One of Iowa’s Neighbors Just Legalized Marijuana… Sort Of

Marijuana is still a hot-button issue here in Iowa and in the United States. As I write this, weed is fully legal in 20 states, decriminalized in others, medicinal is cool in yet more states, etc., etc. Oh, and Iowa is in the medicinal is okay camp, but it's not okay for recreational use.

So what about in the other Midwestern states? Well, it's well known Illinois made cannabis fully legal as of January 2020. Other than Illinois, it's still illegal for recreational use here in Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, the Dakotas, and Missouri. But what about Minnesota?

In typical Minnesota fashion (I grew up there, trust me, this is VERY Minnesota), they've given a very passive Midwestern "okay" to not marijuana, but THC. Oh, and that's only in the form of gummies, and/or edibles. In case you're not aware, THC is the main psychoactive compound found in marijuana.

Get our free mobile app

But if you think that the THC will come from marijuana and that it makes it one and the same, nope. In Minnesota, the THC must be sourced from hemp according to an article from NBC affiliate KARE 11.

For the user, does it matter that the THC will come from hemp? No. It will still produce the same "high" feeling other edibles derived from marijuana give the user.

Further complicating Minnesota's new toe-dipping into the weed pool, products can only have 5 milligrams of THC per serving and 50 milligrams per package under the new law according to the KARE 11 story.

Five milligrams is about half the standard dose found in recreational marijuana products in other states. The new law allowing THC in edibles goes into effect today, July 1.

If you're planning to head north to get your THC, as opposed to Illinois which fully legalized marijuana, you have to be 21+. Beyond that, I didn't see any restrictions on out-of-staters snagging some gummies from the Land of Lakes.