A Danger to Minnesota
The bill forces recreational marijuana into neighborhoods without adequate public safety support, public awareness campaigns, or substance abuse prevention.
ST. PAUL – Recently the Minnesota Senate voted to make recreational marijuana legal in the state of Minnesota. During the floor debate State Senator Warren Limmer (R-Maple Grove,) raised numerous concerns if the bill would be made into law, especially recognizing other states that experienced severe consequences when legalizing marijuana.
“Despite passing fifteen committee hearings, this bill is SO wrong for Minnesota,” Limmer said. “A few years ago, we heard from other states about their experience with legal marijuana. They recognized that once passed, traffic accidents went up. For some, marijuana becomes a gateway drug that leads to illicit drug use, putting the lives of many people at risk.”
“We know from other states that for every $1 raised in new taxes on recreational marijuana sales, it costs taxpayers between $8 and $10 in expenses to cover new social services costs. If you think local control is an important principle of governing, this bill doesn’t have it. Our cities and counties are not ready, and this bill does not help them prepare to manage cannabis,” Limmer concluded.
According to the National Institutes of Health, traffic deaths involving marijuana impaired drivers increased 138% and for all drivers 29% since marijuana was legalized in Colorado. The Governors Highway Safety Association has noted increases in impaired driving cases in Washington state since legalization and increases in fatal crashes in both Colorado and Washington.
Law enforcement officials claim there is not a reliable test to determine a user’s impairment after consuming cannabis. Despite more expense that will trigger public safety budgets, the bill fails to provide funding for local departments to cover this cost.
According to the National Institutes of Health, people who begin using marijuana before the age of 18 are four to seven times more likely to develop marijuana use disorder as adults. According to Kaiser Health News, incidences of exposures to marijuana among kids under five in Colorado nearly tripled in 2021.
“It’s not just kids who are at risk, criminal cartels use the new status of legal marijuana to expand their illegal trade, often imbedding deadly fentanyl in the product. Sadly, the public is at an increased risk of being harmed,” said Senator Limmer.