The complete guide to cannabis in Minneapolis

Minneapolis has a growing cannabis industry, especially now that adult-use marijuana is legal throughout the state of Minnesota. Both medical and recreational users need to be up to date on the city and state’s changing cannabis laws, while being educated on where they can go to purchase safe, legally compliant, and high-quality products.

Key takeaways

• Legal age: You must be 21 or older to buy cannabis for recreational use. Medical card holders must be 18 or older
• Purchase limits: Medical patients can purchase up to a 30-day supply, while recreational users may possess up to two ounces of cannabis
• Consumption rules: It’s legal to smoke or vaporize cannabis outdoors in Minneapolis, unless in a smoke-free public outdoor space per the Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act
• Approved dispensaries: It’s important to purchase your cannabis from a licensed dispensary, as otherwise you could end up with unsafe or poor-quality product

Minnesota cannabis laws

Both recreational and medical cannabis are legal throughout Minnesota. Governor Tim Walz signed the bill to legalize recreational cannabis in August of 2023, allowing adults 21 and older to access marijuana in a licensed dispensary.

Minnesota is currently developing the regulatory framework for cultivators, processors, and dispensaries to follow. After it’s finalized, recreational dispensaries can apply for licenses and open to the public.

Recreational users may purchase up to two ounces of cannabis at a time. They may possess up to two ounces in public, or two pounds in private. For concentrates, the limit is 8 g THC, and for edibles, 800 g THC. Exceeding these amounts can lead to legal consequences.

Medical marijuana became legal in 2014, which led to the development of the state’s Office of Medical Cannabis to oversee the production, licensing, sales, and process of approval for qualifying residents. Qualifying residents must submit an application to the Minnesota Department of Health in order to receive a medical card that can be used at dispensaries around the state.

Medical patients may purchase and possess up to a 30-day supply of cannabis. What determines a 30-day supply is determined by the patient’s physician.

Both medical and recreational users can grow up to eight plants in their household.

Whether you’re a medical or recreational user, It’s illegal to consume cannabis in a moving vehicle, and when in transport, cannabis products must be kept in a tamper-proof box out of reach of the driver and passengers.

Employers may not discriminate against medical card holders during employment or during the application process. However, you can be fired if you’re intoxicated or engaging in cannabis use while working.

The passing of the Adult-Use Cannabis Act automatically expunged a large number of cannabis-related criminal records in Minnesota. As of May 2024, all cannabis-related petty misdemeanor and misdemeanor records, along with felony records that were dismissed or resolved in favor of the defendant, have been expunged.

Get your medical card in Minneapolis

Select State

Apply now

Can you smoke weed in public in Minnesota?

It’s legal to smoke or otherwise engage in marijuana use in public spaces, with the exception of smokable products consumed in spaces deemed prohibited by the Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act, which includes most public parks and restaurants (including restaurants with outdoor seating areas).

Whether or not you can smoke cannabis in a leased building is up to your landlord. Generally, if smoking on their premises is prohibited, smoking cannabis is, too. This may or may not also apply to outdoor spaces on your landlord’s property.

Event and venue spaces may permit use of certain non-inhalable cannabis products like edibles and tinctures on their premises. However, due to the state’s Clean Indoor Air Act, smoking and vaporizing cannabis in indoor public spaces is prohibited, as well as outdoor venue and event spaces. These prohibited spaces include the Minnesota State Fair and the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Smoking marijuana is also forbidden on federal property, including national parks, as cannabis is illegal under federal law.

Tips for buying cannabis in Minneapolis

• Stick to a licensed dispensary: You should only ever buy from licensed cannabis dispensaries, as otherwise, you’re at risk of ending up with low-quality, unsafe, and unregulated products.
• Experiment with product types: Don’t be afraid to try out different product types, strains, and potency levels until you find what works for you. In addition to flower, you can explore vaporizers, edibles, concentrates, tinctures, topicals, and more.
• Chat with experts: The cannabis industry is evolving fast, and even experienced users may have questions. Seek expert advice from local budtenders, or telehealth services like Leafwell.
• Compare prices: Compare different prices on products, and at different dispensaries in your area, to find good deals, and avoid cheaply made products. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.
• Keep up with local laws: Minnesota and Minneapolis weed laws are subject to change, so stay on top of them to make sure you’re compliant.
• Bring your documentation: Both recreational and medical users need to have their state-issued ID with them to make cannabis purchases. Medical patients must also have their medical card handy.

Dispensaries in Minneapolis

• Sweet Leaves

905 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401

• Wildflower North Loop

212 N 2nd St Suite 103, Minneapolis, MN 55401

• Zaza Cannabis Dispensary

3617 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55406

Benefits of getting medical cannabis in Minneapolis

Applying for a Minnesota medical marijuana card comes with a number of benefits, even with recreational cannabis being legal. While recreational cannabis users must be 21 or older to purchase, medical users must be 18 or older. Medical patients also enjoy higher purchase limits, and access to higher-strength products.

In addition, medical patients can save up to 10% on taxes. While the Department of State Revenue determined that recreational sales are subject to a 10% cannabis tax rate, medical cannabis product sales are exempt from state sales tax.

How to get medical marijuana in Minneapolis

The process of getting a medical marijuana card in Minneapolis is simple, and starts with finding a doctor who can make a cannabis recommendation.

Finding a doctor

First, you need to find a Minneapolis doctor who can diagnose you with one of the state’s qualifying conditions, and provide a recommendation for medical cannabis, which will become part of your application.

You can search for local doctors in your area who make recommendations, or you can go with an online medical cannabis telehealth service like Leafwell, where you’ll be connected to an online doctor in minutes. This streamlines the process of obtaining a card, and you never need to leave your home.

Once your doctor gives you a recommendation, you can begin the application process through Minnesota’s Office of Cannabis Management website. In addition to the recommendation, you’ll need to provide a state-issued photo ID, and pay a small registration fee. It can take up to 30 days for you to receive your card in the mail once the application has been processed.

Qualifying conditions

To become a medical cannabis card holder in Minneapolis, you must first be diagnosed with at least one of the following conditions:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), aka Lou Gehrig’s Disease
• Autism
• Cancer associated with severe or chronic pain, nausea or severe vomiting, or cachexia or severe wasting syndrome
• Chronic pain
• Chronic vocal or motor tic disorder

• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease
• Intractable Pain
• Irritable bowel syndrome (effective August 1, 2023)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (effective August 1, 2023)
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Seizures, including those characteristic of epilepsy
• Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristic of multiple sclerosis
• Sickle cell diseases
• Terminal illness with a life expectancy of less than one year
• Tourette’s syndrome

Can an out-of-state medical marijuana patient purchase medical cannabis in Minneapolis?

Under Minnesota marijuana law, out-of-state visitors’ medical marijuana cards are not valid at Minnesota dispensaries.

Frequently asked questions

Is cannabis legal in Minneapolis?

Yes. Under state law, cannabis products are legal for both recreational and medical users. Recreational marijuana became legal in 2023, following medical marijuana legalization in 2014.

What does Minnesota statute say about past cannabis-related offenses?

The state’s Cannabis Expungement Board is actively expunging all low-level marijuana charges.

Can I buy more marijuana products with a medical card in Minneapolis?

Yes. Minneapolis card holders have higher purchase limits (a 30-day supply) at cannabis retailers compared to recreational users (two ounces). The specific purchase amount will depend on your physician’s guidance. Medical card holders may be able to possess cannabis in higher amounts as well.

Do dispensaries track cannabis sales in Minneapolis?

Yes. The Office of Cannabis Management works with the Marijuana Enforcement Tracking and Compliance to track all cannabis sales and gather data on cannabis dispensaries and consumers.

Resources 

• Minnesota statutes chapter 342. https://mn.gov/ocm/laws/cannabis-law.jsp
• Cannabis in Minnesota. https://www.minneapolis.org/community-info-and-policies/cannabis/
• Minnesota issue guide: Cannabis. https://www.lrl.mn.gov/guides/guides?issue=cannabis
• Minnesota public criminal history search. https://chs.state.mn.us/#:~:text=The%20Adult%2DUse%20Cannabis%20Act,Criminal%20History%20System%20(CHS).