k. Medical cannabis—Smoking raw plant

Medical cannabis—Smoking raw plant 2021, Regular Session HF2128/SF2360 Chapter 30, Article 3, Section 29, Subdivision 6 HHS omnibus bill Effective: March 1, 2022 (or at an earlier date if the testing labs and administrative rules are ready sooner)

Short description Minnesota’s medical cannabis program previously prohibited providing dried cannabis buds (raw cannabis) as an approved type of medicine. This new law will permit the distribution of dried leaves or plant form and permit combustion/smoking of the dried raw cannabis.

Implications Facilities that permit or accommodate residents use of medicinal cannabis will need to determine if they will permit smoking of the cannabis. Facilities are permitted to deny medical cannabis or limit the forms (pill, liquid, oil, topical, tincture, powder, lozenge, and now dried raw plant) permitted. Dried raw cannabis will be allowed for registered patients who are 21 years or older beginning either on March 1, 2022, or at an earlier date if the testing labs and administrative rules are ready sooner.

Bill language https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/2021/0/Session+Law/Chapter/30/

read: Sec. 29. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 152.22, subdivision 6, is amended to

Subd. 6. Medical cannabis. (a) "Medical cannabis" means any species of the genus cannabis plant, or any mixture or preparation of them, including whole plant extracts and resins, and is delivered in the form of: (1) liquid, including, but not limited to, oil; (2) pill; (3) vaporized delivery method with use of liquid or oil but which does not require the use of dried leaves or plant form; or; (4) combustion with use of dried raw cannabis; or (4) (5) any other method, excluding smoking, approved by the commissioner. (b) This definition includes any part of the genus cannabis plant prior to being processed into a form allowed under paragraph (a), that is possessed by a person while that person is engaged in employment duties necessary to carry out a requirement under sections 152.22 to 152.37 for a registered manufacturer or a laboratory under contract

with a registered manufacturer. This definition also includes any hemp acquired by a manufacturer by a hemp grower as permitted under section 152.29, subdivision 1, paragraph (b).