The Minnesota Legislature is currently working on several bills aimed at refining existing cannabis regulations as the state’s retail market prepares to launch. These legislative changes must pass at least one committee by Friday to remain viable during this session.
Senator Scott Dibble, a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party from Minneapolis, is sponsoring multiple bills that focus on both recreational cannabis and adjustments to medical marijuana rules. He recently spoke with MPR News host Cathy Wurzer about the nature of these proposed alterations ahead of the upcoming committee hearings.
The Office of Cannabis Management has reported a high volume of patient applications for the medical cannabis registry. Due to this influx, the enrollment portal has indicated that applicants should expect longer wait times than usual. The office noted that it could take close to the maximum allowed 30 days to process applications due to the current volume of submissions.
Dibble’s legislation intends to improve access to medical marijuana for patients in Minnesota. He expressed concerns that the changes might unintentionally complicate the situation. Dibble emphasized that the primary objective is to maintain strong medical access to cannabis in the state. He pointed out that in other states where adult-use cannabis has been legalized, medical access has often declined for various reasons. His bill aims to align medical access with the upcoming retail cannabis opportunities available on reservations, which he believes are currently quite limited.
Since Minnesota legalized medical cannabis in 2014, only two companies have been authorized to cultivate, sell, and operate a total of eight medical dispensaries statewide. Initially, the conditions under which patients could access medical cannabis were restricted to about ten qualifying ailments, including cancer and ALS. Dibble expressed optimism, stating, “I think it’s encouraging that we have a lot of folks who are still seeking out those kinds of things that help treat conditions for different symptoms and syndromes that they suffer.”
