If Minnesota legalizes marijuana, when and where will I be allowed to use it? – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

A final version of a bill that would legalize marijuana in Minnesota is being worked on by a conference committee, with Gov. Tim Walz already committed to signing it into law when it reaches his desk. Weed could be legal for personal use as early as this summer.

When and where will you be allowed to use cannabis? Here’s what to know.

When will I be allowed to use marijuana legally? 

The main thing to know is that legal marijuana will not necessarily be for sale in Minnesota as soon as Walz signs the bill into law — there is expected to be a significant lag before a regulatory and sales system is up and running. Although there are some differences between the bills passed by the House and the Senate, both versions of the bill indicate marijuana would be legal this summer.

Growing and possessing weed at home would also be allowed beginning July 1.

But it will take a while for the government to set up the regulatory structures and licensing framework needed for dispensaries and other businesses to open up and begin selling.

Estimates say it could take a year or longer before you can go into a dispensary and buy cannabis products yourself.

This does not apply to hemp-derived THC in edibles and beverages, which is already legal in Minnesota.