Arizona Medical Marijuana Card Legislation
Arizona’s current laws allow for Medical Marijuana use for qualifying patients, as well as Recreational Cannabis use for adults over the age of 21. For more than 2 decades Arizona has attempted to legalize medical marijuana use and has had a few challenges along the way.
Medical Marijuana in Arizona was first introduced in 1996 when voters approved an initiative allowing medical marijuana-use for critical and terminally ill patients. This provisional law was overturned due to using the word “prescribe” in the legalese of the law, which conflicts with Federal law forbidding any marijuana prescriptions.
Due to the prior failure, Arizona tried to legalize medical marijuana again in 2002 with Prop 203, which failed in the voting process with only 42.7% of voters approving it. Medical marijuana legalization would take another 10-years before being proposed in 2010 by passing the Arizona Medical Marijuana Question, which was a revision of Prop 203 and slightly passed with 50.13% of Arizona votes.
In November 2020 the Smart and Safe Act was proposed on the general ballot as Prop 207. This law legalized recreational marijuana for adults over the age of 21, and allowed possession of up 1 ounce of marijuana, and no more than 5 grams of cannabis concentrate. Additionally, the law imposed a 16% excise tax on marijuana and allowed for the expungement of criminal marijuana possessions.
Arizona Medical Marijuana Card Cultivation & Possession Laws
Arizona is legal for medical and recreational use, though there are limits to possession and cultivation of the plant. Adults 21 and over can possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana, but no more than 5 grams can be in concentrate form. Additionally, adults may give away up to one ounce of cannabis to another adult 21 and over. For Medical Marijuana Card holders in Arizona, patients and caregivers can legally possess up to 2.5 ounces of medical cannabis.
Arizona marijuana cultivation laws allow adults up to six marijuana plants at their residence. With two or more adults living in the home, a maximum of 12 marijuana plants are allowed, but cannot be seen by the road or public view. Arizona Medical Marijuana Card patients and caregivers are allowed to cultivate 12 plants per patient. These marijuana plants for medical use must be enclosed in a locked container out of public view.
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