MN’s Neighbors Gearing Up To Enforce Their Own Marijuana Laws

When one state legalizes recreational pot, the surrounding states have a bit more work to do enforcing their state laws concerning recreational cannabis.

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Since, as of today (8/1), recreational pot is legal in Minnesota, surrounding states will be stepping up their enforcement to curb people from bringing marijuana into their states.

Minnesota is bordered by states where recreational pot is still illegal, so you can bet South Dakota, North Dakota and Wisconsin will be on the lookout for people transporting cannabis products purchased in Minnesota across the border into their state.

According to wdayradionow.com the North Dakota Highway Patrol issued this statement;

"Being we are a border city, when we have those types of things that are changing on the other side of the river, is that people need to understand, is that drug paraphernalia, marijuana is still illegal in North Dakota. If you can maybe be illegally possessing something in that state and you cross the border, it becomes a criminal offense, whether it's a misdemeanor offense, and in the case of some types of paraphernalia, it can be a felony offense in North Dakota," said Captain Bryan Niewind.

Niewind says all drug laws will be enforced in North Dakota, regardless of laws passed in Minnesota. 

One would suspect that law enforcement in these states would use some of the tactics Minnesota uses to keep illegal fireworks from being brought into the state.

One tactic Minnesota used, on occasion, was to have undercover people looking for Minnesota license plates at North Dakota fireworks stands. They would then radio the car's description and plate number to patrol cars waiting across the bridge.

At any rate, Minnesota's new pot laws will most definitely increase the workload of the police in our neighboring states.