You can't smoke weed in Minneapolis parks, but you won't get ticketed for it
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Smoking pot is off limits in Minneapolis parks as of Thursday, though parkgoers who light up anyway won't get slapped with a ticket.
The big picture: Cities across Minnesota have limited smoking cannabis in public places since a state law legalizing recreational use took effect in 2023.
- St. Paul, Duluth, Eden Prairie and Lakeville are among those that have banned smoking grass in their city-owned green spaces.
Driving the news: The new Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board policy, approved by commissioners last week, clarifies that an existing ban on smoking and vaping tobacco products on park property also applies to cannabis.
The catch: Those who violate the no-smoking policy won't be ticketed or fined: Like the system's no tobacco policy, it'll be enforced via signs and verbal reminders from staff or police instead.
- Violators who don't comply could be asked to leave, park spokesperson Robin Smothers told Axios. If they refuse to leave, they could be arrested.
Between the lines: Some commissioners proposed elevating violations to a petty misdemeanor, which carries a possible ticket and fine. They argued that tougher penalties would give the ban more teeth and do more to protect kids.
- But that push was defeated by board members who voiced concerns about the impact that criminalizing the actions could have on people of color and immigrants.
Zoom out: The new policy also greenlights the sale of low-dose THC-infused drinks and edibles by park vendors that run food stands or host events.
Yes, but: Don't expect the buzzy beverages to flow freely by the shores of city lakes just yet.
- Several of the popular park restaurants, including Bread and Pickle, Painted Turtle and Owamni, told Axios that they won't immediately add THC options to their menus.
- Sea Salt and Pimento on the Lake didn't respond to Axios' email seeking comment on their plans.
What we're hearing: Painted Turtle co-owner Sam Carter said the "last minute" nature of the change for the upcoming season — and the need to register with the state to sell THC products — prompted his Lake Nokomis food stand to hold off on selling the drinks.
- "It seems safer to let the dust settle on it all and shoot for the following season," he wrote in an email.
What we're watching: Kim Bartmann, the restaurateur running Lake Harriet's Bread and Pickle, told Axios that they "may experiment with some low-dose products," such as Trail Magic seltzers, later this summer.
- That could include selling them via a supplementary food truck the bandshell-adjacent stand plans to roll out during busy concerts and weekends.