Minnesota became the 23rd state to legalize recreational marijuana, as Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) is signed legislation this afternoon.

The bill, which was passed by the legislature May 20, will allow Minnesotans above the age of 21 to possess up to two pounds of marijuana at home and two ounces in public, starting Aug. 1. Possessing more than those amounts, or selling the drug without a state license, can result in criminal penalties.

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Democrats took full control of Minnesota's government this year.

"Prohibition does not work," Walz said at the signing ceremony, adding, "We've criminalized a lot of folks."

Walz was joined by former Gov. Jesse Ventura who was the first to talk about legalization in Minnesota.

Walz stressed the issue of safety and regulations, citing street-sale cannabis as "dangerous" because of the possibility of it being laced with fentanyl.

He also said that the issue of marijuana being illegal has led to the overprescription of opioids for veterans and others who suffer from chronic pain.

However, public consumption of marijuana would still count as a misdemeanor offense, a caveat similar to other states that have legalized the drug.

Some of the motivation for Minnesota's bill is to reduce criminality and clean the records of past marijuana-related convictions.

The bill will expunge low-level marijuana offenses and allow for those convicted of felony-level cannabis crimes to apply for expungement through a new board to consider such cases. More than 60,000 cases could be expunged, according to the Star Tribune.

The measure also sets up a regulatory framework for cannabis cultivators and distributors, in order to derive tax revenue from the sale and crack down on the black market for the drug.

"The fundamental flaw with this bill is that the starting point of it from proponents has been about creating an industry to fit their ideology," Republican state Sen. Jordan Rasmusson said on the Senate floor in opposition to the bill.

As states have moved to legalize marijuana, the number of American workers using the drug has increased as well.

According to Quest Diagnostics, the number of employees who tested positive for marijuana after a workplace accident hit a 25-year high in 2022.

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Minnesota's move also comes after recent studies show cannabis use is connected to schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders, particularly for young men, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Walz's office did not respond to a request for comment from the Washington Examiner.