Minnesota Governor Says Adult-Use Cannabis Legalization Is Priority for Upcoming Legislative Session

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is making adult-use cannabis legalization a priority for the state’s upcoming legislative session.

That’s according to former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, who said during a recent podcast with his son, Tyrel Ventura, that Walz told him legalizing cannabis will be “one of the first things” that state lawmakers will pass next year, according to a CBS Minnesota report.

The former governor also said that Walz invited him to the ceremony when he signs the legalization bill into law, the news outlet reported.

A spokesperson for Walz told CBS Minnesota that the governor and Jesse Ventura “may work together to get something done.”

The Republican-led Minnesota Senate blocked a floor vote on an adult-use cannabis legalization bill earlier this year, but the party lost control of the chamber in the midterm election last week.

In July, a new law took effect in Minnesota to allow the sale of cannabis edibles and beverages infused with hemp-derived THC, and a poll released in September revealed that 53% of the state’s voters support adult-use legalization.

Minnesota’s 2023 legislative session is set to start on Jan. 3.