HF1023 Summary

• Requires the Minnesota Commissioner of Health to apply to the Drug Enforcement Administration by September 1, 2021 for a federal Schedule I exemption for medical cannabis use under Minnesota's existing medical cannabis program.

• Reclassifies marijuana and naturally contained tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) from Schedule I to Schedule II controlled substances, effective August 1, 2021.

• Excludes marijuana and nonsynthetic THC from definitions of "analogs" under controlled substance laws, preventing them from being classified as illegal drug analogs.

• Expands protections for medical cannabis patients and participants by excluding them from criminal penalties, preventing registry data access without search warrants, and prohibiting use of registry information as evidence in criminal proceedings.

• Adds exceptions to certain controlled substance regulations to ensure they do not apply to marijuana or tetrahydrocannabinols used in the state's medical cannabis program established under Minnesota Statutes sections 152.22 to 152.37.