Michigan cannabis law dictates you are allowed to grow 12 plants for personal use. However, you may only possess 2.5 ounces of dried cannabis harvested from those plants. Michigan Licensing and Regulatory Affairs have put limits on how much cannabis one can grow to preserve the quality and safety of marijuana products made in Michigan.
Unfortunately, the law only stipulates your limit if someone else does your growing for you. The state wants to ensure that when people are given an allowance for plants. They’re not growing more than enough for personal use. So no one will run out of product or have to go back into the black market to purchase it.
What Are The Law And Regulations Regarding How Many Plants Can I Grow In Michigan Exactly?
Since the legalization of recreational marijuana, there has been some confusion about the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act and how much a patient is legally allowed to grow or possess, so we’ll lay it out for you. According to M.C.L. 333.26424(1), patients can have up to 12 plants but no more than 2.5 ounces of dried cannabis harvested from those plants at a time. Patients may only possess enough medication to last between 8 weeks and two months. It is depending on what the doctor recommends in their written certification. If you exceed your limit, you are subject to prosecution under the law, and authorities will seize your cannabis.
Michigan lawmakers hope to have a medical marijuana system in place before the 2018 election. They feel that having a strict schedule with fixed amounts could help keep the marijuana industry solvent.
What Is The Reason For Limits Of How Many Plants Can I Grow In Michigan?
According to Michigan lawmakers, the main reason for setting these limits is to ensure this new industry doesn’t start running out of product and people resort to using illegal marijuana. The state does not want to turn over more tax dollars from businesses, primarily farmers, that use their products to make cannabis-related products. The state wants these regulations in place so people are only growing what they need for personal use. So there’s enough for everyone, and the black market isn’t involved.
Many believe that if pot is legalized for recreational use and taxed. The black market will be significantly diminished, but this is a widely held misconception. Since marijuana was made illegal in 1930, it’s always been easy to buy and grow. The only thing that changed was the price and accessibility. It’s not the new business that will disappear. It’s more of the old black market we’ve always had.
Does Licence Require A License To Grow?
Yes, if you are growing, you must have a grower’s license. The state can issue this to an individual or an organization of medical marijuana caregivers, growers, and processors. You will need this license if you grow plants for someone else or even if you live with someone who is a registered caregiver and grow for them. There is no limit on how many plants a caregiver can grow for their patients, but any cannabis grown must be kept in the original place specified in their application.
If you are growing less than 500 feet from a non-commercial property. It will count as your primary residence and doesn’t require a license. Under the Act, plants must be kept in an enclosed and locked location. But you will still need support to grow for your personal use even if you live on a property you own and it’s 500 feet away from any other properties.
What Happens If I Grow More Than 12 Plants?
If you’re growing more than 12 plants, no matter what, it is a felony. You can be fined up to $10,000 and face four years in prison if caught. The law does not differentiate between medical patients and recreational users since marijuana was legalized for recreational use in Michigan. Anyone found growing more than 12 plants is subject to legal action. If you’re found to have 2.5 ounces, then you face up to 5 years imprisonment and a fine of $25,000. You will also have to complete a treatment program. Patients with less than 2.5 ounces aren’t charged with a felony. But they don’t qualify for any state-issued program and face up to 93 days in jail and a fine of up to $500. Both amounts are misdemeanors carrying the same penalties whether caught with more than or less than 2.5 ounces.
Conclusion
The new law says that individuals have the right to grow their medical marijuana as long as they are registered under the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act. It doesn’t matter how much you’re growing, how old you are, or your medical condition. The state wants to ensure that everyone is abiding by the law and no one will run out of product because growers are growing more than enough for personal use. The law states that people can have up to 12 plants. But there are limits on how much cannabis can be possessed because of a safety concern for new industries involved in making products with cannabis.