House Democratic Majority Leader Ryan Winkler is renewing his push in the upcoming legislature to legalize recreational marijuana in Minnesota, but Senate Republicans are strongly opposed. D-F-L Senator Jeff Hayden from Minneapolis says he wants an honest discussion this time — not like last year’s hearings which he says were “contrived to simply kill the bill.” Hayden says, “If… their [Republicans’] tactic is to either not bring it up, or bring it up to sabotage it, Minnesotans will be watching.”
Senate Republican leaders weren’t immediately available to respond, but Majority Leader Paul Gazelka said earlier that Colorado has had problems from legalizing recreational marijuana: increased homelessness, more accidents and more mental health problems.