The governor of Minnesota has signed large-scale legislation that includes provisions to legalize drug paraphernalia possession, syringe services, residue and testing.
As lawmakers prepare for a final vote on a separate marijuana legalization bill, Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed off on the criminal justice and public safety omnibus bill with harm reduction components on Friday.
Effective August 1, the measure removes language from code that has criminalized the possession and delivery of drug paraphernalia. As revised, the new law only says that it is “unlawful for any person to intentionally manufacture drug paraphernalia for delivery,” omitting the previous possession language for the misdemeanor offense.
Also, small amounts of drug residue that are discovered on paraphernalia will no longer constitute illegal possession under the legislation, which incorporated some provisions from a standalone bill sponsored by Sen. Clare Oumou Verbeten (D) and Rep. Aisha Gomez (D).
Proud to carry this bill! https://t.co/EPJEUnH9lO
— Senator Clare Oumou Verbeten (@SenClareOumou) May 19, 2023
“A person is guilty of controlled substance crime in the fifth degree and upon conviction may be sentenced as provided in subdivision 4 if: the person unlawfully possesses one or more mixtures containing a controlled substance classified in Schedule I, II,
Read full article on Marijuana Moment
