Minnesota Marijuana Growers Want to Legalize Marijuana Flowers in 2020

Minnesota only has 2 licensed marijuana growers and they want to see patients have smokable flower available. Doing so could bring prices down significantly for patients, which could also help grow the state’s patient base. The cultivators, LeafLine Labs and Minnesota Medical Solutions, are urging lawmakers to legalize smokable marijuana flower in 2020.

Only capsules and inhalable oils are permitted according to the 2014 law signed by Governor Mark Dayton, the Star Tribune reported. Some lawmakers say that using flower makes it hard to dose marijuana properly. They also say that there are other methods to lower costs for patients.

Dr. Kyle Kinglsey of Minnesota Medical Solutions said, “This is the single greatest step that can be taken to bring prices down for patients. The addition of flower will save the Minnesota program. Right now, there’s still very low demand. The manufacturers are still losing money every year.”

Allowing smokable flower could lower patient cost by 50%.

Patients, like Patti McArdell, want to be able to experience the entourage effect which occurs when all of the naturally occurring cannabinoids and terpenes of a cannabis strain remain intact and are able to work together harmoniously in the body. Concentrates (oils and some capsules) don’t achieve that since some cannabinoids and terpenes are lost during extraction and refinement processes.

McArdell said, “You’re only getting one note out of the symphony. I think it would make a difference for everybody who’s on it.”

Smokable flower makes sense for patients and manufacturers as well. It would significantly cut manufacturing costs since processing and extraction costs would not be a factor for flower – just lab testing.