The legalization of marijuana in the United States remains a topic of debate amongst the House of Representatives as well as the US population. For Minnesota, this debate has come to a conclusion. On Friday, the Minnesota Senate voted to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. The Democrats have been able to make major advances in the state of Minnesota. Additionally, The passing of this bill will allow adults 21 or older to use marijuana, This would equate to the US laws of alcohol as well as purchasing cigarettes.
Recently, the state has made major advances toward political issues such as abortion laws, clean energy, children's school lunch funding, as well as rights for convicted felons to become registered voters. The democratic lead House of Representatives was able to persuade the entire House of as well as the state to push these bills into motion. Tim Walz has been the governor of Minnesota since 2019. He supported the move calling it a "transformative moment" for the state highlighting the redemption of people who have lost their rights in Republican-led states.
The House Of Representatives
Furthermore, President Joe Biden has announced a plan to pardon federal marijuana offenses for smaller possession. This past October, Biden's announcement was motivated by clearing the criminal records of former and current inmates. "No one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana,” he said. “It’s legal in many states, and criminal records for marijuana possession have led to needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities," he added.
Minnesota is on track to becoming the 23rd state in the United States to legalize the use of marijuana for recreational purposes. Prior to Minnesota, Maryland was the last state to legalize recreation. Do you believe more states will soon follow Minnesota in passing the legalization? Let us know in the comments down below.