As time progresses, so do the laws on marijuana. Each state is updating their cannabis laws every year, and it can be difficult keep up. We wanted to make things easy for you, so we put together all of the most recent changes to the Maine Marijuana Laws in one place! Read more below!

Status: Fully Legal

Decriminalized: yes

Medical: Yes

Adult-Use Cannabis Finalized; Sales Coming Soon

In June of 2019, Janet Mills, the governor of Maine, signed off on the rules that will govern the adult-use program in Maine. These rules will go into effect September of 2019, and brings Maine one step closer to recreational marijuana. If you want to learn more about these rules you can check it out here! We are hoping that applications will be excepted by the end of the year.

Legislation was passed by Maine voters in 2016, along with Massachusetts, California, and Nevada. Unfortunately, the last of those states to launch an adult-use program is Maine.

Furthermore, the municipalities of Maine must opt in to the adult cannabis program, by allowing locals to open marijuana businesses. You can help your town opt in by voting in ballot boxes, or encourage your city council to vote on the program.

Maines Medical Cannabis Program

The Maine Legislature went over the previously vetoed bills by governor LePage in July 2018. The two bills LD-1539 and LD-238 were originally designed to help improve the medical marijuana program in Maine. LD-1539 was the result of the Health and Human Services Committee working all session long to reform the cannabis program. LD-238 would allow third-parties to extract from medical cannabis.

  • Eliminated a requirement for a specific dispensary or caregiver, allowing more choices for the patients.
  • Eliminated the condition list for medical cannabis. Any person that is recommended by their doctor may sign up for the medical marijuana program in Maine.
  • Two more dispensaries were added to the additional 8, and after 2021, the cap on opened dispensaries will be lifted.

You can learn more about these changes here.

Adult-Use Cannabis In Maine

Governor Mills signed the bill that would govern the adult-use cannabis program in Maine, in June of 2019. If you want to learn more about these rules you can check it out here. The sales for adult-use cannabis will probably start sometime in 2020.

In April of 2018, LD-1719 was passed through Maine legislation, which was the framework of the beginning of commercial sales of marijuana. The governor did veto this bill, but was later overruled in May of 2018.

This bill was a change since the voter passed law in 2016. The bill removed club licensing, meaning you could only consume marijuana in the comfort of your private residence. It also lowered the amount of cannabis plants you can grow from 6 to 3.

The Laws on Cannabis in Maine

Possession and Cultivation is Legal: If you posses less than 2 and a half ounces, and less than 5 grams of cannabis concentrate, then you’re legal, as long as your 21. It is also legal for adults to cultivate up to 3 plants in their own home.

Medical Marijuana: If your primary physician deems it necessary for you to consume cannabis, then you may apply for the medical marijuana program in Maine. The patient also has the option to purchase cannabis from a registered dispensary, private growers, or personal caregivers.

Retail Cannabis Shops Should Open in 2020: With all of the regulations in place for commercial cannabis, it’s up to the state of Maine to follow through. The governor of Maine will take on the task of implementation, and rule-making, so you could see shops beginning to open in the later part of 2019.

Stay tuned for more information regarding the Maine Marijuana Laws.

Learn more state laws