Minnesota would become the 17th state to make cannabis legal
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) endorsed the legalization of adult recreational cannabis in Minnesota for the first time. In a letter delivered to legislative leaders in Minnesota this morning, Phillips touted his support for House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler’s bill, H.F. 600, and called on the Minnesota House and Senate to pass the legislation this session.
Despite bipartisan, majority citizen support for legalization, Minnesota has some of the strictest cannabis policies in the nation. H.F. 600 would allow adults to grow and consume cannabis in a responsible fashion while ensuring that law enforcement has the tools necessary to meet new challenges. Further, the legislation would expunge non-violent cannabis offenses from Minnesotans’ criminal records and invest revenues from cannabis taxation into the communities that were disproportionately impacted by the failed War on Drugs.
“Laws prohibiting recreational marijuana use defy both common sense and the will of the people,” said Rep. Phillips. “As elected officials, it is our collective responsibility to listen to our constituents, especially when there is such broad agreement on the need to act. I urge the Minnesota House and Senate to respect the freedom and liberty of those they serve and pass H.F. 600, joining those states – both Red and Blue – who have already recognized the sensibility of legalizing, regulating, and taxing cannabis.”
Continue reading “Phillips Endorses Historic Action to Legalize Adult Recreational Cannabis Use in Letter to Minnesota Legislature”