per can.
Here is a small sample of products available in the Twin Cities:
Modist Brewing in North Minneapolis offers several options, from a 4-milligram apple, lemon and ginger concoction to a 10-milligram tangerine seltzer. The Ericsson neighborhood’s Venn Brewing Co. has also jumped on the THC train. The brewery produces a 5-milligram tonic and a 10-milligram variant as well.
At least one eatery has also dabbled in specialty THC beverages. Hi Flora, a vegan restaurant that took over the former Common Roots Cafe space on Lyndale Avenue, sells tinctures ranging from a 5-milligram bottle of Cloud 9 for $8 or a 50-milligram bottle for $44. Patrons can add the tincture to their food and drink or purchase canned THC beverages as well.
Several specialty stores also offer gummies, chocolates and other THC-infused treats. Highnorth Dispensary has three locations in the metro area — one each in Cottage Grove, Inver Grove Heights and Uptown Minneapolis. Hemp House also operates stores in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Richfield.
A number of breweries and bars also sell edibles on-site.
Star Tribune staff writers Brooks Johnson and Ryan Faircloth contributed to this report.
Eder Campuzano is a general assignment reporter for the Star Tribune.
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This is the first 4/20 that weed is legal in Minnesota. How can you celebrate legally? – Star Tribune
