Cannabis laws in Minnesota

Medical: Yes
Recreational: Decriminalized
Reciprocity: No

Medical marijuana was legalized in Minnesota under SF 2470, which was signed into law in May 2014. Minnesota’s program is one of the more restrictive in the country — smoking is not an approved method of consumption and only pills and oils are approved for sale. Personal cultivation is not allowed in Minnesota. Critics have described the program as being cost prohibitive, leading patients to drop out due to the high prices of attaining marijuana. Possession of less than 42.5 grams is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $200.

How to Get a Medical Card in Minnesota

Patients who are interested in receiving medical marijuana in the state of Minnesota must attain a recommendation from a recognized, licensed healthcare practitioner, who certifies that the patient has one of the qualifying conditions. They then must register online and submit the certification from the physician and pay the annual registration fee of $200. Patients who are on supplemental security, income, Social SEcurity Disability, Medicaid, MNCare, IHS or CHAMPVA can qualify for a reduced fee of $50.

Enrollments are processed in the order they are received and typically take no longer than 30 days to be approved.

Patients in Minnesota must fill out an online self-evaluation form each time before they return to purchase more medical cannabis.

Qualifying Conditions

The qualifying conditions for which patients in Minnesota can receive medical cannabis include:

Cancer associated with severe/chronic pain, nausea or severe vomiting
Cachexia or severe wasting Glaucoma
HIV/AIDS
Tourette Syndrome
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Seizures, including those characteristic of Epilepsy
Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristic of Multiple Sclerosis
Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease
Terminal illness, with a probable life expectancy of less than one year*
Intractable pain
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Autism
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Alzheimer’s Disease

*To qualify, patients must have a life expectancy of under one year, or, according to the state of Minnesota if “your illness or its treatment produces one or more of the following: severe or chronic pain; nausea or severe vomiting; or Cachexia or severe wasting.”

Where to Buy

Patients can purchase medical marijuana at any of eight dispensaries currently open across the state. Minnesota authorities have stated that they plan to have eight more open by December 2020.