With the laws about cannabis changing as new bills pass, it may be unclear if cannabis is legal in Minnesota and if it can be possessed, used or sold. Learn more about the state’s cannabis laws and regulations, so you can have the knowledge you need for your company to succeed.
Contact UsIn May 2023, Governor Tim Walz signed a bill to legalize marijuana for people over the age of 21. This new law made recreational cannabis legal in Minnesota. Anyone over 21 can possess up to 2 pounds (9 kilograms) of cannabis flower at home and 2 ounces (56 grams) in public. Though cannabis is legal, possessing more than these specified amounts, selling cannabis without a license or providing cannabis to a minor can result in charges for breaking cannabis laws.
Medical cannabis has been legal in Minnesota since 2015 through the Medical Cannabis Program. To get medical cannabis, patients need to be a Minnesota resident, have their condition certified by a health care provider and purchase cannabis from medical cannabis dispensaries.
Cannabis has been fully decriminalized in Minnesota, reducing the criminal offenses associated with cannabis possession. People who were convicted of petty misdemeanor or misdemeanor possession before 2023 had their records expunged when cannabis became legal.
Cannabis cannot be used in public locations like schools, correctional facilities and federal property. It is also unlawful to smoke or vape cannabis products in a multifamily housing building or on private properties where the owner has prohibited cannabis use. Violations of these laws can result in a fine of $250.
Harris Sliwoski has extensive experience in providing legal counsel to cannabis companies and addressing other cannabis-related matters. Contact our professional legal team to learn how we can help you navigate cannabis laws in Minnesota as you get your commercial cannabis operation off the ground.
In Minnesota, it is legal to grow cannabis at home and commercially with the proper licensing.
Minnesota residents are legally allowed to grow cannabis at home. The home must be the primary residence of an adult age 21 or older. There can be up to eight cannabis plants, and no more than four can be mature and flowering. The plants must be in an enclosed space out of public view.
Selling cannabis without the proper license is illegal and can result in a felony, gross misdemeanor or misdemeanor, depending on the amount allegedly sold. While it is illegal for individuals to sell cannabis, they can gift cannabis flower and products to an adult over 21 in an amount legal for them to possess in public.
Minnesota is no longer accepting applications for commercial cannabis licenses, but you can get into the cannabis business by buying a license, investing in a business or purchasing a business. The experienced legal team at Harris Sliwoski can help you understand the commercial regulations of cannabis cultivation.
331 2nd Ave S
Ste. 1002
Minneapolis, MN
United States
Hours:
Mon-Fri: 9AM-5PM
Beyond advising individual businesses, our cannabis attorneys are committed to fortifying, defending, and building credibility for the industry as a whole. Harris Sliwoski’s cannabis business lawyers are more than legal strategists—they are thought leaders: forward-thinking bloggers, educators, writers, and speakers.
They regularly write articles for legal journals and frequently post to our acclaimed and widely followed Canna Law Blog. We speak to business and trade groups, academic institutions, and government bodies on a variety of cannabis legal issues, and our cannabis lawyers are frequently quoted by global, national, and local media outlets. We also have compiled (and are forever adding to) a Cannabis Glossary to help with industry terminology.
View BlogCannabidiol (CBD) hemp oil is legal in Minnesota for adults over the age of 21. CBD oil cannot exceed the legal THC limit of 0.3% or make claims to treat diseases, and it must be contaminant-free. CBD can be sold in foods, beverages and topicals as long as it meets the THC limit.
"*" indicates required fields
“Harris Sliwoski expertly guided us through the formation of our company. They continue to assist with necessary registrations and compliance with numerous regulations. They were able to promptly answer all our many questions and provide understandable options, explanations and practical advice. We expect to continue to use Harris Sliwoski on a regular basis as our company expands. They were also able to introduce us other professional experts. We would not hesitate to recommend Harris Sliwoski to any companies in need of legal advice.”
Three Continents Foods LLC
This law firm was a huge help as our company went through the process of commercial licensing in the California cannabis industry. They have helped us with a variety of legal issues in a timely fashion, while clearly communicating with us throughout the process. Everyone we’ve worked with at Harris Sliwoski is an expert in their field and we have always felt that we were in good hands through our legal representation.
Wil Crummer, CEO PRO Farms
Legal stuff is always scary. And I’ve had to play offense a couple times, begrudgingly. To have Harris Sliwoski have my back? It made things a lot less prickly. They quickly walked me through my options, and were refreshingly consistent in their communications, timing and billing. I’ve been lucky to stay out of the legal side of things my whole career, thankfully. When things went a little wrong, Harris Sliwoski quickly made things right.
Aaron Draplin, Founder Draplin Design Co.
I am impressed with this law firm. They answered all my questions regarding cannabis businesses and the California cannabis framework, and they have helped me with a variety of legal issues in a timely fashion, while always clearly communicating with us throughout the process. They also redirected me to other quality people for my business needs. Everyone I worked with at Harris Sliwoski is an expert in their field, and I was in good hands throughout my legal representation.
Corey T., CEO Thinc Cubed, LLC
I have been working with the lawyers at Harris Sliwoski for more than 20 years both as a business owner and as an executive at a large east-coast health system and that is because they have always efficiently provided high level and clear international law advice. Most recently, Harris Sliwoski provided legal support on many matters related to procuring medical products worldwide. Their support was particularly helpful to during the onset of COVID, when there was a big need for securing PPE quickly, all while navigating complicated international and domestic legal requirements. Harris Sliwoski’s team of international lawyers helped by conducting rapid-fire due diligence on potential suppliers, navigating the legal logistics for getting product from overseas and through U.S. customs, and drafting contracts to protect against various sorts of horribles. They did this by essentially providing what amounted to 24/7 service. I cannot recommend them highly enough.
Dan Pak Hospital Supply Chain Executive
Harris Sliwoski has represented our company in the legal cannabis industry for years. Harris Sliwoski has advised us in a wide variety of legal matters, and they are truly experts in their field. I would highly recommend Harris Sliwoski to anyone with questions about cannabis law, or any legal matters. They have been great for our Company, and will continue to guide us as our industry evolves
Matt Hurt, COO Cannabis Nation
You won’t find a better partner than Harris Sliwoski when trying to navigate the complex world of healthcare regulations. They not only give sound and reliable legal advice, but they are also very responsive and are able to guide you in a way that helps you reach your business objectives as well.
Joseph Axelrod, General Counsel Irwin Naturals
When we started the process of building a ‘seed to sale’ cannabis company in Oregon, we saw the need for expert legal counsel. The cannabis sector is fraught with potential peril at every turn, and we wanted the best legal advice we could find. After talking to several firms and individuals, we feel extremely fortunate to have chosen Harris Sliwoski as our legal counsel.
Tony Theiss, CEO and Co-Founder Redbarn Cannabis
We use Harris Sliwoski on all our international legal matters, including on our international litigation matters. We have over the last few years been involved in a couple big international legal disputes and Harris Sliwoski’s international dispute resolution team provided us with expert legal assistance on both matters. They were always very careful to explain to us what they were doing and why and what their actions would likely cost us in legal fees. Most importantly, we did extremely well on both cases and I have no doubt Harris Sliwoski was a big factor in that.
Kevin English, CEO We Are Camp
We have used Harris Sliwoski for legal help related to our international manufacturing. The lawyers with whom I worked had extensive familiarity with the international legal issues involved in our various projects and offered us key insights. I particularly appreciated how they always quickly and efficiently do what they say they will do and always within their cost estimates.
Andrea Barona Valladolid, Senior Legal Counsel Fairphone
