MN Senate GOP leader says Democrats should not rush decision on legalizing recreational marijuana

Senate Republican Minority Leader Mark Johnson from East Grand Forks says Democrats should “take their time” to decide if full-blown legalization of marijuana is the right thing for Minnesota, rather than rush the process “to keep their political partners happy.”  D-F-L backers re-launched their effort Thursday at the Capitol, House sponsor Zack Stephenson from Coon Rapids saying:

“Under this bill I think it would be a matter of months, not years, before you would be able to be in a legal marketplace, and I think the (criminal record) expungement process would begin sooner than that.”

Stephenson is referring to Democrats’ proposal to wipe clean the criminal records of those with non-violent marijuana offenses.