“We absolutely did this on purpose,” said House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, who is also known for pushing for cannabis reform.
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A new state law allowing adult cannabis users in Minnesota to purchase edibles infused with hemp-derived cannabinoids, including small amounts of THC went into effect last Friday. Now, Democrats are touting the move as an under-the-radar way to legalize marijuana in the future, reported Minnesota Reformer.
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“We absolutely did this on purpose,” House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, DFL-Golden Valley, who is also known for pushing for cannabis reform, said on Tuesday at a press briefing. “It was an intentional step forward.”
Gov. Tim Walz signed the large-scale legislation that included provisions that provide permanent protections to Minnesota-based hemp businesses for legal sales of CBD-infused foods and drinks in early June. Besides CBD, the measure allows all hemp-derived cannabinoids to be legally sold in food items, beverages, and topicals, to name a few.
The provision was a part of a health and human services measure and it also legalized the production and sale of edible products with THC. Under the bill, the products must contain less than the federal limit of 0.3 % THC.
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“Sometimes legislation benefits from a lot of publicity,” Winkler answered a question about why Democrats didn’t publicize a bill that went fairly unnoticed by the public. “Sometimes legislation benefits from the ability to do the work more quietly, but it was all done in the public eye,” Winkler said when asked why Democrats didn’t publicize a bill they’re now all celebrating.”
This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been reposted with permission.
