Duluth resident’s prepare for Marijuana legalization along with proposed city ordinances

With legal marijuana use set to begin in Minnesota on August 1, 2023, Duluth City Councilors Arik Forsman, Roz Randorf, and Terese Tomanek have introduced an ordinance to prohibit smoking marijuana in public outdoor spaces, including all city parks.

We spoke to folks at local parks like Park Point Beach and Chester Park who had split views.

“With the broader acceptance of marijuana use, I feel like people should kind of maybe keep a broader mind about how things are moving,” says Dustin Haines who was walking in Chester Park

He then added, “If the general public consensus is that it’s okay to to purchase it and to sell it. All of those things used in public spaces, should maybe be more broadly considered.”

One woman who’d like to remain anonymous shared her concerns about the secondhand smoke. Noting with alcohol there isn’t anything immediately effecting the people around you when you consume it. But with smoking marijuana there’s a smell that comes when you light it.

Currently, only the smoking of tobacco is regulated by the city and recent state law changes allowed the smoking and vaping of marijuana in public.

The Duluth ordinance will be introduced at the upcoming July 24th meeting and voted on by the full city council on August 14th.