Minnesota Independent

Ban on synthetic marijuana among first bills to be heard in Minnesota Senate

By Andy Birkey | 01.10.11 | 9:20 am

Two legislators will introduce legislation on Monday to ban synthetic marijuana in Minnesota. Sens. Katie Sieben, DFL-Newport, and Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, will introduce a bill to ban “Spice,” “K2″ and other herbal products containing synthetic cannabinoids. Bans have already been imposed in much of Europe, and more than a dozen American states as well as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency made the substances illegal in December.

State’s only needle-exchange program shuttered by economy, anti-drug policies

By Andy Birkey | 08.03.09 | 2:41 pm

Economic hard times claimed Minnesota’s only storefront needle-exchange program last week as a decade-old Minneapolis program shut its doors for good. But as Congress revisits whether federal funds can be used to provide drug users with clean needles is there hope for projects like Access Works?

New ads target Pawlenty on medical marijuana

By Andy Birkey | 04.14.08 | 12:53 pm

A bill to allow patients with debilitating, intractable pain to legally possess marijuana, having already passed the Minnesota Senate, is set for a vote in the House. Gov. Tim Pawlenty is threatening a veto of the bill, and advocates of…

Medical marijuana bill advances in House

By Andy Birkey | 04.10.08 | 11:23 am

Medical marijuana is close to becoming a reality for Minnesotans who suffer chronic, debilitating illness and intractable pain. A bill to allow doctors to recommend marijuana as a treatment and to allow patients to procure…