Some of the states top Democratic lawmakers are prepare to push the 2020 legislative session to legalize marijuana in MInnesota. But, they did acknowledge it probably won't become law this year According to Pioneer Press House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler said " Legalization is going to happen in Minnesota, and the question is whether it happens this year, next year, or the year after,” House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler said. “The change is coming, and we are preparing for that change by creating legislation that will address all the harms of our existing prohibition of cannabis.”

So far Democrats have held 15 town halls across the state since September to gather information from experts and citizens. To everyone surprise a majority of the people at these town halls were older people who use medicinal marijuana and were saying that the program does not work well. Minnesota has the most restrictive guidelines on Medicinal marijuana of anywhere in the country.

Winkler said that they plan to introduce the bill early and that this will be the best legalization bill in the country.because they have taken into account the lessons from other states where marijuana is legal. Governor Tim Walz has state numerous times that he supports marijuana legalization.

According to The Pioneer Press GOP Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka of Nisswa said last month that "the Senate won’t consider legalization this year. He went on to say experts from Colorado testified at a Senate hearing last year and all of the data was bad. Homelessness rates were up, accident rates were up, mental health problems were up. There was nothing good that would come out of it.”

According to The Pioneer Press Winkler added " Senator Gazelka and Senator Limmer can fold their arms and say "No, I don’t want to hear it,"  but the people of Minnesota will roll over them eventually on issues like this. So they can decide to be speed bumps, or they can decide to be active participants in crafting policy.” For more on this story click here 

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