Categories: Blog

New Marijuana Laws Took Effect January 1, 2018

With the new year comes a host of new laws and regulations not just in Colorado, but around the country. While the newly enacted tax plan might have grabbed most of the headlines when it comes to new legislation, there are some important changes to Colorado’s marijuana laws that residents and visitors should be aware of. Keeping abreast of changing marijuana laws and understanding how those changes impact you are important parts of being proactive in engaging in the legal use of recreational marijuana, and a recent story from Denver’s ABC-7 sheds some light on exactly what those new changes entail.

Laws Governing Growing Marijuana at Home

In 2017, laws permitted residents to grow up to six plants per individual over the age of 21 living in a residence. Three of those plants could be flowering at a given time. However, new regulations limit the growth of marijuana at home to 12 plants total unless residents qualify for exceptions after certain conditions have met. These conditions are typically dictated by local municipalities, so it is important to be aware of city and county regulations governing growing marijuana at home. The plants must still be kept in a locked area that is enclosed and not openly visible, which means marijuana plants cannot be grown outside. Marijuana products grown and made at home cannot be sold.

Retail Sales

New rules governing retail sales at aimed at preventing people from engaging in “looping” when it comes to purchasing marijuana on a daily basis. “Looping” is a term used to refer to individuals that purchase marijuana multiple times a day in a given dispensary. Often, law enforcement officials have found that individuals engaging in this practice are illegally reselling marijuana purchases to others ineligible to purchase the products legally, such as minors or other people that might otherwise be barred from making a purchase.

These new regulations will limit sales in a dispensary to one per day per individual, preventing return visits. People purchasing marijuana will not only be barred from selling it to individuals who have met the legal purchase limit for the day, but will also be prohibited from transferring a purchase to someone that has already met the daily limit. Dispensaries will also be held accountable when employees knowingly violate these regulations, or otherwise should have known that an individual has already met his or her daily limit.

Legal Assistance with Colorado Marijuana and Drug-Related Crimes

Recently enacted laws leave individuals especially vulnerable to violating them. It is easy to make a mistake, forget, or not do enough research to find out what the local laws governing marijuana use are. In such cases, you might find yourself facing Colorado marijuana-related charges. Conviction on these charges can have serious consequences, which can make marijuana-related charges intimidating. However, you do not have to face them alone. Contact the criminal defense team at Tiftickjian Law Firm to schedule a consultation where you can find out more information about the charges against you as well as what options might be available to you in defending against them.

REPORT: FATAL ALCOHOL & DRUG-RELATED CRASHES IN COLORADO UP FROM 2016

(image courtesy of Daniele Levis Pelusi)