Rep. Jon Applebaum (DFL-Minnetonka) says it's time for Minnesota to join the ranks of states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use. He's been joined in his efforts by Rep. Tina Liebling (DFL-Rochester), who wants to see a Constitutional Amendment asking the voters if they would like to see the drug legalized. She says that the state spends $137 million each year enforcing "cannabis" arrests and that the criminalization leads to a black market that leads to increased criminal behavior.
Both efforts face an uphill battle in the Legislature, and Gov. Dayton has also previously expressed opposition to any efforts to further decriminalization of marijuana in Minnesota.
Currently, 8 states (and the District of Columbia) have legalized marijuana for recreational use, while many others have varying degrees of legal use for medical purposes. Minnesota only recently allowed medicinal marijuana, and is considered to have one of the strictest programs in the nation.
So, what do you think? Should Minnesota decriminalize recreational marijuana? Sound off in the comments below.