Maine Legislature Allows Recreational Marijuana Law to Go Fully into Effect

The Maine State Legislature today voted against legislation extending the moratorium that had held the citizens’ enacted recreational marijuana law from going into full effect since its enactment in November 2016 (it has been legal since early 2017 to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, grow your own plants, and to give gifts of marijuana to other people). The immediate effect of the law should be to spur the required state licensing rulemaking process to be completed. The law provides for licensing systems for retail and social clubs, and mandates that rulemaking procedures occur before those licenses are issued. Licenses will be required for retail sales, social clubs, production, and testing facilities. The State rulemaking proceeding will take a considerable amount of time to develop the rules. Under the new law, a municipal license is also required before any retail establishment can open. The State must provide all license applications on State forms.

The medical marijuana law is unaffected by the recreational marijuana law.

Undoubtedly many questions and issues will be arising about this and we will be updating this blog as things happen.