The passing of Proposition 64 in November’s election legalized recreational use of marijuana in California. Since it’s passing, many questions have come up—such as is it okay to smoke weed, how much can someone carry, what age does one have to be to legally use marijuana, and where to purchase it. The information below should help answer some of these questions.
Since 1996, medical marijuana use has been legal in California. Adult patients who suffer from chronic pain or other medical conditions have been allowed to obtain a doctor's recommendation to possess and grow marijuana for personal medical use. Now, adults 21 years of age or older may also smoke and cultivate marijuana for recreational use. Adults may possess up to an ounce of cannabis and eight grams of concentrated marijuana. They may also grow up to six plants at home as long as the growing space is locked and not visible to the public.
That doesn’t mean users can spark up and smoke anywhere. It is illegal to smoke or consume weed in public. In future, licensed on-site use will be allowed, but for now, it is legal to only use marijuana in private residences. Also, only individuals that have a valid medical marijuana doctor’s recommendation or card can purchase cannabis products from a dispensary. Licensing for non-medical dispensaries will not be available until January 2018. So while recreational marijuana sale at dispensary shops or by delivery aren’t legal, someone with a card can gift up to an ounce of marijuana to another for free or give them a plant to grow at home.
Although recreational marijuana use in California is legal, some things have not changed. For example, it is illegal to drive impaired. In addition, due to marijuana still being illegal under federal law, cannabis cannot be taken across state lines or on a plane. Lastly, while it is legal to consume weed recreationally and at home, it is not exempted from employer drug testing. Employers can still enforce their right to a drug free workplace, which can hamper someone from getting a job or possibly face termination if it is detected in a drug test.
In upcoming months, new developments and laws will go into place to regulate and tax cannabis. More information on the initiative that legalized marijuana in California is available by reading the ballot “California Proposition 64, Marijuana Legalization (2016)” and Assembly Bill 64. Keep updated on trending topics, consumer news, scam watch alerts, and more by following Business Consumer Alliance on Facebook and Twitter.
About Business Consumer Alliance
Business Consumer Alliance (BCA) is a non-profit company that started in 1928. The broad purpose of BCA is to promote business self-regulation. BCA's mission is achieved by assisting consumers in resolving complaints with businesses and using that complaint information, along with other relevant information such as customer reviews, to forecast business reliability. With community support, BCA can identify trustworthy and ethical businesses and warn the public to avoid unscrupulous businesses whose purpose is to defraud the marketplace. BCA also helps businesses promote themselves by providing services and tools to protect their business and reach out to their customers. BCA obtains its funding from member businesses who support the mission and purpose of the organization and who agree to abide by high standards of ethical business practices.