Medical Marijuana at a Glance - How the States Compare.

The 14 Medical Marijuana States.

The Medical Marijuana laws are in a constant ebb and flow. You should consult an attorney or your state marijuana registry program regarding the accuracy of this information. We tried to get it right.

Here is a side by side comparison of the fourteen states that have medical marijuana laws on the books.

State	Year passed	Amount of 'usable' marijuana allowed	Total plants allowed	Recognizes ID Cards issued by other states	Possible Defense if more than the allowed amount or do not have have an ID card **	Mandatory registration unless noted
California	1996	8 ounces *see below	18 plants * see below			voluntary
Alaska	1998	1 ounce	6 plants
Oregon	1998	24 ounces (a pillowcase full)	24 plants		yes
Washington	1998	24 ounces	15 plants			none
Maine	1999	2.5 ounces	6 plants	yes	yes	n/a
Colorado	2000	2 ounces	6 plants		yes	voluntary
Hawaii	2000	3 ounces	7 plants
Nevada	2000	1 ounce	7 plants		yes
Montana	2004	1 ounce	6 plants	yes	yes
Vermont	2004	2 ounces	9 plants
Rhode Island	2006	2.5 ounces	12 plants		yes
New Mexico	2007	6 ounces	16 plants
Michigan	2008	2.5 ounces	12 plants	yes	yes
New Jersey	2010	2 ounces	zero	unknown	unknown	unknown

* The California Supreme Court recently struck down these limits as unconstitutional (Feb. 2010). For now, the amount a patient can possess depends on the county you are in. Each county has its own regulations as to the amount of plants or marijuana that can be grown or possessed, so what is legal under state law in one county may well be illegal in the neighboring county.

** These states recognize an Affirmative Defense which can be argued after an arrest, and thus protect an otherwise eligible patient or caregiver from a criminal conviction. Your medical pot and plants are seized but you may be able to avoid a criminal conviction.

There is zero protection if you are Not registered in the following states: Alaska, Vermont, New Mexico, and New Jersey. Typically a medical marijuana ID card in-hand is the strongest legal protection, especially in California.

Many of the marijuana amounts which can be legally possessed under state law is doubled if the patient has a caretaker or caregiver to either grow or obtain the marijuana (i.e., in Michigan a patient can possess 2.5 ounces and their caregiver an additional 2.5 ounces).

Two States Have Passed favorable Marijuana Laws.

The states of Arizona and Maryland have passed favorable marijuana laws that either reduce the punishment or the fines, but neither has legalized marijuana nor do they have a registry program, and you end up with a criminal conviction on your permanent record .

We are Knowledgeable about Michigan's Medical Marijuana Law.

Criminal Defense Attorney Bruce Alan Block has thoroughly study the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, stays current on the changing laws and court decisions, and knows how to timely raise its defenses. He is a legal committee member of The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), and is experienced. Contact him.

Located on the corner of Cascade Rd. and Kenmoor Ave., just east of Interstate I-96, six miles from the Kent County Courthouse.

Bruce Alan Block, PLC represents clients in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and West Michigan communities of Ada, East Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Cascade, Wyoming, Byron Center, Wyoming, Caledonia, Cascade, Rockford, Holland, Grand Haven, Grandville, Kent County, Ottawa County, Muskegon County, Barry County, Ionia County, Newaygo, Montcalm, and Allegan County.

We represent students from Calvin College, Aquinas, Grand Valley State, Cornerstone, Grand Rapids Community College, and Michigan State University.

Bruce Alan Block, PLC

Attorney and Counselor at Law
4251 Cascade Road SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Phone: (616) 458-8585
Fax: (616) 454-0849
Map and directions

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