NEW HOPE, Minn. — We're roughly three months away from recreational marijuana becoming legal to sell and purchase in Minnesota, but that big change is sure to lead to other changes when it comes to medical marijuana. More than 48,000 Minnesotans already purchase cannabis thanks to the state's medical marijuana program, which began enrolling in 2015.
Two licensed retailers, RISE and Green Goods, operate 15 dispensary locations between them across the state. "I had such a stigma on it and when I gave it a try, I will never go back. I will always be on medical marijuana," Chelsea Swanson, a patient from St.
Francis said. "It has helped with my nausea, with my pain, and it has helped me function. I have gotten off prescription drugs and it is because of marijuana.
" Swanson drives nearly 30 miles to shop at a dispensary in New Hope, but she wouldn't necessarily have to travel that far or enroll in any regulatory program once recreational dispensaries open in Minnesota, which could happen as soon as next year. Still, Swanson insisted it is worth the trip. "What you are getting here is top quality.
It is something grown and made in Minnesota," she explained. "The plant is a plant, except for we know it's grown here and it's not under any harmful chemicals or fertilizers or anything else like that." If other states' transitions are any indication though, the medical cannabis industry is likely to take a hit once recreational weed gets the green light in Minnesota.
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