Recreational use of marijuana for adults 21 and older became legal in Minnesota in August 2023, marking a new era in how we think, talk about and consume the plant. In the first three weeks alone, the state collected almost $600,000 in tax proceeds from the sale of legal cannabis products, and that is expected to grow into the tens of millions of dollars in the coming years.

No one followed the debate over legalization more closely than journalists at the Star Tribune. And our stories about the legal, economic and cultural impact of this landmark legislation continue to be among our most widely read.

That's why we're excited to announce Nuggets, a new weekly email newsletter documenting Minnesota's journey as it joins the growing number of states that have legalized recreational marijuana.

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Nuggets is a niche news product unlike any you've seen previously from the Star Tribune. It will be tailored for its audience, and will include exclusive content for Nuggets subscribers. It might not be for everybody, but we hope Nuggets will appeal to a broad cross-section of readers, from the cannabis-curious to connoisseurs.

There is no playbook for this, we'll figure it out as we go — and listen to what our readers tell us they want. We'll round up the week's marijuana news, locally and nationally. We'll interview the people building the nascent industry in Minnesota, including regulators, entrepreneurs and lawmakers. We'll answer questions from readers and talk openly and frankly about the cannabis products on store shelves, their flavors and, yes, their effects.

We'll also bring the same journalistic rigor and fairness that we do to any topic we cover. Recreational use of marijuana is already legal in 22 other states, and we'll learn from their experiences. We'll chronicle the evolution of the industry in Minnesota, and accurately report what data and new studies tell us — or don't.

Nuggets is intended for readers who are old enough to legally purchase and consume cannabis products in Minnesota. Subscribers will be required to affirm they are 21 or older when they sign up, like visitors to an alcohol or cannabis company's website do.

If all of this sounds interesting (and you're 21 or older), please subscribe to Nuggets here. The first edition will hit your inbox soon, featuring a special report about the recreational cannabis program at White Earth Nation — one of two Minnesota tribes allowing sales of marijuana flower in the state.

We hope this will be a fun and informative adventure, and that you'll join us for the ride.