Marijuana use is a serious subject for many people, and knowing the law on using it can be important for any potential future users. Whether you want to use it for recreational purposes or for medical reasons, you need to know the state’s laws.

What are the laws on cannabis use in California, and what kind of penalties could you face if you overstep any legal boundaries?

Is Using Marijuana Legal in California?

California has the MAUCRSA (Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act) as the core of its cannabis laws. Adults over the age of 21 are allowed to purchase, possess, and even grow a specific amount of cannabis for recreational use. If you use marijuana or cannabis products regularly, you can use child proof exit bags to make sure no minors can have access to them.

These specific limits are:

• 8 grams of cannabis concentrate.
• 28.5 grams of usable marijuana.

Medical patients that require marijuana, as well as their assigned caregivers, can possess far more cannabis. These limits are:

• 12 immature cannabis plants.
• 226.8 grams of dried cannabis or concentrates, along with six mature plants.

Medical marijuana is exempt from tax, but recreational users and owners have to pay a high cannabis tax rate. This can make it costly, even if bought from a retail shop or dispensary. Cannabis as a whole is still carefully monitored and cannot be used in federally-controlled public spaces.

Using CBD Oil

You can use CBD oil in California without issue. It has been made legal for almost all purposes, allowing adults to enjoy CBD oil in a wide variety of ways. However, there are still limits on the kinds of products that CBD can be used in, such as cosmetics or commercially-sold food and drink items.

Using CBD oil for yourself is completely legal, but it is subject to more limits when sold commercially. This should not impact the average user all that much.

Using Edibles

Edibles are also legal and are subject to the same restrictions as unaltered marijuana. These can technically be used for both recreational and medical purposes, although the latter would obviously require approval from a doctor to be truly considered medical marijuana.

Driving when high on cannabis

It is prohibited to have an open container of cannabis while driving or riding in a vehicle. If you have cannabis in your car, it must be in one of the following forms:

• a tightly sealed item or container
• in the vehicle’s trunk

If cops think you are driving a car, boat, or another vehicle while under the influence of cannabis, they may pull you over and provide a sobriety test.

What Is Lawful

In California, cannabis is legal. You can purchase marijuana if you are:

• 18 years of age or older with a physician’s recommendation (medicinal use)
• 21 or older (adult usage) (adult use)

Cannabis regulations in cities and counties may be tougher than those in the state. Learn about the restrictions in your region by visiting the website of your city or county.

There are separate laws for medical and adult users. Users of pharmaceuticals:

• Increase your possession limitations.
• If their doctor approves it, they can grow additional plants at home.
• If their doctor advises it, they will buy more cannabis every day.
• The Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) provides services for medical marijuana users and caregivers.

Cannabis Cultivation at Home

If you are at least 21 years old, you may cultivate up to 6 cannabis plants at home. If you make a product out of cannabis, you cannot utilize volatile solvents like butane or propane.

Some towns and counties have special laws regarding home grows, such as requiring permits or requiring indoor grows. To find out what the rules are in your area, contact your local office.

Local Cannabis Companies

Since becoming allowed for recreational use, cannabis culture in California has expanded into a broad array of goods and activities. What distinguishes our cannabis community is the quality and range of what is available, the luxury of the experience, and the expertise of local budtenders.

Will These Laws Ever Change?

As one of the few states with a positive stance on recreational marijuana use, many people are already happy with the way that California supports cannabis users. However, there is also a chance that these laws will change in the future, either due to pressure from cannabis users or outside factors.

Right now, although cannabis is legal, it still gets heavily monitored at a federal level. It is banned from many government buildings, and businesses selling cannabis are not allowed to raise capital through investors or other larger-scale trading systems.

Cannabis is legal to use, but it does not receive the best treatment it could. There are many cases where using it may not be allowed in specific areas or where users may be treated unfairly just because they enjoy using marijuana.

If you want to know more about how cannabis is handled in California, then California Cannabis has a full breakdown of the laws and regulations surrounding marijuana use.