NORML’s State Guide to Marijuana Laws & Penalties outlines most penalties for prohibited marijuana conduct in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and under federal law.
Marijuana laws and penalties change frequently rapidly and they may be are enforced and interpreted differently by law enforcement and prosecutors even in the same statelegal jurisdiction. Please consult a criminal defense lawyer in your state if you have been arrestedbeen busted or if you want to know how a particular conduct might be punished. If you spot an error in this report, or you have information that should be included in NORML’s State Guide to Marijuana Laws & Penalties, please contact us.
Please note:
- Many factors contribute to a defendant’s sentence. Factors include level of involvement in the prohibited conduct, location, age, presence or absence of minors, use or presence of weapons, conduct for which a person has been acquitted, and many other things.
- The guide does not list penalties for every marijuana offense nor every enhanced penaltysentence such as possessing marijuana near a school, involving a minor, orand automatic driver’s or professional license suspension. Your state may require an enhanced penaltysentence even if the enhancement is not in the guide.
- Unless otherwise specified, please assume that listed penalties apply only to first convictions. Prior convictions often place a defendant in a higher penalty range, and convictions while on probation for a previous offense may result in revocation of probation.
- Except where indicated otherwise, a listed fine is the maximum fine for the conviction and the minimum fine is zero.
- “Possession” usually means “possession for personal useing marijuana only for personal use” (i.e. a small amount). If the government accuses you of possessing marijuana for other reasons, the accompanying penalties will probably exceed those for possessing marijuana for personal use. Possessing large amounts of marijuana frequently results in more serious charges of “possession with intent to distribute” , “trafficking”, and/or “sale”.
- Many factors contribute to a defendant’s sentence. Factors include level of involvement in the prohibited conduct, location, age, presence or absence of minors, use or presence of weapons, conduct for which a person has been acquitted, and many other things.
- If you are in trouble, please know your rights and hire an attorney.
DisclaimerWarning: The information contained in this report is for informational purposes only. Individuals are encouraged to confirm their state’s laws before engaging in any particular behavior, or before going to court without a lawyer.