August 1st brought about the legalization of recreational marijuana in Minnesota. However, keep in mind that the BWCA and Superior National Forest are under federal jurisdiction.

"Recreational cannabis use may be legal in the State of Minnesota, effective August 1, 2023, the Chippewa and Superior National Forests officials are reminding visitors that it is illegal on National Forest System lands. Possession or use of any amount of cannabis is still prohibited on all National Forest lands and at all National Forest campgrounds and facilities. Forest officials ask visitors to be mindful of National Forest System boundaries and to become familiar with relevant federal and state regulations prior to visiting the Chippewa and/or Superior National Forests."

Details

I anticipate perfect compliance with this exception to MN law.

Leave No Trace.

Pot billboards and advertising are popping up everywhere...

In 1970 Congress passed an advertising prohibition act banning all cigarette commercials from the broadcast media effective January 2, 1971.

What's the difference?

Thanks for your update and info, Adam.

Banksiana: "Leave No Trace."

A joint effort by all.

LOL. Hopefully they ban cigarettes and alchohol in the park as well.

BigCurrent: "LOL. Hopefully they ban cigarettes and alchohol in the park as well. "

I would support a ban on cigarettes because of their general likelihood to start a forest fire or be discarded into the wilderness, but I don't see it necessary to ban alcohol as long as the plastic container rule is followed.

bobbernumber3: "Pot billboards and advertising are popping up everywhere...

In 1970 Congress passed an advertising prohibition act banning all cigarette commercials from the broadcast media effective January 2, 1971."

"I think that I shall never see, a billboard lovely as a tree. Indeed, unless the billboards fall, I'll never see a tree at all."

~My big sister - somewhere on the road between Wall Drug and the Corn Palace. Late 60's.

Yes it's illegal but I wouldn't worry about using it in the BW. Even states where cannabis is illegal, you're either made to get rid of it or you get a ticket. Unless you have a crap load, then it becomes distribution. Also the rangers encounters are so few. It's unlikely you'll have this issue. I'd rather have a stoned person in my camp than a drunk. My daughter who's a cop in Wisconsin and here fellow officers have told me more than once that they'd rather have contact with a pot user than a drunk any day.

'In 1970 Congress passed an advertising prohibition act banning all cigarette commercials from the broadcast media effective January 2, 1971.

What's the difference?'

The difference between billboards and broadcast media?
Or the difference between tobacco and cannabis?

I'm guessing you were referring to cannabis/tobacco - They are two different species with two different sets of industries and regulations.

We got stopped by DNR on our way out of Wind Lake a few weeks ago. Among the questions they asked about fishing included whether or not we brought in any alcohol or cannabis. If you're close to an entry lake, especially popular ones, you should always expect the potential to have a chat with game wardens.

AlexanderSupertramp: "

BigCurrent: "LOL. Hopefully they ban cigarettes and alchohol in the park as well. "

I would support a ban on cigarettes because of their general likelihood to start a forest fire or be discarded into the wilderness, but I don't see it necessary to ban alcohol as long as the plastic container rule is followed."

I was being sarcastic. The thought of Cannabis being prohibited but alcohol is acceptable is silly. The danger of being drunk in the BW is far greater than being stoned.

Go to Canada and you will be fine.

This reminds me of an old story about the Ely customs office. Before we headed off to the BW, we had carried several hay bales in the back of the car to mulch our garden. After we took out the bales, some of the straw was left, but we didn't think anything of it. Little did we know those pieces of straw would threaten to land us in federal prison. We went off into the Quetico, as we usually did, going through Canada Customs at Prairie Portage where the rangers reminded us to check in with US Customs in Ely when we exited. So after packing the car at the landing when we returned, off we headed off to US Customs. The official decided we must have looked like drug smugglers because he ordered us out of the car and proceeded to go through everything. Then the eagle eyes of this defender of justice spied our straw remains. He picked up a few between his fingers then smelled them. Not satisfied he even took a bite. "Where did you get this stuff," he demanded, emphasizing the "stuff" so it sounded evil enough to contaminate the entire country. What followed was several anxious minutes of this official insisting it was marijuana. It was only the intervention of his superior that saved us. To paraphrase a famous quote, "Sometimes, grass is just grass."

Had a similar experience in Tokyo Japan. Wearing turf shoes from my coaching days. Had some blades of grass in them. They did chemical analysis on it before releasing me. I was scared. With communication barrier my explanation wasn't helping!

A great example of the government treating me like a child. I will continue to responsibly enjoy cannabis while recreating on National Forest lands as I have done for decades across the country.

The federal government's policy of cannabis prohibition has been an abysmal failure. Like alcohol prohibition, cannabis prohibition has created a multi-billion-dollar black market that incentivizes criminal gangs to grow cannabis illegally on the very land the federal government is supposed to manage for public benefit. The social and environmental cost of this illegal activity is enormous and can only be stopped by enacting new cannabis policy at the federal level.

Anyone who gets caught smoking on National Forest land is a newb, reasonable people have been violating this prohibition with little to no problems for years.

Northwoodsman: "

Banksiana: "Leave No Trace."

A joint effort by all."

Lol

Got it. Moot issue for me because I left my remaining stash of weed and a bag of coke at our Nation’s Capital last month. If you think getting stoned in the wilderness is a hoot, you gotta visit Washington!

On a trip many moons ago a couple of inquisitive park Rangers smelled the pungent aroma of some fine Florida skunk weed and proceeded to land at our campsite in search thereof. I saw them before they saw me and I scurried into the water. I could tell by the older Ranger's demeanor he was wanting to do an interrogation of the nth degree of the source of the smell. The veteran Ranger with a rookie in tow, was going to do his best to show the young one "how it's supposed to be done" I was quite high at the time and was in the lake swimming and contemplating taking a bath. When the boss Ranger spied me he came to the waters edge and asked to see our permit. I stood up buck naked. I could tell by the look on his face it was for sure more than he was expecting. He asked where the permit was and I told him it was tied to the tree by the fire pit and to have at it. Which he did. He saw two names on the permit and asked where my paddling partner was. I told him he was up there somewhere. The Ranger just knew for sure my paddling partner was in the woods hiding our stash. The Ranger found him alright! He was actually in the bush taking a big ole 3 day backed up, freeze dried, trail mixed, Jack Daniels country ass S _ _ t. I heard a couple of muffled voices conversing but that was it. About the time the rookie was apologizing for coming up on me while I was naked in the water, the veteran Ranger came to the water's edge and motioned for the rookie it was time to go. I heard the boss Ranger say as they walked off ... "I've never smelled anything like that in my life". "The smell from that gawd awful S _ _ t the big guy was taking must have been
what we were smelling. TRUE STORY!

That is awesome.