Politics Friday

Politics Friday: A slim DFL majority works towards full marijuana legalization and universal school meals

A person tends to cannabis plants
A worker tags young cannabis plants at a marijuana farm operated by Greenlight on Oct. in Grandview, Mo.
Charlie Riedel | AP file 2022

For years, Minnesota lawmakers have been working to legalize marijuana. The latest bill is still up for debate, but can a small DFL majority make it happen or will this bill go up in smoke? 

MPR News host Mike Mulcahy talks to Rep. Zack Stephenson, DFL-Coon Rapids, about the movement to legalize marijuana and we’ll also hear from Rep. Kristin Robbins, R-Maple Grove, on why she’s one of the lawmakers speaking out against legalizing adult-use cannabis. 

Waasamoan Neeland
Waasamoan Neeland, 5, of Round Lake, Minn., waited in line for her lunch at Pine Point School in Pine Point, Minn.
Caroline Yang | MPR News 2011

Later in the hour, Sen. Heather Gustafson, DFL-Vadnais Heights, and Rep. Sydney Jordan, DFL-Minneapolis, explain how their bill for universal school breakfast and lunch will benefit students across Minnesota.  

And MPR News political reporters unpack the latest news from the Capitol this week.    

Guests: 

  • Rep. Zack Stephenson, DFL-Coon Rapids  

  • Rep. Kristin Robbins, R-Maple Grove

  • Rep. Sydney Jordan, DFL-Minneapolis

  • Sen. Heather Gustafson, DFL-Vadnais Heights

  • Brian Bakst is a politics reporter for MPR News  

  • Dana Ferguson is a politics reporter for MPR News

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Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.