Maine Marijuana Law

The Complete Guide to Marijuana Law in Maine

The legalization of marijuana in Maine has been something of a saga. It all started in 1976 when the state first decriminalized possession of small quantities of marijuana. With this first success, pro-legal weed advocates in the state thought they were on to something. 

But it wasn’t until 40 years later, in 2016, that the state would get back on the path to legalizing marijuana for recreational use. This was a struggle in itself. The pro-legal weed group called Legalize Maine started a petition in 2015 to get 61,000 plus votes to force a ballot in the state. 

They got 100,000 votes, only to hear later that the Secretary of State was declaring almost half of those votes invalid. They went to court and eventually got all the votes counted. Then came Question 1 which was the final ballot on whether to legalize marijuana or not. 

Unsurprisingly, the ballot passed with an abundance of controversy, scaling through with a less than 1% margin. The vote was opposed, retaken and scaled through on the same margin again. Finally, recreational weed was legal in Maine. But, the saga didn’t end there. 

So far, it has taken more than 4 years (and about two vetoes) for the state to fully implement its Marijuana Legalization Act. But there’s still no sign of when the first recreational store licenses will be issued so people can really get their smoke on in Maine. Regardless, here’s what you should know about legal weed in Maine. Otherwise, click here if your looking for the Marijuana Laws of another state.

But it wasn’t until 40 years later, in 2016, that the state would get back on the path to legalizing marijuana for recreational use.

Who Can Buy Marijuana in Maine? 

Per the law, anybody can buy weed in Maine, so long as you are above 21 years and can present a government-issued ID. You don’t have to be a resident either. Just provide ID and you can make your purchase. 

Since the state legalized medical marijuana in 1999, it has been legal to buy marijuana for medical purposes.

So, if you have a medical card, you can also purchase weed if you’re 21 or older. People less than that age will need the consent of a guardian or parent in addition.

Anybody can buy weed in Maine, so long as you are above 21 years and can present a government-issued ID.

How Much Can I Buy at Once?

Maine happens to have really generous marijuana possession limits. Adults over the age of 21 can possess up to 2.5 ounces of weed or up to 5 grams of concentrate at a go. Those 2.5 ounces will make you up to 150 pretty little blunts for a good high or about 75 blunts for a great high. 

There’s no distinction between residents and out-of-towners either. Once you’re in Maine, you’re essentially one of us, at least when it comes to hitting a joint together or snacking on a pot brownie. 

It’s also legal to give out weed in Maine, so long as you don’t give out more than 2.5 ounces to a single person. And as long as you’re not giving away the weed in exchange for money. 

Where Can I Buy Marijuana?

Now, here’s the problem. Since the state has not been able to set up a structure for the legal purchase of recreational weed, there are no businesses currently licensed to grow or sell. COVID-19 is not helping either. 

The only businesses licensed to sell marijuana in Maine right now are medical marijuana dispensaries. But these can only sell to bona fide card-carrying medical marijuana patients. 

This puts people in Maine in quite a pickle. While they live in a state with one of the most generous possession limits, there’s no place to buy, except with a medical marijuana card. 

There are some innovative solutions that people are exploring. For instance, some “businesses” will deliver a “free gift” of marijuana to your house so long as you pay a “delivery fee” that just happens to be about the same price as a bag of weed. Hey, talk about letter of the law. 

Some “businesses” will deliver a “free gift” of marijuana to your house so long as you pay a “delivery fee” that just happens to be about the same price as a bag of weed.

Am I Allowed to Cultivate Marijuana? 

This is pretty much the shining light in the dark. Since there’s no place to buy recreational marijuana in Maine, growing is pretty much the only legal way to get recreational marijuana in Maine. 

Adults above 21 are allowed to cultivate up to 3 mature and flowering plants at a time. They can also have up to 12 immature plants and an endless number of seedlings. You also get to keep all the marijuana you produce (so long as it’s not more than 2.5 ounces at once). 

But as usual, they must be grown indoors in a place that is not easily accessible to the public or to children. It is possible to get a license to grow outdoors but there are restrictions. The plants must not be visible to public or from the sky. They must also be tagged with your name and Maine drivers’ license number or Maine ID number. 

Since you’re likely to be doing some growing if you want to enjoy weed in Maine, check out our list of Top Marijuana Grow Tents to make your plants flourish. 

Are There Restrictions on Where I Can Smoke? 

Mostly the usual. You cannot smoke in public or any place that is open to the public. So don’t get the idea you can light up in a hotel or subway bathroom. This also includes your car, whether in motion or stationary. 

Although Maine’s law oddly mentions only smoking as being illegal, it might be best to restrict eating marijuana edibles or vaping concentrates to your private residence. Better safe than sorry. 

If you have your own property, you can legally smoke there. But if you’re in a rented apartment, you should clear it with your landlord first.

Although Maine’s law oddly mentions only smoking as being illegal, it might be best to restrict eating marijuana edibles or vaping concentrates to your private residence.

What About Exporting Marijuana or Infused Products? 

Marijuana continues to be illegal under federal law. This means if you cross state lines with the product, you could be on the hook for a felony charge. That’s likely to be unpleasant. 

In addition, you cannot legally possess or use marijuana or its products on any federal property. This will bring about the same consequence. 

Can I Be Fired if I Have Marijuana in My System? 

It depends on why you have marijuana in your system. If it’s for medical purposes, you cannot be fired or otherwise discriminated against solely on this basis. 

But if you test positive on a Department of Labor approved drug test, you can be fired if you weren’t using for medical purposes. So, again, just to be safe, it’s best to enjoy your weed discreetly and leave enough time before you have to head on to work. 

Conclusion 

So that’s it, all you should know about marijuana laws in Maine. Fingers crossed the state comes around to fully implementing its marijuana law and folks can fully enjoy their new rights to consume weed legally.

Check out our other Marijuana Legislation articles here.