Minnesota on the verge of The Minnesota Senate on Saturday passed a bill to legalize the use of recreational marijuana a

A bill to legalize recreational marijuana use in Minnesota passed the state Senate Saturday and is on its way to the office of state Governor Tim Walz, according to MPR News .

The Minnesota Senate voted 34-32 early Saturday to approve the bill legalizing cannabis for use by people 21 and older.

Governor Tim Walz has said he plans to sign the bill into law, making Minnesota the 23rd state to legalize marijuana for recreational use.

The state has had a medical marijuana program for nearly a decade that began with oils, pills, and other forms of consumption that do not include smoking. The leaf form was authorized for that program in 2021. Less than half of other states allow people to grow their own medical marijuana.

“Cannabis prohibition has had a tremendously negative impact on the lives of Minnesotans, especially our communities of color, and it is time we change course, create a system that works for the use of cannabis by part of adults and create a regulated market for Minnesota,” said bill sponsor Sen. Lindsey Port.

Under the measure, Minnesotans age 21 and older could possess up to two ounces of marijuana flower in public and two pounds at home from August 1.

The bill would also give people with marijuana convictions the opportunity to have their criminal records expunged, automatically expunging low-level convictions and establishing a review board to determine eligibility for higher-level crimes.

The measure would also establish an Office of Cannabis Management, which would oversee the regulation and sale of cannabis products in the state.