Sensible Change Minnesota’s Advocacy Committee is excited to share our Agenda for 2021! Given the current situation with COVID-19 and the limitations that puts on advocacy organizations, we have scaled back the issues we are working on this year.

Medical Cannabis

  • Add raw cannabis flower as an allowable delivery method for medical cannabis.
  • Protect patients on probation, parole, or conditional court release who use medical cannabis.
  • Allow for an affirmative necessity defense for medical cannabis patients who are charged with crimes for cannabis possession and provide remedies for patients who have been discriminated against.
  • Codify into statute certain program changes made during the Governor’s Peacetime Emergency. Specifically, the curbside pick-up and the provision that allows caregivers to serve more than one patient outside of the same household.

Adult Use

We continue to work with House Majority Leader, Representative Ryan Winkler (D-Golden Valley) to ensure patients and consumers are at the forefront of adult use policy. Our priorities include:

  • Keeping medical cannabis products tax free.
  • Improving accessibility for patients.
  • Ensuring products are free of contaminants, including pesticides and heavy metals.
  • Providing funding for consumer education and youth prevention.

Drug Paraphernalia

Exclude adulterant screening, purity test kits, and hypodermic needles from the definition of drug paraphernalia.

Decriminalization

Add a small amount of cannabis concentrates, edibles, and liquids to the definition of “small amount,” effectively decriminalizing possession of non-flower cannabis products. Additionally, this bill will remove the drug education program requirement for possession of a small amount, remove the driver’s license revocation requirement for possession of a small amount of cannabis, and expunge records for individuals with felony records if the charge would no longer be a felony following enactment of the law.

Other Important Legislative Proposals

  • Petition for a federal DEA exemption for medical cannabis. This would help to reconcile state and federal law in regards to the medical use of cannabis using an administrative process.
  • Remove cannabis and non-synthetic THC from the Schedule I classification in Minnesota.

Who we’re working with:

  • Kurtis Hanna of Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition;
  • Minnesota NORML;
  • Minnesotans for Responsible Marijuana Regulation;
  • Minnesota Veterans for Cannabis;
  • United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1189;
  • Marijuana Policy Project; and
  • Vireo Health (f/k/a Minnesota Medical Solutions).

Want to help?

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to Maren Schroeder, Policy Director, [email protected]