Maine Marijuana Laws: Decriminalized but Still Tricky

Maine Marijuana Laws: Decriminalized but Still Tricky

Decriminalizing Pot doesn’t always mean it is completely legal. Here are some current guidelines. Possession Unlike several other states that chose an ounce as the cutoff for a civil penalty, Maine allows you to possess up to 2.5 ounces and still receive a civil ticket. The fine is a flat $600 regardless of the amount. Once you pass the 2.5 mark, up to 8 ounces is a misdemeanor with a potential six-month jail sentence and $1,000 fine. Between eight ounces and a pound is still a misdemeanor but carries a potential of a year in jail and the fine doubles to $2,000. Anything over a pound becomes a felony with prison sentences and large fines. Medical marijuana is legal in Maine if you have proof that a physician recommended it. You can possess a “useable amount,” and the state cannot punish you for it. One problem with this law is that “useable amount” is not clearly defined. Related: Maine Marijuana Regulation Video Cultivation Growing five plants or less is a misdemeanor offense and carries up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. If convicted of growing between 6 and 99 plants, it is still a misdemeanor but you could be sent to prison for five years and have to pay a fine of $5,000. Once you grow more than 100 plants at the same time it is a felony. Paraphernalia Possession of paraphernalia is a civil violation. Selling it is a misdemeanor with a potential six months in jail, unless you sell it to a minor. In that case the potential jail sentence is one year. Check out: U.S. Sentencing Commission Votes to Reduce Guidelines for Drug Sentences