The Land of 10,000 Lakes is expanding its medical marijuana program to include chronic pain and age-related macular degeneration. Minnesota, a state that a mere five years ago opened one of the more restrictively qualifying medical programs, has rapidly evolved its medical cannabis program to become more and more available to qualifying patients. In 2019 alone 18,000 residents in the state were prescribed medical marijuana of some form and that number will only grow when these broader rules are implemented in August of 2020.

Minnesota cannabis policy is evolving with Midwest

With regional counterparts such as Michigan and Illinois opening to adult-use cannabis and with states such as Missouri, Oklahoma and Ohio all allowing medical marijuana programs within their boundaries, Minnesota is rationally responding to external market expansion and listening to a growing clamor for marijuana within its state lines.

As we have discussed elsewhere, the Midwest is rapidly evolving on cannabis and tolerance of it. With more and more state and local governments recognizing the potential of cannabis-driven tax revenues, and with voters rapidly thawing on cannabis across the Heartland, it only makes sense for Minnesota to expand its medical MJ program. Toss in the fact that Minnesota’s Governor Tim Walz told state officials this summer to expect legalization in 2020 and, well, yeah, this all checks.

Minnesota legalization remains an uphill battle

While the expansion of qualifying symptoms and issues is a significant win, and despite Governor Walz’s call for legalization, adult-use cannabis in 2020 remains unlikely. For starters, the medical program even with its expansion, remains a surprisingly strict regiment. Medical patients are not allowed to consume flower and until August of 2020 when these new rules kick in, residents will still only be allowed to consume via pills, vapors, topical ointments and liquid gels. Upon the new laws going into effect next summer, lozenges, gums, mints, water-soluble powders and tablets will also be allowed.

Beyond that, the new bill will also be expanding treatment centers across all of Minnesota. Our friends in Duluth in addition to Blaine, Burnsville, Golden Valley, Mankato, Rogers, Willmar and Woodbury will all be getting centers.

Will those new methods and centers be a path towards legalization? Time will tell, but with 2020 being a midterm election year in Minnesota our expectations are muted.