Your Vote: What's the future of recreational marijuana legalization in Minnesota?

Earlier this year, Minnesota legalized beverages, candy and other edibles that contain small amounts of hemp-derived THC, the chemical that causes the “high” associated with smoking marijuana. That prompted many to wonder what the future of legalized marijuana is in Minnesota.

A September poll by MPR News, The Star Tribune and KARE11 found that a narrow majority of Minnesotans support legalizing recreational marijuana. And DFL Gov. Tim Walz, who is running for reelection, has said he supports legalization.

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational use of marijuana. And last month, President Joe Biden pardoned thousands of people with federal convictions for simple marijuana possession, signaling a shift in federal response to cannabis.

MPR News host Angela Davis talks about the future of marijuana legalization in Minnesota, what Minnesota can learn from other states and how the issue of marijuana legalization is influencing politics.

Guests:

• Dasheeda Dawson is the founding chair of the Cannabis Regulators of Color Coalition and the founding director of Cannabis NYC. 

• Beau Kilmer is the McCauley Chair in Drug Policy Innovation and director of the RAND Drug Policy Research Center in Santa Monica, California.

• David Gang is the director of the Washington State University Center for Cannabis Policy and Outreach, in Pullman, Washington.