Personal Freedom or Selective Regulation? The Hypocrisy of North Dakota’s Raw Milk and Marijuana Laws
Published on: 3-05-2025
Tags: Personal Freedom, Government Overreach, North Dakota Politics, Cannabis Legalization, Agricultural Policy
Introduction: The Double Standard in North Dakota’s Regulation
North Dakota legislators love to talk about personal freedom and small government—but only when it suits them. In the debate over raw milk, many conservative lawmakers have pushed for deregulation, arguing that consumers should have the right to buy and consume an unprocessed product directly from farmers, without government interference.
But when it comes to marijuana, suddenly, those same lawmakers abandon their small-government philosophy and push for strict regulations, criminal penalties, and government oversight.
To highlight this glaring hypocrisy, let’s take a recent testimony in support of HB 1131, a North Dakota bill aiming to legalize raw milk sales, and apply the exact same arguments to marijuana. The result? A perfectly reasonable case for cannabis legalization—using the words of raw milk advocates themselves.
Testimony: If It Works for Raw Milk, It Works for Marijuana
This is a modified version of testimony given in favor of HB 1131, with "raw milk" replaced with "marijuana" to show just how inconsistent North Dakota’s regulatory philosophy really is:
Updated Testimony
House Agriculture Committee – HB 1131
January 17, 2025
Chairman and members of the committee, I am here today in support of House Bill 1131, which would expand access to marijuana for consumers in North Dakota.
HB 1131 simply provides North Dakota residents with more freedom to choose whether to consume ~raw milk~ marijuana and empowers local producers by removing unnecessary regulatory barriers.
Many people in our state already consume ~raw milk~ marijuana. They seek it out for a variety of reasons—some believe it provides natural medicinal benefits, while others appreciate that it is produced locally and free from unnecessary additives or processing. Despite the fact that North Dakotans are making these choices for themselves, current laws limit access, create unnecessary restrictions, and push consumers toward unregulated sources.
This bill would allow small, local farmers to sell ~raw milk~ marijuana directly to consumers without the burden of excessive government oversight. North Dakotans are capable of making their own informed decisions about what they put into their bodies, whether that be unprocessed dairy or cannabis.
Opponents may argue that ~raw milk~ marijuana carries health risks, but the reality is that people are already consuming these products whether they are legal or not. The best way to ensure safety and quality is not through prohibition, but through responsible regulation and transparency.
Furthermore, many other states have successfully allowed the sale of ~raw milk~ marijuana with no issues. North Dakota should trust its residents to make their own choices, rather than criminalizing a natural product that has been used for generations.
I urge this committee to support HB 1131 and give North Dakotans the freedom to access ~raw milk~ marijuana in a responsible, regulated manner.
Thank you for your time, and I am happy to stand for any questions.
The Takeaway: The Argument for Freedom Only Works When It’s Convenient
This testimony, originally meant to defend raw milk sales, now perfectly applies to marijuana—yet many of the same legislators who fight for raw milk deregulation would never support cannabis legalization.
Why? Because this isn’t really about freedom or government overreach—it’s about cultural and political bias.
North Dakota’s Selective Freedom Philosophy:
- Raw milk? Let the people decide! Less regulation! No government interference!
- Marijuana? Ban it! Regulate it! Keep the government in control!
If North Dakota lawmakers truly believed in personal choice, they’d support both raw milk and marijuana legalization. But instead, they pick and choose when "freedom" matters, revealing just how selective their small-government ideology really is.
Final Thought: If You Support Raw Milk, You Should Support Marijuana Legalization
At the end of the day, both raw milk and marijuana involve personal choice, local agriculture, and the right of individuals to consume what they want.
If North Dakota lawmakers are going to fight for raw milk as a “freedom issue”, then they should be willing to apply that same logic to cannabis. Anything less is just political hypocrisy.