Cannabis Laws by State — Know What's Legal in 2025

Status Summary

• ✅ Recreational Cannabis: Legal since 2015
• ✅ Medical Cannabis: Legal since 1998
• ✅ Hemp-derived THC: Legal but regulated
• ✅ CBD Products: Legal
• 🚫 Psychedelics: Illegal (no active decrim)

Legalization Timeline

• Medical Cannabis: Legalized by ballot measure in 1998 (Measure 8)
• Recreational Cannabis: Legalized in 2014 via Measure 2; effective Feb 2015
• Regulated Sales Began: 2016
• Hemp Regulated: Under 2018 Farm Bill alignment + state amendments

Purchase Laws

• Minimum Age: 21+ for recreational; 18+ for medical with physician recommendation
• Purchase Limits (Recreational):
  • 1 ounce (28 grams) of usable marijuana
  • Up to 7 grams of concentrate
• Possession Limits: Same as purchase limits
• 6 plants (only 3 mature at a time) allowed at home

Consumption Laws

• 🚫 Public Use: Illegal (civil penalty)
• ✅ Private Use: Allowed
• ✅ Social Lounges: Allowed with municipal approval
• Alaska was first state to allow on-site consumption in licensed retail stores (2020)

Home Cultivation

• ✅ Recreational: Legal
• 6 plants per adult (only 3 mature); max 12 per household
• ✅ Medical: Same limits; cultivation explicitly protected for patients

Licensing & Retail

• License Types: Retail, Cultivation, Product Manufacturing, Testing, On-site Consumption
• ✅ Vertical Integration: Allowed
• 🚫 Delivery Services: Not allowed (as of 2025; legislation pending)

Medical Program Details

• Qualifying Conditions: Chronic pain, nausea, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, HIV/AIDS, glaucoma, and others
• Registry: State-managed medical marijuana registry (voluntary; rarely used since recreational is legal)
• Physician Certification: Required
• Card Cost: $25 application fee + $20 renewal
• 🚫 Reciprocity: No formal reciprocity; visitors must buy as recreational users

Hemp & Cannabinoids

• ✅ CBD: Legal and sold freely
• ✅ Delta-8/10/THCP: Legal if derived from hemp but treated under same regulatory framework as marijuana
• Must be sold by licensed retailers
• Hemp Licensing: Managed by Alaska Division of Agriculture
• Testing/Labeling: Strict testing required for retail

Criminal Penalties

• Possession over the limit (non-distribution): Misdemeanor; fine + up to 1 year jail
• Distribution without license: Felony
• Expungement: Limited — no automatic expungement law; individual petitions possible but rare

Driving & DUI

• THC DUI Law: No per se limit; enforcement based on officer judgment + blood tests
• Legal Risk: High – even legal users can be charged if judged impaired
• 🚫 Medical Defense?: No protection for being a cardholder if impairment is suspected

Employment Laws

• ✅ Drug Testing Permitted: Yes
• ✅ Firing for Legal Use: Legal; Alaska is an at-will employment state
• 🚫 Medical Protection: Not required by law

Parental & Housing Rights

• CPS Risk for Legal Use: Possible if impairment or endangerment is alleged
• Landlord Rules: May ban cannabis use on private property
• 🚫 Federal Housing: Follows federal prohibition; use banned

Firearms

• 🚫 Firearm Possession + Cannabis: Federally prohibited
• Alaska does not offer protection for cannabis users
• Possession of both a firearm and cannabis may trigger legal scrutiny

Taxes & Revenue

• Excise Tax (Cultivation): $50/oz for flower, $15/oz for trim
• Local Sales Tax: Up to municipalities (some charge 5–7%)
• Revenue Distribution: School programs, public health, enforcement

Social Equity

No formal statewide equity program

Some municipalities (Anchorage, Juneau) offer small-business and BIPOC licensing support

Tourism

• ✅ Out-of-State Visitors Can Buy: Yes, same limits as residents
• Warnings: Do not transport to federal land (e.g., national parks)
• Cruises: Carrying cannabis on cruise ships is illegal due to federal maritime law

Key Legal Risks

• Federal land overlaps: National parks, wildlife preserves — strictly prohibited
• Alaska Native land: Jurisdiction may vary
• 🚫 Flying with cannabis (even in-state): TSA = federal = illegal

Official Resources

• Statutes: Alaska Statutes Title 17, Chapter 38 – The Marijuana Control Act
• Regulatory Body: Alcohol & Marijuana Control Office (AMCO) https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/amco
• Medical Registry: https://health.alaska.gov/dph
• Last Confirmed Update: July 25, 2025

Status Summary

• 🚫 Recreational Cannabis: Illegal
• ⚠️ Medical Cannabis: Low-THC Oil Only — Highly Limited Access Program
• ⚠️ Hemp-derived THC: Legally ambiguous – statewide enforcement varies
• ✅ CBD Products: Legal (<0.3% THC, from hemp)
• 🚫 Psychedelics: Illegal — no active decrim efforts

Legalization Timeline

• Medical Cannabis (Low-THC Oil): Legalized via HB 1 (2015), updated via HB 324 (2019)
• Recreational: Still fully prohibited
• Retail Low-THC Dispensaries Launched: 2023 (first legal state-licensed dispensaries opened after years of delay)
• Delta-8 Crackdowns: Began in 2022; legal status remains unsettled

Purchase Laws

• 🚫 Recreational Sales: Illegal
• ⚠️ Medical Sales: Only low-THC oil (<5% THC) for registered patients
• Minimum Age: 18+ for cardholders (minors allowed via guardian caregiver program)
• Purchase Limits: 20 fluid ounces of cannabis oil (max 5% THC)
• Dispensary Access: Only a handful of locations currently operating statewide

Consumption Laws

• 🚫 Public Use: Illegal
• ✅ Private Use (Medical Oil): Allowed for cardholders
• 🚫 Smoking/Vaping/Flower: Prohibited under Georgia law
• 🚫 Edibles/Infused Products: Not allowed – only low-THC oil is permitted

Home Cultivation

• 🚫 Recreational: Prohibited
• 🚫 Medical: Prohibited
• All production restricted to licensed cultivators (only two allowed as of 2025)

Licensing & Retail

• Retail Dispensaries: Licensed under the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission (GMCC)
• License Types: Class 1/2 Production, Dispensing, Testing
• Retail Rollout: Ongoing; slow due to delays in licensing and lawsuits
• 🚫 Delivery: Not authorized

Medical Program Details

• Approved Conditions Include: Seizure disorders, MS, Parkinson's, cancer, ALS, Crohn's, PTSD, autism, sickle cell, terminal illness, and more
• Registry Managed By: Georgia Department of Public Health
• Card Validity: 2 years
• Application Cost: $25
• 🚫 Reciprocity: Not accepted — only Georgia-issued cards valid

Hemp & Cannabinoids

• ✅ CBD: Freely legal under 2019 Georgia Hemp Farming Act
• ⚠️ Delta-8 / Delta-10 / THCP / HHC: Legally gray
• Not explicitly banned, but several local law enforcement agencies have raided or cited retailers
• 2023 legislation to ban failed; new efforts likely in 2025–2026
• Hemp Licensing: Managed by Georgia Department of Agriculture
• Testing, Packaging, Labeling: Required for in-state production; no retail THC limits currently defined for hemp-derived products

Criminal Penalties

• Possession <1 oz: Misdemeanor, up to 1 year in jail + $1,000 fine
• Possession >1 oz: Felony (1–10 years in prison)
• Decrim in Major Cities: Yes, but only locally (Atlanta, Savannah, Macon, and Athens have decriminalized minor possession as ticket-only offense)
• Expungement: Limited — Georgia law allows for "record restriction," but not automatic expungement

Driving & DUI

• 🚫 THC DUI: Strictly enforced
• Per Se Law: Any detectable THC = DUI, even without signs of impairment
• ⚠️ Medical Oil Users: Still subject to DUI law if impaired

Employment Laws

• ✅ Drug Testing: Permitted for all employees
• 🚫 Medical Use Protections: None — medical cardholders not protected from termination
• Employer Rights: May terminate for any cannabis-related test or policy violation

Parental & Housing Rights

• Child Custody: Use of state-authorized cannabis oil may be considered, but does not protect against CPS investigation
• Tenant Rights: Landlords may prohibit use; federal housing = banned

Firearms

• 🚫 Firearm Possession + Cannabis: Federally prohibited
• Georgia Law: No protections offered for cannabis users regarding firearm ownership

Taxes & Revenue

• Medical Sales: Currently no special cannabis excise tax
• CBD/Hemp Products: Subject to standard state sales tax (~4%) plus local tax
• Program Revenue Use: Covers administration of GMCC and law enforcement

Social Equity

No official social equity program

Licensing process heavily criticized for favoring large corporations, creating lawsuits and rollout delays. Minority-owned applicants virtually shut out under current licensing model.

Tourism

• 🚫 Recreational Possession: Illegal
• 🚫 Medical Access: Only available to Georgia cardholders
• Low-THC Oil: Difficult to access even for legal users — avoid carrying cannabis in Georgia if not registered

Key Legal Risks

• Possession remains a criminal offense statewide (outside a few cities)
• No smokable, edible, or full-spectrum cannabis is legal
• Delta-8 under constant threat of ban
• Strict THC DUI enforcement with any detectable amount

Official Resources

• Medical Cannabis Registry: https://dph.georgia.gov/medical-cannabis
• Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission (GMCC): https://www.gmcc.ga.gov
• Hemp Licensing Info: https://agr.georgia.gov/hemp-program
• Georgia Code Reference: OCGA § 16-12-190 et seq.
• Last Confirmed Update: July 25, 2025

Status Summary

• 🚫 Recreational Cannabis: Illegal (as of mid-2025)
• (Adult-use legalization bills have passed the Senate and are under active consideration)
• ✅ Medical Cannabis: Legal since 2000; well-established dispensary system
• 🚫 Hemp-derived THC: Explicitly banned under state law
• ✅ CBD Products: Legal under state-regulated program
• ⚠️ Psychedelics: Local decriminalization efforts emerging; no statewide law

Legalization Timeline

• Medical Cannabis: Legalized in 2000 (SB 862); first state to legalize via legislation, not ballot
• Dispensaries Launched: 2017 (after delayed implementation)
• Recreational Status (2025): Still prohibited — multiple bills introduced (SB 669 passed Senate in 2023 and 2024, pending House action)
• Delta-8 Ban: Formalized in 2022; added to Controlled Substances list

Purchase Laws

• 🚫 Recreational: Illegal
• ✅ Medical Purchase: With valid Hawaii 329 Card
• Age Requirement: 18+ (minors allowed with caregiver)
• Purchase Limits (Medical):
  • 4 ounces per 15-day period
  • 8 ounces per 30-day rolling window
• ID Requirement: Valid government-issued ID + active 329 Card

Consumption Laws

• 🚫 Public Use: Illegal, including parks and beaches
• ✅ Private Use (Medical): Allowed in private residences
• 🚫 Smoking in Cars: Prohibited
• 🚫 Lounges: Not permitted

Home Cultivation

• 🚫 Recreational: Prohibited
• ✅ Medical: Allowed — up to 10 plants per qualifying patient
• Registration Required: Yes — patients must register their grow site with the Department of Health

Licensing & Retail

• License Types: Production Center, Dispensary, Testing Laboratory
• Retail Model: Only 8 licensed dispensary organizations allowed statewide (each with up to 2 retail locations)
• ✅ Vertical Integration: Required — licensees must handle all aspects
• 🚫 Delivery Services: Prohibited
• Local Control: Counties may impose additional zoning or restrictions

Medical Program Details

• Qualifying Conditions Include: Cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy, PTSD, HIV/AIDS, MS, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and others
• Registry: Managed by Hawaii Department of Health (Medical Cannabis Registry Program)
• Card Validity: 1 year (in some cases 2)
• Application Fee: $38.50
• ✅ Reciprocity: Visitors can apply for Temporary Out-of-State (OSP) 329 Cards — valid for 60 days

Hemp & Cannabinoids

• ✅ CBD: Legal and sold widely; regulated under Hawaii's Industrial Hemp Program
• 🚫 Delta-8 / Delta-10 / THCP / HHC: Explicitly banned as controlled substances since 2022
• 🚫 Retail Sale of Intoxicating Hemp Products: Prohibited
• Hemp Licensing: Managed by Hawaii Department of Agriculture

Criminal Penalties

• Possession <3g: Civil violation, $130 fine (as of 2020 decrim law)
• Possession >3g – 1 oz: Misdemeanor, up to 30 days jail + $1,000
• Possession >1 oz: Felony
• Distribution Without License: Felony
• ⚠️ Expungement: No automatic process; must petition

Driving & DUI

• 🚫 THC DUI: Illegal — standard impairment-based enforcement
• No Per Se Limit: Officers rely on field tests + blood/saliva confirmation
• ⚠️ Medical Defense?: Does not exempt from DUI if impaired

Employment Laws

• ✅ Drug Testing Permitted: Yes
• 🚫 Medical Use Protections: None under current state law
• Employers Can Terminate: Even with valid 329 card

Parental & Housing Rights

• ⚠️ CPS Risk (Medical Users): May still face investigation — protection not guaranteed
• Rental Restrictions: Landlords may prohibit use and cultivation
• 🚫 Public Housing: Federal bans apply — cannabis not allowed

Firearms

• Federal Law Applies: Medical users flagged on background checks
• 🚫 State Protections: None — Hawaii does not offer exemption

Taxes & Revenue

• Medical Sales: Subject to general excise tax (~4.5%)
• 🚫 Excise Cannabis Tax (Recreational): Not applicable (no rec program yet)
• Program Revenue Use: Supports Department of Health operations

Social Equity

No formal equity program under medical model

2023–2024 legalization proposals included equity components, including small business licensing and expungement — not yet passed

Tourism

• ✅ Visitor Access: Through 60-day Temporary Medical Cards (apply online in advance)
• ✅ Dispensary Access: Allowed with OSP card + ID
• Warning: Possession outside of program = criminal offense
• 🚫 Cannabis on Beaches/Parks: Strictly prohibited

Key Legal Risks

• No rec use allowed — visitors often misinterpret
• Delta-8 and all psychoactive hemp cannabinoids = banned
• DUI laws + random testing strict for island driving
• Limited dispensary locations = access bottlenecks

Official Resources

• Hawaii Medical Cannabis Registry: https://health.hawaii.gov/medicalcannabisregistry
• Visitor Application (OSP Card): https://medmj.ehawaii.gov
• Cannabis Licensing & Program Oversight: https://health.hawaii.gov/medicalcannabis
• Hemp Program: https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/hemp
• Last Confirmed Update: July 25, 2025

Status Summary

• 🚫 Recreational Cannabis: Fully Illegal
• 🚫 Medical Cannabis: Illegal — no active medical program
• 🚫 Hemp-derived THC: Explicitly banned
• ✅ CBD Products: Legal if 0.0% THC (not just <0.3%)
• 🚫 Psychedelics: Illegal — no decriminalization

Legalization Timeline

• 🚫 Medical Cannabis: No legal program (Idaho is one of the last holdouts)
• Recreational Legalization Efforts: Repeatedly blocked by legislature
• CBD Legalization: SB 1146a (2015) vetoed; CBD legalized in 2021, but only if it contains 0.0% THC
• Hemp Farming: Legalized under HB 126 in 2021 — only for industrial hemp (not for consumer cannabinoids)

Purchase Laws

• 🚫 All Cannabis (Rec & Med): Illegal
• ✅ CBD Products: Legal only if THC = 0.0%
• No medical card system exists in Idaho
• 🚫 Dispensaries: None authorized

Consumption Laws

• 🚫 Any Cannabis Use: Illegal
• ✅ CBD Use: Allowed if 0.0% THC
• 🚫 Public or Private Cannabis Use: Prohibited — no legal protections

Home Cultivation

• 🚫 Recreational or Medical: Illegal — cultivation of cannabis is a felony offense
• ✅ Hemp Cultivation: Allowed by licensed industrial hemp producers only

Licensing & Retail

• 🚫 Cannabis Licensing: None permitted
• ✅ CBD Retailers: Legal if they sell THC-free products
• Hemp Farming Licenses: Issued by Idaho State Department of Agriculture

Medical Program Details

• 🚫 No Medical Program Exists
• No Patient Registry, No Recommendations, No Protections
• Efforts for Medical Legalization: Ballot initiatives have failed or been blocked in 2012, 2018, and 2020

Hemp & Cannabinoids

• ✅ CBD (0.0% THC only): Legal to possess and sell
• 🚫 CBD with trace THC: Illegal
• 🚫 Delta-8/10/HHC/etc.: Explicitly banned under Idaho Uniform Controlled Substances Act
• ✅ Hemp Farming: Regulated by ISDA; licensed for industrial use only

Criminal Penalties

• Possession <3 oz: Misdemeanor — up to 1 year jail + $1,000 fine
• Possession ≥3 oz or Concentrates: Felony — up to 5 years + $10,000 fine
• Cultivation/Sales/Distribution: Felony with long sentences
• 🚫 Expungement: Not available — no legal mechanism for clearing records

Driving & DUI

• 🚫 THC DUI: Zero tolerance — any trace = DUI
• ✅ CBD Use: Permitted, but contaminated CBD products may trigger THC-positive results
• Per Se Limit: None — any amount = chargeable offense

Employment Laws

• ✅ Drug Testing: Permitted and widespread
• 🚫 Medical Use Protection: Not applicable
• ⚠️ CBD Use Risk: High risk if product not 100% THC-free

Parental & Housing Rights

• Cannabis Use (Any Form): May be used against individuals in custody cases
• Housing Protections: None — cannabis users not protected, even for CBD
• Public Housing: Follows federal prohibition

Firearms

• 🚫 Cannabis Users: Federally prohibited from owning firearms
• Idaho Law: No specific protections or exceptions

Taxes & Revenue

• Cannabis Revenue: $0 — no legal industry
• CBD Sales: Subject to standard sales tax

Social Equity

• 🚫 No Program Exists
• State remains criminally punitive for cannabis offenses
• No expungement, no clemency process for nonviolent cannabis crimes

Tourism

• Possession = Criminal Charge — even <1g is a misdemeanor
• No Out-of-State Medical Exemptions
• Border Warning: Especially risky near Oregon and Nevada — state police monitor interstate traffic heavily

Key Legal Risks

• No medical protections — even for epilepsy, cancer, etc.
• Felony charges for concentrates or home grow
• THC in any form = arrest
• CBD must be absolutely THC-free (0.0%) to avoid prosecution

Official Resources

• Controlled Substances Statutes: Idaho Code § 37-2701 et seq.
• Hemp Program (ISDA): https://agri.idaho.gov
• CBD Consumer Guidelines: https://agri.idaho.gov/main/plants/hemp
• Last Confirmed Update: July 25, 2025

Status Summary

• ✅ Recreational Cannabis: Legal since 2020 (first Midwest state to legalize)
• ✅ Medical Cannabis: Legal since 2013
• ⚠️ Hemp-derived THC: Legal but regulated under cannabis laws; some local bans
• ✅ CBD Products: Legal under federal/state law
• ⚠️ Psychedelics: Some decriminalization efforts locally (Chicago); no statewide reform

Legalization Timeline

• Medical Cannabis: Signed into law in 2013 (Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act)
• Recreational Cannabis: Legalized in June 2019 via Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act; sales began January 1, 2020
• Hemp Farming: Legal under 2018 Farm Bill; state aligned regulations in 2019

Purchase Laws

• Minimum Age: 21+ for recreational; 18+ with medical card
• Recreational Limits:
  • Residents: 30g flower, 5g concentrate, 500mg edibles
  • Non-residents: 15g flower, 2.5g concentrate, 250mg edibles
• Medical Limits: Up to 2.5 ounces every 14 days; may request waivers for more
• ID Requirement: Government-issued ID required for all purchases

Consumption Laws

• 🚫 Public Use: Prohibited — fines issued for public smoking
• ✅ Private Use: Allowed with property owner's consent
• ✅ Lounges: Permitted — cannabis consumption lounges operating in several municipalities
• Special Rule: No use near schools, parks, or in vehicles

Home Cultivation

• 🚫 Recreational: Not allowed for non-medical users
• ✅ Medical: Allowed — up to 5 plants per household for registered medical patients
• Security Requirements: Must be in locked and enclosed area, not visible to public

Licensing & Retail

• License Types: Dispensary, Cultivation Center, Craft Grower, Infuser, Transporter, Testing Lab
• Dispensary Cap: Over 200 retail licenses issued
• ✅ Vertical Integration: Allowed but capped
• 🚫 Delivery Services: Not currently legal (legislation pending)

Medical Program Details

• Qualifying Conditions: Cancer, PTSD, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, Crohn's disease, chronic pain, autism, migraines, and others
• Registry: Managed by Illinois Department of Public Health
• Card Validity: 1–3 years
• Cost: $100 annually; reduced fees for veterans and disabled patients
• 🚫 Reciprocity: Not recognized — visitors cannot buy as medical patients

Hemp & Cannabinoids

• ✅ CBD: Freely sold and consumed
• ⚠️ Delta-8 / Delta-10 / THCP: Legal but treated under cannabis regulatory system; many municipalities have restricted sales to licensed dispensaries only
• Hemp Cultivation: Managed by Illinois Department of Agriculture

Criminal Penalties

• Possession Over Limit: Civil fines for minor overages; felonies for large-scale trafficking
• Unlicensed Sale: Felony
• ✅ Expungement: Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act included one of the largest automatic expungement programs in U.S. history — over 500,000 records cleared by 2024

Driving & DUI

• 🚫 THC DUI: Illegal — per se limit of 5 ng/mL in blood or 10 ng/mL in saliva
• Enforcement: Roadside sobriety + toxicology tests
• ⚠️ Medical Defense?: Limited — impairment charges still apply to cardholders

Employment Laws

• ✅ Drug Testing: Permitted
• ⚠️ Firing for Off-Duty Use: Restricted — employees cannot be fired solely for off-duty, legal cannabis use unless safety-sensitive role or federal contract
• ✅ Medical Protection: Protected under Compassionate Use Act

Parental & Housing Rights

• Child Custody: Cannabis use cannot be sole basis for losing custody without demonstrated harm
• Tenant Rights: Landlords may prohibit smoking but not non-smoked forms of legal cannabis
• 🚫 Public Housing: Follows federal bans — no cannabis allowed

Firearms

• 🚫 Cannabis Users: Federally barred from firearm ownership
• State Protections: None — Illinois does not shield cannabis users from federal firearm restrictions

Taxes & Revenue

• Recreational Tax Rate:
  • 10% for products ≤35% THC
  • 20% for infused products
  • 25% for products >35% THC
• Plus 6.25% state sales tax and local taxes
• Medical: Only 1% sales tax
• Revenue Use: Cannabis Regulation Fund, equity programs, mental health services, law enforcement training

Social Equity

• ✅ Equity Program: One of the nation's most comprehensive
• Eligibility: Past cannabis convictions, low-income areas
• Support: Fee reductions, technical assistance, low-interest loans
• Impact: Over 30% of licenses issued to equity applicants as of 2024

Tourism

• ✅ Out-of-State Visitors: Can purchase at half the resident limits
• Lodging: Many hotels prohibit smoking; some 420-friendly rentals available
• 🚫 Transportation: Illegal to cross into neighboring prohibition states with cannabis

Key Legal Risks

• Strict DUI enforcement with per se limits
• Delta-8 legality varies locally
• Home grow illegal for recreational users

Official Resources

• Cannabis Portal: https://www2.illinois.gov/cannabis
• Medical Registry: https://medicalcannabispatients.illinois.gov
• Hemp Program: https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/agr/Plants/Pages/Industrial-Hemp.aspx
• Statutes: Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (410 ILCS 705)
• Last Confirmed Update: July 25, 2025

Status Summary

• 🚫 Recreational Cannabis: Illegal
• 🚫 Medical Cannabis: Illegal (no comprehensive program)
• ⚠️ Hemp-derived THC: Partially legal but heavily contested
• ✅ CBD Products: Legal (<0.3% THC, hemp-derived)
• 🚫 Psychedelics: Illegal; no decriminalization efforts

Legalization Timeline

• 🚫 Medical Cannabis: No legal medical marijuana program
• CBD Legalization: SB 52 (2018) legalized CBD products with <0.3% THC
• ⚠️ Delta-8 THC: Legal status challenged by Indiana AG (2022); some sales continue
• ✅ Hemp Farming: Legal under 2018 Farm Bill; Indiana aligned in 2019

Purchase Laws

• 🚫 Recreational: Illegal
• 🚫 Medical: None
• ✅ CBD: Available OTC if lab-tested and labeled for <0.3% THC
• 🚫 Dispensaries: None; only CBD and hemp retailers exist

Consumption Laws

• 🚫 Public Use: Illegal for cannabis
• ✅ Private Use: CBD permitted
• 🚫 Flower/Smoking: Illegal (except non-THC hemp products)

Home Cultivation

• 🚫 Cannabis: Fully illegal
• ✅ Hemp Cultivation: Permitted with a state license for industrial purposes

Licensing & Retail

• 🚫 Cannabis Licensing: None
• ✅ CBD Sales: Licensed stores may sell hemp-derived CBD if compliant
• Hemp Farming Licenses: Managed by Indiana State Chemist's Office

Medical Program Details

• 🚫 No Medical Cannabis Program
• CBD-only law covers no conditions or prescriptions
• Advocacy: Multiple medical marijuana bills introduced (2023–2024), none passed

Hemp & Cannabinoids

• ✅ CBD: Fully legal
• ⚠️ Delta-8 / Delta-10 / THCP: Gray area — Attorney General considers it illegal
• Retail Sales: Some cities cracking down on Delta-8 products
• ✅ Hemp Cultivation: Strong agricultural program under Purdue University research

Criminal Penalties

• Possession <30g: Misdemeanor — up to 1 year jail + $5,000 fine
• Possession ≥30g: Felony — 6 months to 2.5 years in prison
• Sale/Distribution: Felony, longer sentences
• ⚠️ Expungement: Limited expungement law for misdemeanors; no broad cannabis-specific reform

Driving & DUI

• 🚫 THC DUI: Zero tolerance — any THC metabolites can result in DUI charge
• ⚠️ CBD Use: Trace contamination can trigger THC-positive tests
• No medical defense available

Employment Laws

• ✅ Drug Testing: Allowed; widespread in many industries
• 🚫 Medical Use Protection: None (no program exists)
• ✅ CBD: Generally safe; employers rarely test for CBD itself

Parental & Housing Rights

• Cannabis Use: CPS may investigate cannabis possession or use
• Tenant Protections: None
• Public Housing: Federal ban enforced

Firearms

• Federal Ban: Cannabis users cannot own firearms
• State Stance: Indiana does not shield users from federal rules

Taxes & Revenue

• Cannabis Industry: $0 — no program
• CBD Products: Standard sales tax applies
• Hemp Farming: Generates agricultural revenue but no excise tax

Social Equity

• 🚫 No cannabis reform means no equity program
• Punitive enforcement: Indiana remains one of the strictest states for cannabis possession

Tourism

• 🚫 Cannabis Possession: Illegal — high arrest risk
• Neighboring States: Illinois, Michigan legal for recreational use, but crossing state lines into Indiana with cannabis is a felony
• ✅ CBD Use: Legal but ensure THC-free compliance

Key Legal Risks

• Zero medical program — no protections
• Delta-8 products may result in arrests despite availability
• THC-positive test can result in DUI or job loss
• Felony penalties for modest amounts

Official Resources

• State Laws: Indiana Code Title 35, Article 48
• CBD Guidance: https://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral
• Hemp Program: https://oisc.purdue.edu/hemp
• Last Confirmed Update: July 25, 2025

Status Summary

• 🚫 Recreational Cannabis: Illegal
• ⚠️ Medical Cannabis: Limited Low-THC Medical Program
• ⚠️ Hemp-derived THC: Under scrutiny; sales limited
• ✅ CBD Products: Legal if hemp-derived (<0.3% THC)
• 🚫 Psychedelics: Illegal statewide

Legalization Timeline

• Medical Cannabis: Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Act (2014); expanded in 2017 and 2020
• 🚫 Recreational: No legalization; bills have repeatedly failed
• Hemp Legalization: 2019 Iowa Hemp Act aligned with federal Farm Bill
• Delta-8 THC: Target of law enforcement raids in 2023–2024; AG considers synthetic THC a controlled substance

Purchase Laws

• 🚫 Recreational Sales: Illegal
• ✅ Medical Sales: Available only to cardholders at licensed dispensaries
• Age Requirement: 18+ for patients (minors require caregiver registration)
• Purchase Limits: 4.5g THC total per 90-day period, unless higher dosage approved
• Dispensary Access: 5 state-licensed dispensaries (limited statewide coverage)

Consumption Laws

• 🚫 Public Use: Illegal
• ✅ Private Medical Use: Permitted for registered patients
• Forms Allowed: Oral, topical, nebulized, capsules, tinctures — smoking and vaping are prohibited

Home Cultivation

• 🚫 Recreational: Fully prohibited
• 🚫 Medical: Home grow banned — all products must be purchased from licensed dispensaries

Licensing & Retail

• Medical License Types: Dispensary, Manufacturer
• License Cap: Highly restrictive — only 2 manufacturers and 5 dispensaries licensed
• ✅ Vertical Integration: Allowed (manufacturers also operate dispensaries)
• 🚫 Delivery: Not available

Medical Program Details

• Qualifying Conditions: Cancer, PTSD, chronic pain, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, ALS, Parkinson's, terminal illness, ulcerative colitis, HIV/AIDS, and others
• Registry: Managed by Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
• Card Validity: 1 year
• Application Cost: $100 ($25 for reduced-fee applicants)
• 🚫 Reciprocity: None — out-of-state cards not recognized

Hemp & Cannabinoids

• ✅ CBD: Legal for general retail (<0.3% THC)
• ⚠️ Delta-8 / Delta-10 / THCP: Ambiguous — Iowa Board of Pharmacy declared synthetic cannabinoids Schedule I substances
• Retail Enforcement: Multiple vape shop raids in 2023–2024 targeting intoxicating hemp products
• ✅ Hemp Farming: Licensed and regulated under Iowa Hemp Act
• Testing: Strict compliance required for hemp products

Criminal Penalties

• Possession <50g: Misdemeanor — up to 6 months jail + $1,000 fine
• Possession ≥50g: Felony — escalating penalties up to 5 years
• Unlicensed Sale: Felony
• ⚠️ Expungement: Limited — only minor marijuana misdemeanors may be sealed after long wait periods

Driving & DUI

• 🚫 THC DUI: Zero tolerance — any detectable THC may lead to OWI charges
• ⚠️ Medical Defense: Registered patients have no special DUI immunity

Employment Laws

• ✅ Drug Testing: Permitted; many employers enforce zero tolerance
• 🚫 Medical Use Protections: None — workers can be terminated even if medically certified
• ✅ CBD: Generally safe; trace contamination may trigger THC-positive results

Parental & Housing Rights

• Child Custody: Cannabis use can be considered against parents
• Housing Protections: None
• Public Housing: Follows federal prohibition

Firearms

• Federal Ban: Cannabis use = loss of firearm rights
• State Stance: Iowa provides no protection for cannabis patients

Taxes & Revenue

• Medical Sales: Standard state sales tax applies
• 🚫 Recreational: No program
• Hemp Products: Taxed as general retail items

Social Equity

• 🚫 No equity initiatives for medical or hemp programs
• Restrictive licensing continues to limit industry diversity

Tourism

• 🚫 Cannabis Possession: Illegal for visitors
• 🚫 Medical Access: Only available for Iowa cardholders
• Neighboring States: Minnesota and Illinois have recreational programs, but crossing state lines with cannabis into Iowa is a felony

Key Legal Risks

• Extremely restrictive THC limits in medical program
• Delta-8 and similar cannabinoids subject to raids and bans
• DUI laws enforceable at any THC trace
• No employment or parental protections

Official Resources

• Medical Cannabidiol Program: https://hhs.iowa.gov/medical-cannabidiol
• Hemp Program: https://iowaagriculture.gov/hemp
• State Laws: Iowa Code § 124 et seq., § 124E
• Last Confirmed Update: July 25, 2025

Status Summary

• 🚫 Recreational Cannabis: Fully Illegal
• 🚫 Medical Cannabis: Illegal (despite repeated attempts)
• ⚠️ Hemp-derived THC: Ambiguous — legally contested
• ✅ CBD Products: Legal if 0.0% THC
• 🚫 Psychedelics: Illegal statewide

Legalization Timeline

• 🚫 Medical Cannabis: No legal program (one of few states without)
• CBD Legalization: SB 282 (2018) legalized CBD if it contains 0% THC
• ✅ Hemp Farming: Legalized in 2019 for industrial purposes
• ⚠️ Delta-8 THC: Sold in stores but under scrutiny; no clear legal status

Purchase Laws

• 🚫 Recreational: Illegal
• 🚫 Medical: None
• ✅ CBD: Available in stores but must have 0% THC
• 🚫 Dispensaries: None for cannabis; only CBD and hemp retailers

Consumption Laws

• 🚫 Public or Private Cannabis Use: Illegal
• ✅ CBD Use: Permitted if THC-free
• 🚫 Smoking Hemp: Could be mistaken for cannabis — subject to arrest

Home Cultivation

• 🚫 Recreational or Medical: Illegal
• ✅ Hemp Cultivation: Licensed farmers only; industrial hemp program operational

Licensing & Retail

• 🚫 Cannabis Licensing: None
• ✅ CBD Sales: Permitted if products contain 0% THC
• Hemp Farming Licenses: Issued by Kansas Department of Agriculture

Medical Program Details

• 🚫 No Medical Cannabis Program
• Legislative Attempts: Multiple bills introduced 2020–2024 (failed)
• Governor Support: Governor supports medical legalization, but legislature repeatedly blocks passage

Hemp & Cannabinoids

• ✅ CBD: Legal for all ages if THC-free
• ⚠️ Delta-8 / Delta-10 / THCP: Ambiguous; no official statute banning, but law enforcement actions suggest prosecutable
• Retail Sales: Common but legally risky for shops
• ✅ Hemp Farming: Industrial hemp program active

Criminal Penalties

• Possession <450g (≈1 oz): Misdemeanor — up to 6 months jail + $1,000 fine
• Possession >450g: Felony — up to 42 months in prison + $100,000 fine
• Sale/Distribution: Felony with severe sentences
• ⚠️ Expungement: Limited process for certain misdemeanors; no cannabis-specific automatic expungement

Driving & DUI

• 🚫 THC DUI: Strict zero tolerance — any THC in blood or urine results in DUI charge
• ✅ CBD Use: Generally safe if product is truly THC-free; contamination risks remain

Employment Laws

• ✅ Drug Testing: Allowed
• 🚫 Medical Use Protections: Not applicable
• ✅ CBD Use: Permitted; however, THC traces can trigger employment actions

Parental & Housing Rights

• Cannabis Use: Can lead to CPS involvement and loss of custody
• Tenant Rights: None
• Public Housing: Federal ban enforced

Firearms

• Federal Ban: Cannabis users barred from firearm ownership
• State Stance: Kansas does not provide protections for cannabis users

Taxes & Revenue

• Cannabis Revenue: $0 — no program
• CBD Products: Standard sales tax
• Hemp Farming: Taxed as agriculture; no cannabis excise tax

Social Equity

• 🚫 No cannabis reform or equity initiatives
• State maintains punitive stance on possession and sales

Tourism

• 🚫 Cannabis Possession: Illegal; high arrest risk
• ✅ CBD: Legal if THC-free
• Border States: Colorado, Missouri, and Oklahoma have medical or recreational programs; bringing product into Kansas = felony

Key Legal Risks

• No medical protection — even cancer or seizure patients criminalized
• Delta-8 sellers face raids and legal uncertainty
• Possession penalties harsh compared to neighboring states

Official Resources

• State Statutes: Kansas Statutes Chapter 21, 65 (Controlled Substances)
• CBD Guidance: https://www.kansas.gov
• Hemp Program: https://agriculture.ks.gov/industrial-hemp
• Last Confirmed Update: July 26, 2025

Status Summary

• 🚫 Recreational Cannabis: Illegal
• ✅ Medical Cannabis: Legalized in 2023 (SB 47), program launching in 2025
• ✅ Hemp-derived THC: Legal but regulated under state hemp laws
• ✅ CBD Products: Legal under hemp program
• 🚫 Psychedelics: Illegal statewide

Legalization Timeline

• Medical Cannabis: Signed into law March 2023 (SB 47), effective Jan 1, 2025
• 🚫 Recreational Cannabis: Remains illegal; legislative efforts have failed
• CBD Legalization: Passed in 2014 and expanded under federal Farm Bill (2018)
• ✅ Delta-8 THC: Legal — state court ruling (2022) confirmed legality
• Hemp Farming: Kentucky is a leading hemp producer since 2014 pilot programs

Purchase Laws

• 🚫 Recreational: Illegal
• ✅ Medical (as of Jan 2025): Available to registered patients at licensed dispensaries
• Age Requirement: 18+ for patients (minors allowed with guardian caregiver)
• Purchase Limits: 30-day supply of cannabis (final quantity guidelines TBD)
• ✅ CBD: Available OTC for all ages

Consumption Laws

• 🚫 Public Use: Illegal
• ✅ Private Medical Use: Allowed
• 🚫 Smoking Flower: Prohibited under medical program — only pills, oils, tinctures, and edibles allowed
• ✅ CBD Use: Fully permitted

Home Cultivation

• 🚫 Recreational: Illegal
• 🚫 Medical: Not allowed under SB 47 — all cannabis must be obtained from licensed dispensaries
• ✅ Hemp Cultivation: Licensed farmers only; Kentucky leads U.S. in hemp acreage

Licensing & Retail

• Medical License Types: Cultivation, Processing, Dispensary, Testing
• Program Launch: Licensing process began 2024; first dispensaries expected to open late 2025
• ⚠️ Vertical Integration: Limited — businesses can hold multiple license types but caps apply
• 🚫 Delivery Services: Not authorized yet

Medical Program Details

• Qualifying Conditions: Cancer, chronic pain, PTSD, epilepsy, MS, neuropathy, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson's, Crohn's, and other severe conditions
• Registry: Managed by Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services
• Card Validity: 1 year
• Application Cost: TBD (expected ~$50)
• ⚠️ Reciprocity: Out-of-state medical cards will be recognized (temporary purchase access)

Hemp & Cannabinoids

• ✅ CBD: Fully legal; produced statewide
• ✅ Delta-8 / Delta-10 / HHC: Legal — confirmed by court ruling (2022) after state attempted to ban products
• Hemp Licensing: Managed by Kentucky Department of Agriculture
• Testing Requirements: Strict lab testing and labeling required

Criminal Penalties

• Possession (<8 oz): Misdemeanor — up to 45 days jail + $250 fine
• Possession (>8 oz): Felony — up to 5 years in prison
• Trafficking: Felony with increasing severity
• ⚠️ Expungement: Limited expungement for certain misdemeanors and Class D felonies

Driving & DUI

• 🚫 THC DUI: Illegal — standard impairment-based enforcement
• Per Se THC Limit: None defined; officer judgment used
• ⚠️ Medical Defense: May be considered, but no immunity for impairment

Employment Laws

• ✅ Drug Testing: Allowed
• ⚠️ Medical Patient Protections: SB 47 prohibits discrimination solely for cardholder status; impairment at work still terminable
• 🚫 Recreational Use: No protections

Parental & Housing Rights

• Child Custody: Medical use protected under SB 47; recreational use can be considered against parents
• Tenant Rights: Landlords may restrict cannabis use
• Public Housing: Federal prohibition enforced

Firearms

• Federal Ban: Cannabis users barred from firearm ownership
• State Stance: Kentucky provides no protection against federal firearm restrictions

Taxes & Revenue

• Medical Sales Tax: TBD (expected to be ~6%)
• 🚫 Recreational: No program
• Revenue Use: Program administration and public health funding
• Hemp Sales: Standard sales tax applied

Social Equity

• SB 47: No explicit social equity provisions
• Future Amendments: Advocates pushing for expungement and equity licensing add-ons post-launch

Tourism

• ✅ Medical Access: Visitors with valid out-of-state medical cards can purchase cannabis in Kentucky once dispensaries open
• 🚫 Recreational Access: Illegal
• ✅ Hemp Products: Widely available and legal

Key Legal Risks

• No smoking allowed under medical program
• Dispensaries delayed — rollout could be slow into 2026
• Possession without card remains criminal
• Delta-8 laws could be revised with new regulations

Official Resources

• Medical Program Info: https://chfs.ky.gov
• Hemp Licensing: https://www.kyagr.com
• Court Ruling on Delta-8: Link (Case No. 22-CI-00376)
• Statutes: SB 47 (2023), KRS Chapter 218A
• Last Confirmed Update: July 26, 2025

Status Summary

• 🚫 Recreational Cannabis: Illegal
• ✅ Medical Cannabis: Legal since 2015; expanded in 2022 to include smokable flower
• ⚠️ Hemp-derived THC: Legal but regulated; subject to age restrictions
• ✅ CBD Products: Legal under state hemp laws
• 🚫 Psychedelics: Illegal statewide

Legalization Timeline

• Medical Cannabis: Legalized in 2015 (SB 143), operational sales began 2019
• Smokable Cannabis: Approved 2022, allowing medical patients to purchase flower
• Recreational Legalization Efforts: Multiple bills introduced (2021–2024), none passed
• Hemp Farming: Legal under 2019 Industrial Hemp Law

Purchase Laws

• 🚫 Recreational Sales: Illegal
• ✅ Medical Sales: Available to registered patients via licensed pharmacies
• Age Requirement: 18+ for patients (minors require caregiver)
• Purchase Limits: No strict weight cap; physician determines daily dosage
• ✅ CBD: Available OTC
• Dispensaries: 9 licensed "pharmacies" statewide; limited coverage

Consumption Laws

• 🚫 Public Use: Illegal
• ✅ Private Medical Use: Allowed
• ✅ Smoking: Permitted for medical patients since 2022
• 🚫 Recreational Use: Criminal offense

Home Cultivation

• 🚫 Recreational: Illegal
• 🚫 Medical: Not allowed
• ✅ Hemp Cultivation: Licensed farmers only

Licensing & Retail

• Medical License Types: Two cultivation licenses (LSU and Southern University partners), 9 regional pharmacy licenses
• ✅ Vertical Integration: Universities partnered with private operators for cultivation/processing
• ✅ Delivery: Allowed — licensed pharmacies offer home delivery statewide
• 🚫 Recreational Licenses: Not available

Medical Program Details

• Qualifying Conditions: Cancer, PTSD, epilepsy, ALS, MS, Crohn's disease, chronic pain, glaucoma, Parkinson's, HIV/AIDS, and more
• Registry: Managed by Louisiana Board of Pharmacy
• Card Validity: 1 year
• Cost: Determined by physician visit; no state-issued card, only physician recommendation required
• ⚠️ Reciprocity: Not recognized for purchases (out-of-state patients cannot buy)

Hemp & Cannabinoids

• ✅ CBD: Legal and widely sold
• ⚠️ Delta-8 / Delta-10 / HHC: Legal but regulated
• Must be hemp-derived
• Maximum 0.5mg THC per serving
• Age 21+ only
• Hemp Licensing: Managed by Louisiana Department of Health (LDH)
• Testing & Labeling: Required

Criminal Penalties

• Possession <14g: Misdemeanor, $100 fine (no jail)
• Possession ≥14g: Higher fines and possible jail (up to 6 months)
• Sale/Trafficking: Felony with harsher penalties
• ✅ Expungement: Available for minor possession offenses under certain conditions

Driving & DUI

• 🚫 THC DUI: Illegal
• Enforcement: Standard impairment-based testing
• ⚠️ Medical Defense: May be considered in court but no blanket protection

Employment Laws

• ✅ Drug Testing: Allowed
• ⚠️ Medical Protections: Limited — some employers may accommodate cardholders; no statewide anti-discrimination law
• 🚫 Recreational Use: Not protected

Parental & Housing Rights

• Child Custody: Medical use can be considered but not automatic grounds for loss
• Tenant Rights: Landlords may prohibit cannabis use
• Public Housing: Federal ban enforced

Firearms

• Federal Ban: Cannabis use = loss of firearm rights
• State Law: No protection for medical cannabis users regarding gun ownership

Taxes & Revenue

• Medical Sales Tax: 4.45% state sales tax; no additional cannabis excise tax
• Hemp Products: Standard retail tax
• 🚫 Recreational: No program
• Revenue Use: Supports pharmacy program and state general fund

Social Equity

• No formal equity program due to absence of recreational market
• Limited licenses criticized for lack of diversity

Tourism

• 🚫 Out-of-State Visitors: Cannot legally purchase medical cannabis
• 🚫 Possession: Still illegal for recreational use
• ✅ Hemp Products: Readily available

Key Legal Risks

• No recreational protections — simple possession still prosecuted
• Medical program limited by pharmacy count and cultivation monopoly
• Delta-8 compliance enforced strictly

Official Resources

• Medical Program: https://www.pharmacy.la.gov
• Hemp Licensing: https://ldh.la.gov
• State Laws: Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 40
• Last Confirmed Update: July 26, 2025

Status Summary

• ✅ Recreational Cannabis: Legal since 2016; retail sales operational since 2020
• ✅ Medical Cannabis: Legal since 1999; robust program
• ⚠️ Hemp-derived THC: Regulated as cannabis; must be sold through licensed dispensaries
• ✅ CBD Products: Fully legal under hemp laws
• ⚠️ Psychedelics: Local decriminalization efforts; no statewide reform

Legalization Timeline

• Medical Cannabis: Approved via ballot in 1999; expanded in 2009
• Recreational Cannabis: Approved via ballot (2016); sales began in 2020
• Hemp Program: Established in 2014, expanded post-2018 Farm Bill
• Delta-8 THC: Classified under cannabis law in 2021

Purchase Laws

• Minimum Age: 21+ for recreational use
• Recreational Purchase Limits:
  • 2.5 ounces of flower
  • Up to 5 grams concentrate
• Medical Limits: 2.5 ounces every 15 days; caregivers can dispense
• ID Requirement: Government-issued ID
• ✅ Visitors: Can purchase under same limits as residents

Consumption Laws

• 🚫 Public Use: Illegal
• ✅ Private Use: Allowed in private residences
• ⚠️ Lounges: Allowed by law but limited availability
• Special Rule: Cannot consume in vehicles or in view of public spaces

Home Cultivation

• ✅ Recreational: Up to 3 mature plants, 12 immature plants, and unlimited seedlings
• ✅ Medical: Up to 6 mature plants per patient
• Security Requirements: Must be out of public view and secured
• Caregivers: Allowed to grow for multiple patients under license

Licensing & Retail

• License Types: Cultivation, Manufacturing, Testing, Retail Store, Nursery
• ✅ Vertical Integration: Allowed; some caps removed
• ✅ Delivery Services: Permitted statewide for adult use and medical
• Local Control: Municipalities can opt-out of retail sales; check city ordinances

Medical Program Details

• Qualifying Conditions: Chronic pain, PTSD, cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, ALS, Crohn's, MS, and physician's discretion
• Registry: Optional ID card program for patients and caregivers
• Card Validity: 1 year
• ✅ Reciprocity: Recognizes out-of-state medical cards for purchases

Hemp & Cannabinoids

• ✅ CBD: Widely available
• ⚠️ Delta-8 / Delta-10 / THCP: Treated as cannabis under Maine law; only licensed cannabis stores can sell psychoactive hemp
• Hemp Licensing: Managed by Maine Department of Agriculture
• Testing: Mandatory for all hemp-derived products

Criminal Penalties

• Possession Over Limits: Civil infraction or misdemeanor, depending on amount
• Unlicensed Sales: Felony
• ✅ Expungement: Records for conduct now legal can be sealed; process streamlined as of 2023

Driving & DUI

• 🚫 THC DUI: Illegal — impairment-based enforcement
• No Per Se Limit: Relies on officer observation + toxicology
• ⚠️ Medical Defense: Does not exempt impaired driving

Employment Laws

• ✅ Drug Testing: Permitted
• ⚠️ Off-Duty Recreational Use: Limited protections; employers may enforce drug-free policies
• ⚠️ Medical Patients: Some workplace protections but not universal

Parental & Housing Rights

• Child Custody: Use alone not grounds for CPS action without evidence of harm
• Tenant Protections: Landlords may prohibit smoking but not edibles or other forms
• Public Housing: Federal prohibition enforced

Firearms

• Federal Ban: Cannabis users barred from firearm ownership
• State Stance: Maine does not offer firearm protections for cannabis users

Taxes & Revenue

• Adult-Use Tax:
  • 10% excise tax
  • 5.5% sales tax on cannabis
  • 8% tax on edibles
• Medical: Exempt from excise tax
• Revenue Use: Public health, education, regulatory costs, and municipal reimbursements

Social Equity

• No statewide equity program, but laws encourage small-business licensing
• Municipalities: Some cities (e.g., Portland) have equity-focused ordinances

Tourism

• ✅ Visitors: Can purchase recreational cannabis with valid ID
• Consumption: Private residences only
• 420-friendly lodging: Increasing availability
• 🚫 Cross-border: Illegal to take cannabis into Canada or neighboring prohibition states

Key Legal Risks

• Local opt-outs may limit retail access
• Delta-8 unlicensed sales illegal
• DUI laws enforced strictly

Official Resources

• Adult Use Cannabis Program: https://www.maine.gov/dafs/omp
• Medical Marijuana Program: https://www.maine.gov/dafs/omp/medical-use
• Hemp Program: https://www.maine.gov/dacf
• State Statutes: 28-B M.R.S. c. 1
• Last Confirmed Update: July 26, 2025

Status Summary

• ✅ Recreational Cannabis: Legal since July 1, 2023 (voter-approved referendum)
• ✅ Medical Cannabis: Legal since 2014; robust program
• ⚠️ Hemp-derived THC: Regulated as cannabis; must be sold via licensed dispensaries
• ✅ CBD Products: Legal under hemp program
• ⚠️ Psychedelics: Local decriminalization initiatives proposed; no statewide law

Legalization Timeline

• Medical Cannabis: Legalized in 2014; dispensary sales began 2017
• Recreational Cannabis: Approved by voters (2022, Question 4); legal possession and sales began July 2023
• Hemp Program: Established in 2018; aligned with federal Farm Bill
• Delta-8 THC: Classified under cannabis law since 2023

Purchase Laws

• Minimum Age: 21+ for recreational use
• Recreational Limits:
  • 1.5 ounces of flower
  • 12 grams concentrate
  • 750 mg THC-infused products
• Medical Limits: Up to 120 grams (≈4.2 oz) of dried flower per 30 days
• ✅ Visitors: Can purchase recreationally with valid ID

Consumption Laws

• 🚫 Public Use: Illegal
• ✅ Private Use: Allowed in residences and certain approved lounges
• 🚫 Smoking in Cars: Illegal (even when parked)
• ⚠️ Lounges: Being licensed; not widespread yet

Home Cultivation

• ✅ Recreational: Up to 2 plants per household
• ✅ Medical: Up to 4 plants per household
• Security: Plants must be locked and not visible to public
• Shared Households: Limits apply collectively, not per adult

Licensing & Retail

• License Types: Cultivation, Processing, Standard Dispensary, Micro Dispensary, Delivery, On-Site Consumption Lounge
• Retail Access: Over 100 dispensaries statewide; many medical dispensaries converted to dual licenses
• ✅ Delivery: Permitted
• ✅ Vertical Integration: Allowed with proper licensing
• Local Control: Municipalities may regulate but cannot ban recreational sales

Medical Program Details

• Qualifying Conditions: PTSD, chronic pain, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, cancer, anorexia, wasting syndrome, and physician-approved conditions
• Registry: Managed by Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA)
• Card Validity: 1 year
• Application Fee: $50
• 🚫 Reciprocity: Not recognized for medical purchases (visitors use recreational program)

Hemp & Cannabinoids

• ✅ CBD: Legal and widely available
• ⚠️ Delta-8 / Delta-10 / THCP: Regulated as cannabis since 2023; only licensed dispensaries can sell psychoactive hemp products
• Hemp Licensing: Managed by Maryland Department of Agriculture
• Testing: Mandatory potency and safety testing

Criminal Penalties

• Possession Over Legal Limits: Civil fines → misdemeanor depending on amount
• Unlicensed Sales: Felony
• ✅ Expungement: Automatic expungement for past cannabis convictions began 2023

Driving & DUI

• 🚫 THC DUI: Illegal; standard impairment-based testing
• No Per Se Limit: Field tests + blood analysis used
• ⚠️ Medical Defense: No exemption for impaired driving

Employment Laws

• ✅ Drug Testing: Permitted
• ⚠️ Off-Duty Recreational Use: Limited protections (employers may enforce drug-free workplace policies)
• ✅ Medical Patients: Protected under Maryland medical cannabis anti-discrimination provisions

Parental & Housing Rights

• Child Custody: Cannabis use alone cannot be sole reason for losing custody
• Tenant Protections: Landlords may prohibit smoking but not all forms of legal use
• Public Housing: Federal prohibition enforced

Firearms

• Federal Ban: Cannabis users prohibited from firearm ownership
• State Protections: Maryland does not shield cannabis users from federal firearm laws

Taxes & Revenue

• Adult-Use Tax: 9% sales tax on cannabis products
• Medical: Exempt from excise tax
• Revenue Use: Education, community reinvestment, public health initiatives, business development grants

Social Equity

• ✅ Equity Program: Active; 35% of licenses reserved for social equity applicants
• Eligibility: Based on past cannabis convictions, income level, or residency in impacted zones
• Support: Fee waivers, low-interest loans, technical assistance
• Impact: Over 60% of first recreational licenses awarded to equity applicants

Tourism

• ✅ Visitors: May purchase recreational cannabis
• Consumption: Private spaces only; public use banned
• 420-friendly lodging: Growing number of licensed accommodations
• 🚫 Transport: Illegal to cross state lines with cannabis

Key Legal Risks

• Strict DUI enforcement
• Delta-8 products restricted to licensed retailers
• Limited lounge availability may restrict legal on-site consumption

Official Resources

• Maryland Cannabis Administration: https://mmcc.maryland.gov
• Medical Program: https://mmcc.maryland.gov/Pages/patients.aspx
• Adult-Use Info: https://cannabis.maryland.gov
• Hemp Program: https://mda.maryland.gov
• Last Confirmed Update: July 26, 2025

Status Summary

• 🚫 Recreational Cannabis: Illegal
• 🚫 Medical Cannabis: Illegal (no functioning program as of 2025)
• ⚠️ Hemp-derived THC: Legally ambiguous — products are sold but under scrutiny
• ✅ CBD Products: Legal under federal hemp rules (<0.3% THC)
• 🚫 Psychedelics: Illegal statewide; no local decrim measures passed

Legalization Timeline

• Medical Cannabis:
  • 2020: Medical ballot initiative struck down on technical grounds
  • 2022 & 2024: Legislative and ballot efforts failed
  • 2025: New initiative in progress for 2026 ballot
• CBD Legalization: Passed via LB 390 (2015) and expanded with federal Farm Bill compliance in 2019
• Hemp Program: Established under Nebraska Hemp Farming Act (2019)
• Delta-8 THC: Not explicitly banned, but law enforcement has taken action in some jurisdictions

Purchase Laws

• 🚫 Recreational Cannabis: Illegal
• 🚫 Medical Cannabis: Not available — no registry, no dispensaries
• ✅ CBD Products: Legal if <0.3% THC
• ⚠️ Delta-8 Products: Sold in some stores; risk of confiscation exists

Consumption Laws

• 🚫 Any Cannabis Use (THC): Illegal in all forms
• ✅ CBD Use: Permitted
• 🚫 Public Use: Criminalized if cannabis-derived

Home Cultivation

• 🚫 Recreational or Medical: Fully illegal
• ✅ Hemp Farming: Permitted under license from Nebraska Department of Agriculture

Licensing & Retail

• 🚫 Cannabis Licensing: No framework — cannabis is fully prohibited
• ✅ Hemp Licensing: Required for growers and processors
• ✅ CBD Retailers: Operate under state and federal hemp guidelines
• ⚠️ Delta-8 Retail: Legal gray zone — unlicensed and at risk of enforcement

Medical Program Details

No Medical Cannabis Program Exists

Legislative History: Multiple failed bills (LB 474 in 2021, LB 588 in 2023). Strong political opposition despite public support.

Hemp & Cannabinoids

• ✅ CBD: Legal and sold OTC statewide
• ⚠️ Delta-8 / Delta-10 / HHC: Legal gray area — AG has not ruled clearly; some law enforcement classifies as THC analogs
• Hemp Licensing & Testing: Managed by Nebraska Department of Agriculture

Criminal Penalties

• Possession <1 oz: Infraction — $300 fine + mandatory drug education class
• Second Offense: Misdemeanor — up to 5 days jail + $500
• Possession ≥1 oz: Misdemeanor to felony depending on amount
• Unlicensed Sales or Trafficking: Felony
• ⚠️ Expungement: Limited; no cannabis-specific expungement law exists

Driving & DUI

• 🚫 THC DUI: Zero tolerance — any presence of THC is criminalized
• ✅ CBD Use: Legal, but THC contamination can trigger failed drug tests
• Per Se Limit: None; any positive result can be prosecuted

Employment Laws

• ✅ Drug Testing: Permitted; widely practiced
• 🚫 Medical Use Protections: None — use of cannabis, even if legal elsewhere, can result in termination
• ⚠️ CBD: Risk if cross-contaminated with THC

Parental & Housing Rights

• Child Custody: Cannabis use (even legal out-of-state) can be used against parents in custody cases
• Tenant Rights: No protections; landlords may ban cannabis-related products
• 🚫 Public Housing: Federal prohibition enforced

Firearms

• Federal Ban: Cannabis users prohibited from owning firearms
• 🚫 State Stance: No protections or exceptions offered by Nebraska

Taxes & Revenue

• Cannabis Sales: $0 — no industry
• CBD Sales: Subject to standard retail sales tax
• Hemp Industry: Generates modest tax revenue from licensing and farming operations

Social Equity

No cannabis program = no equity framework

State remains among the most restrictive on cannabis reform

Tourism

• 🚫 Cannabis Possession: Illegal — arrests and fines possible
• ✅ CBD Products: Safe for purchase and use
• Border Enforcement: Caution when returning from legal neighboring states (e.g., Colorado)

Key Legal Risks

• Medical use not recognized at all
• Possession of even trace amounts criminalized
• Delta-8 products legally sold, but can be seized by police
• Cannabis-positive drug tests can lead to arrest or job loss

Official Resources

• Nebraska Hemp Program: https://nda.nebraska.gov/hemp
• Legislative Tracking: https://nebraskalegislature.gov
• State Statutes: Nebraska Revised Statutes, Chapter 28
• Last Confirmed Update: July 26, 2025

Status Summary

• ✅ Recreational Cannabis: Legal since February 2021; retail sales began April 2022
• ✅ Medical Cannabis: Legal since 2010; fully operational
• ⚠️ Hemp-derived THC: Regulated as cannabis; must be sold via licensed dispensaries
• ✅ CBD Products: Legal and widely available
• ⚠️ Psychedelics: Decriminalization proposals in progress; psilocybin bill under consideration (2024–2025)

Legalization Timeline

• Medical Cannabis: Passed 2010 (New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act)
• Recreational Cannabis: Approved by voters (Public Question 1) in November 2020; law signed February 2021
• Retail Sales: Began April 2022
• Hemp Program: Established under 2018 Farm Bill alignment
• Delta-8 THC: Classified as cannabis product since 2022 under state regulation

Purchase Laws

• Minimum Age:
  • 21+ (Recreational)
• Purchase Limits (Recreational):
  • 1 ounce of flower
  • 5 grams concentrate
  • 1000 mg THC-infused products
• Medical Limits: Up to 3 ounces per 30 days
• ✅ Visitors: May purchase recreationally with valid ID

Consumption Laws

• 🚫 Public Use: Illegal
• ✅ Private Use: Allowed in private residences
• ⚠️ Consumption Lounges: Legally permitted but not yet widespread (pilot lounges opened in 2024)
• 🚫 Vehicles: Illegal to consume while driving or parked

Home Cultivation

• 🚫 Recreational: Illegal
• 🚫 Medical: Illegal
• Security: Home grow remains fully prohibited for all users

Licensing & Retail

• License Types: Cultivation, Manufacturing, Retail, Delivery, Distribution, Microbusiness, Testing, On-Site Consumption
• Retail Access: 100+ dispensaries open statewide as of 2025
• ✅ Delivery: Permitted through licensed operators
• Vertical Integration: Allowed with license
• Local Control: Municipalities may regulate or ban retail establishments

Medical Program Details

• Qualifying Conditions Include: Cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy, PTSD, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, opioid use disorder, migraines, and more
• Registry: Managed by New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC)
• Card Validity: 2 years
• Application Fee: $50 (reduced for seniors and veterans)
• ⚠️ Reciprocity: Visiting patients with valid out-of-state medical cards may be able to purchase for limited time

Hemp & Cannabinoids

• ✅ CBD: Legal and sold OTC statewide
• ⚠️ Delta-8 / Delta-10 / THCP: Must be sold through licensed cannabis dispensaries
• Hemp Licensing: Managed by New Jersey Department of Agriculture
• Testing: Mandatory for all hemp and THC products

Criminal Penalties

• Possession Over Limits: Civil fines → misdemeanor charges for larger amounts
• Unlicensed Sale: Felony
• ✅ Expungement: Automatic expungement of low-level cannabis offenses implemented since 2021

Driving & DUI

• 🚫 THC DUI: Illegal — impairment-based enforcement
• Per Se Limit: None; officer observation used
• ⚠️ Medical Defense: Does not excuse impaired driving

Employment Laws

• ✅ Drug Testing: Permitted
• ✅ Off-Duty Recreational Use: Protected — employers cannot take adverse action solely for legal off-duty use unless safety-sensitive
• ✅ Medical Patients: Protected under state law

Parental & Housing Rights

• Child Custody: Cannabis use alone not grounds for CPS removal
• Tenant Rights: Landlords may restrict smoking but not other forms of legal use
• 🚫 Public Housing: Federal prohibition applies

Firearms

• 🚫 Ownership + Use: Federally restricted — cannabis users barred from firearm ownership
• State Protections: None — New Jersey offers no exemption from federal rules

Taxes & Revenue

• Adult-Use Tax:
  • 6.625% state sales tax
  • Social equity excise fee (sliding rate based on price)
  • Local municipalities can add up to 2%
• Medical: Tax-exempt since 2022
• Revenue Allocation: Community reinvestment, education, public health, and social equity programs
• 2024 Revenue: Over $2 billion in adult-use sales

Social Equity

• Equity Program: Strong framework under CRC
• Eligibility: Past cannabis convictions, low-income status, residency in impacted areas
• Support: Fee waivers, technical assistance, priority licensing
• Impact: Over 30% of new licenses awarded to equity applicants as of 2025

Tourism

• ✅ Visitors: May legally purchase recreational cannabis
• Consumption: Private only; lounges in pilot stages
• 420-Friendly Lodging: Growing market in Atlantic City and other hubs

Key Legal Risks

• Home grow remains fully illegal
• Lounges limited in availability
• DUI laws enforced strictly

Official Resources

• Cannabis Regulatory Commission: https://www.nj.gov/cannabis
• Medical Cannabis Program: https://www.nj.gov/health/medicalmarijuana
• Hemp Program: https://www.nj.gov/agriculture
• State Statutes: CREAMM Act (2021)
• Last Confirmed Update: July 26, 2025

Status Summary

• 🚫 Recreational Cannabis: Illegal (failed ballot initiatives and legislative efforts)
• ✅ Medical Cannabis: Legal since 2016; dispensaries operational since 2019
• ⚠️ Hemp-derived THC: Ambiguous; state AG considers synthetic cannabinoids illegal
• ✅ CBD Products: Legal under federal hemp law (<0.3% THC)
• 🚫 Psychedelics: Illegal statewide; no decriminalization passed

Legalization Timeline

• Medical Cannabis: Approved by voters (Initiated Statutory Measure 5) in 2016
• Sales began in 2019 with limited access
• Recreational Cannabis: 2018 ballot measure failed; 2022 initiative failed
• Hemp Program: Established under federal alignment (2019)
• Delta-8 THC: 2021 Attorney General opinion declared intoxicating hemp cannabinoids illegal

Purchase Laws

• 🚫 Recreational Sales: Illegal
• ✅ Medical Sales: Licensed dispensaries (8 locations statewide)
• Medical Possession Limits: 3 ounces every 30 days (7.5 oz for terminally ill)
• ✅ CBD Products: Widely sold
• ⚠️ Delta-8 Products: Removed from shelves due to AG ruling

Consumption Laws

• 🚫 Public Use: Illegal
• ✅ Private Medical Use: Allowed in residences
• ✅ Smoking: Permitted for medical patients
• 🚫 Vehicles: Illegal to consume or possess open cannabis containers

Home Cultivation

• 🚫 Recreational: Illegal
• 🚫 Medical: Home growing not permitted
• ✅ Hemp Cultivation: Licensed farmers only

Licensing & Retail

• Medical License Types: Manufacturing Facility, Dispensary
• Retail Access: 8 dispensaries across major regions
• 🚫 Recreational Licenses: None
• 🚫 Delivery: Not permitted

Medical Program Details

• Qualifying Conditions: Cancer, PTSD, epilepsy, ALS, MS, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, severe pain, Crohn's, and more
• Registry: Managed by North Dakota Department of Health
• Card Validity: 1 year
• Application Fee: $50
• 🚫 Reciprocity: Out-of-state cards not recognized for purchases

Hemp & Cannabinoids

• ✅ CBD: Legal and regulated under hemp laws
• ⚠️ Delta-8 / Delta-10 / THCP: AG opinion classifies them as Schedule I substances if intoxicating
• Hemp Licensing: Overseen by North Dakota Department of Agriculture
• Testing: Mandatory THC compliance checks

Criminal Penalties

• Possession <0.5 oz: Infraction, $1,000 fine
• Possession 0.5–500g: Misdemeanor — up to 30 days jail + $1,500 fine
• Possession >500g: Felony
• Sale/Trafficking: Felony with severe penalties
• ⚠️ Expungement: Limited; some misdemeanors eligible for sealing

Driving & DUI

• 🚫 THC DUI: Illegal; zero tolerance for drivers
• ✅ CBD Use: Legal, but THC-positive tests can lead to DUI arrest

Employment Laws

• ✅ Drug Testing: Allowed
• ⚠️ Medical Protections: Limited; no broad workplace protections
• 🚫 Recreational Use: Illegal

Parental & Housing Rights

• Child Custody: Cannabis use can be used against parents in court
• Tenant Rights: Landlords may ban cannabis use
• 🚫 Public Housing: Federal prohibition enforced

Firearms

• 🚫 Federal Ban: Cannabis users prohibited from owning firearms
• State Law: No protection for cannabis patients or users

Taxes & Revenue

• Medical Sales Tax: 5% state tax
• 🚫 Recreational: No program
• Hemp Products: Standard retail tax
• Revenue: Primarily from medical program and hemp farming fees

Social Equity

• No social equity program due to lack of recreational legalization
• Medical licensing favors large operators; limited access for small businesses

Tourism

• 🚫 Cannabis Possession: Illegal for visitors
• 🚫 Medical Access: Out-of-state patients cannot purchase cannabis
• ✅ CBD: Widely available
• 🚫 Delta-8: Illegal under state AG guidance

Key Legal Risks

• No recreational cannabis program
• Strict DUI and zero-tolerance THC laws
• Delta-8 products banned from retail shelves

Official Resources

• Medical Program: https://www.ndhealth.gov/mm
• Hemp Program: https://www.nd.gov/ndda
• State Statutes: North Dakota Century Code, Chapter 19-24.1
• Last Confirmed Update: July 27, 2025

Status Summary

• 🚫 Recreational Cannabis: Not yet legal, but support is growing
• ✅ Medical Cannabis: Legal since 2016, well-regulated program
• ⚠️ Hemp-derived THC: Not officially banned, but under review and limited via regulatory action
• ✅ CBD Products: Widely legal and available
• 🚫 Psychedelics: Illegal, though decriminalization discussions are ongoing in some cities

Legalization Timeline

• Medical Cannabis: Legalized under Senate Bill 3, signed into law in April 2016
• Full program rollout began in 2018
• Recreational Cannabis: Repeated bipartisan bills introduced but stalled
• As of 2025, pending proposals exist, but no passed law
• Delta-8 THC: Not explicitly banned, but some products seized or warned against by regulators

Purchase Laws

• Medical Cannabis Only:
  • Must be purchased from licensed dispensaries
  • Products include: oils, pills, topicals, tinctures, dry leaf (vaporization only)
• 🚫 No Recreational Sales
• ✅ CBD Products: Widely available and unregulated under FDA guidance

Consumption Laws

• 🚫 Public Use: Not permitted
• ✅ Private Medical Use: Allowed in registered patient's residence
• ⚠️ Combustion: Smoking flower is technically prohibited; vaporization only
• 🚫 Recreational Use: Illegal

Home Cultivation

• 🚫 Medical Patients: Not allowed
• 🚫 Recreational Users: Not allowed
• Proposals exist but have not passed as of 2025

Licensing & Retail

• Medical Dispensaries: Licensed by the Department of Health
• Dispensary Cap: ~150 locations statewide
• Recreational Licensing: Not available yet
• Vertical Integration: Initially allowed only for growers/processors, but expanded under amendments

Medical Program Details

• Qualifying Conditions Include:
  • Cancer, PTSD, epilepsy, chronic pain
  • Opioid use disorder, anxiety, Tourette's, etc.
• Physician Certification Required: Yes
• Registry: Mandatory patient and caregiver registry
• Age: 18+ (minors allowed with caregiver)
• Card Validity: 1 year
• Cost: ~$50 plus physician fees
• 🚫 Reciprocity: Not accepted from other states

Hemp & Cannabinoids

• ✅ CBD: Legal under federal and state law
• ⚠️ Delta-8 THC: Legal in gray area; may be subject to restriction
• Hemp Program Oversight: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
• Product Warnings: Several advisories issued on safety and testing of Delta-8

Criminal Penalties

• Possession <30g flower / 8g concentrate: Misdemeanor, up to 30 days jail and $500 fine
• >30g: Misdemeanor with stiffer penalties
• Decriminalization: Some cities (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Erie) impose $25–$100 civil fines for small possession
• Expungement: Available for some nonviolent offenses

Driving & DUI

• DUI Laws: Strict zero-tolerance THC policy
• ⚠️ Medical Defense: Not absolute; patients may still be charged if impaired
• Per Se Limits: None; presence = automatic charge

Employment Laws

• ⚠️ Medical Protection: Limited; no clear protections for off-duty use
• Employer Rights: May enforce drug-free workplace policies
• Workers Comp: Not required to reimburse medical cannabis

Parental & Housing Rights

• ⚠️ Child Custody: Cannabis use may still be used against patients
• Landlords: Can ban use or possession
• 🚫 Public Housing: Subject to federal law

Firearms

• 🚫 Federal Ban: Still applies
• State Law: No cannabis-specific restrictions, but federal conflict applies to all medical users

Taxes & Revenue

• Medical Cannabis Sales:
  • 5% excise tax on gross receipts from growers/processors to dispensaries
  • No retail sales tax to patients
• Revenue Allocation: Funded Department of Health's Medical Marijuana Program
• 2024 Revenue: ~$45 million from program fees and excise

Social Equity

• No formal equity program
• Legislative Attempts: Some recent bills included equity provisions
• Expungement Options: Limited; must petition

Tourism

• 🚫 Out-of-State Purchases: Not permitted
• ✅ CBD Access: Legal and available
• Caution: THC possession without a medical card remains illegal

Key Legal Risks

• Strict prohibition on home grow
• DUI risk even for registered patients
• Recreational use remains criminalized outside of some cities

Official Resources

• Medical Marijuana Program: https://www.pa.gov/guides/pennsylvania-medical-marijuana-program
• PA Department of Health: https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/programs/Medical%20Marijuana/Pages/Medical%20Marijuana.aspx
• Hemp Program: https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Plants_Land_Water/industrial_hemp
• Last Confirmed Update: July 29, 2025

Status Summary

• ✅ Recreational Cannabis: Legal for possession, but sales limited
• ✅ Medical Cannabis: Legal
• ⚠️ Hemp-derived THC: Highly restricted
• ✅ CBD Products: Legal
• 🚫 Psychedelics: Illegal

Legalization Timeline

• 2015 – CBD Oil Legalized for Epilepsy
• 2020 – Medical Cannabis Sales Begin
• 2021 – Adult Possession Legalized (Up to 1 oz)
• 2024 – Retail Sales Delayed: Full rec market not launched due to political gridlock
• 2023–2025 – Delta-8 and hemp intoxicants heavily restricted

Purchase Laws

• Recreational:
  • Possession legal for adults 21+
  • Sales: Only from medical dispensaries to registered patients — no full adult-use retail market yet
• Medical:
  • Available at licensed pharmaceutical processors (dispensaries)
  • No qualifying condition list — physician discretion allowed
• ❌ Hemp/Delta-8: Products over 0.3% total THC banned except from licensed cannabis dispensaries

Consumption Laws

• 🚫 Public Use: Illegal
• ✅ Private Use: Allowed in homes
• 🚫 Vehicles: Illegal (even for passengers)

Home Cultivation

• ✅ Adults 21+: Up to 4 plants per household (not per person)
• Plants must:
  • Be tagged with owner's name, driver's license, and note "for personal use"
  • Be grown out of public view

Medical Program Details

• Program Name: Virginia Medical Cannabis Program
• Qualifying Conditions: Physician discretion (broad access)
• Forms Allowed: Oils, tinctures, capsules, edibles, flower, topicals
• Home Grow for Medical: Follows same rules as recreational home grow

Hemp & Cannabinoids

• ✅ CBD: Legal if ≤0.3% THC
• ❌ Delta-8 THC: Largely banned (only available in licensed dispensaries to adults)
• Hemp Regulation: Overseen by Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Criminal Penalties

• Over 1 oz – 1 lb: Civil fine
• Over 1 lb: Felony charges
• Unlicensed Sale: Felony penalties remain
• Paraphernalia: Legal to possess for personal cannabis use

Driving & DUI

• 🚫 Cannabis DUI: Strict impairment laws
• Open Container for Cannabis: Illegal in motor vehicles
• Medical Card: Does not protect from DUI enforcement

Employment Laws

• Medical Patients: Limited protections for public employees
• Recreational Users: No workplace protections
• Drug Testing: Still allowed in most workplaces

Parental & Housing Rights

• Medical Use: Protected in most family court cases
• Recreational Use: May be considered in child custody disputes
• Landlords: Can ban smoking

Firearms

• Federal Law Applies: Cannabis use (even medical) can disqualify firearm ownership

Taxes & Revenue

• Medical Cannabis Sales Tax: 5.3% state + local tax
• No recreational market revenue yet

Social Equity

• 2021 Law: Included equity provisions for licensing, but retail rollout delays have stalled these benefits
• Expungement: Automatic for some low-level possession offenses

Tourism

• Out-of-State Visitors: Can possess up to 1 oz but cannot purchase recreationally (no stores yet)
• ❌ Medical Reciprocity: Not recognized

Key Legal Notes

• Possession legal but no retail sales yet
• Delta-8 and hemp intoxicants restricted
• Home grow allowed with tagging rules

Official Resources

• Virginia Cannabis Control Authority: https://cca.virginia.gov
• Medical Cannabis Program: https://www.dhp.virginia.gov
• Last Confirmed Update: August 6, 2025