Can you cultivate and grow your own home-grown cannabis in your state? Laws about cannabis cultivation vary by state. Knowing about them protects you from being slapped a hefty fine if not jail time.
Here’s a helpful guideline to make you see if you can cultivate your own weed, recreational or medical right in your backyard, patio or basement.
Alaska
Using and possessing
Alaska state laws allow residents aged 21 years above to purchase, possess, transport, display, and use an ounce or less of both recreational and medical marijuana.
Cultivating, processing, and transporting
Being 21 years old or above also gives you the opportunity to cultivate, process, possess, and transport less than 6 plants. You are restricted to grow, cultivate, possess, use, and transport less than 3 mature cannabis plants.
Arizona
Using and possessing
2.5 ounces of marijuana is allowed for a patient qualified under the medical marijuana program. An authorized person or caregiver can also carry this amount of cannabis. Qualifying means the patient has ADHD. The 2.5 ounces cannabis possession is only good for a 14-day period and purchased only at a non-profit and registered medical marijuana shop or dispensary.
Cultivating, processing, and transporting
The qualifying patient or the authorized person are allowed to grow and cultivate 12 marijuana plants if their place of residence is over 25 miles from the nearest registered dispensary of medical marijuana.
California
Using and possessing
There are two options for individuals 21 years old and above to possess one or both:
- Usable cannabis weighing 28.5 grams
- Cannabis concentrate weighing 8 grams
Purchase limit of marijuana for each adult individual per day is 8 ounces.
Cultivating, processing, and transporting
12 immature marijuana plants or 6 mature cannabis plants is the limit for growing and processing for medical marijuana patients or their authorized person. A bigger amount of marijuana can be grown and processed if recommended by a doctor to meet the needs of the qualified patient.
Colorado
Using and possessing
Visitors to Colorado are allowed to possess and purchase 1/4 ounce of marijuana per day. Residents can buy and possess 1 ounce of marijuana per day. The law limits the patient’s use of medical marijuana:
- Usable form of cannabis of not more than 2 ounces
- 3 or less flowering mature marijuana plants and less than 6 plants total that produces cannabis in usable form
Cultivating, processing, and transporting
A total of 6 cannabis plants are allowed per an adult resident of the state with less than 3 of them in flowering and mature stage at any time. Visitors to the state are not allowed to cultivate and process.
There should be less than 12 cannabis plants cultivated in a home. The plants need to be placed out of view. Growers are not allowed to sell their products.
Connecticut
Using and possessing
There should be a month’s available supply of medical marijuana for the qualified patient. The overall amount of cannabis stock should be a combined amount between the licensed caregiver and the patient. The cannabis should only be for palliative use.
Cultivating, processing, and transporting
The law of the state prohibits any cultivation, processing, and transporting of cannabis to all residents and visitors,
Delaware
Using and possessing
The use and possession of usable medical marijuana is restricted to 6 ounces or less at one time.
Cultivating, processing, and transporting
Residents and visitors are not allowed to cultivate, process, and transport cannabis.
District of Columbia
Using and possessing
Every resident of the state who is 21 years old and above can:
- Carry the maximum amount of less than 2 ounces of marijuana
- Give an ounce or less of cannabis to another adult that does not involve payment of money, services or goods
- Allow to use one marijuana drug equipment allowing for 1 or less usage
At any time qualifying medical practitioner and patient are only allowed to possess 2 ounces of dried or any form of medical marijuana.
Cultivating, processing, and transporting
6 marijuana plants with 3 or less mature ones are allowed to be grown in homes of residents as long as they are 21 years or above.
Florida
Using and possessing
There are so specified limits to the use and possession of cannabis in Florida.
Cultivating, processing, and transporting
Planting and cultivating marijuana in the home is not allowed.
New Jersey
Using and possessing
Only a licensed medical marijuana doctor can prescribe to a qualified and registered patient. This prescription can be taken to any ATC or Alternative Treatment Center where the dispensed amount should not be over 2 ounces within the period of 30 days.
Cultivating, processing, and transporting
The law of the state prohibits doctors and patients to cultivate and process marijuana in their homes.
New York
Using and possessing
The qualified patient can possess marijuana but not exceeding a 30-day supply. A medical marijuana practitioner determines the total supply which should be at the correct amount during the last week of the 30-day period. The patient is given a new prescription for the next 30-days if he or she meets the required total amount of marijuana of the last 30 days.
Cultivating, processing, and transporting
No home is permitted to raise, grow or cultivate marijuana in New York.
Washington
Using and possessing
The qualified practitioner may include his/her marijuana dosage recommendations to a certified patient. The recommendations should cover the anticipated medical marijuana needs of the patient. However, if the patient is not in the medical marijuana database, he or she will not be qualified to get a recognition card. Purchasing the drug can only be done at a retail outlet.
An adult resident without a medical marijuana card can still possess a combination of:
- 16 ounces solid form edibles that are infused with marijuana
- Usable marijuana weighing 1 ounce
- 72 ounces of Liquid form and marijuana-infused product
- Marijuana concentrate up to 7 grams
Cultivating, processing, and transporting
The certified patient can home-grow 6 cannabis plants that are only for personal use. Processing and possessing 8 ounces of usable marijuana derived from the home-grown plants is allowed.
In closing
It is all about control over the products when a certified patient is allowed to cultivate, process, and use home-grown cannabis. Yet, state laws should be the first thing to think about before you decide to grow your own cannabis. Certified or not, adult individuals need to follow the law to avoid its sanctions.
