Changes to Maine medical marijuana take effect

Published: September 27, 2011

As we told you back in June, the Maine Legislature passed and Gov. Paul LePage (R) signed legislation relaxing certain requirements of Maine’s medical marijuana program. I’m pleased to report that those changes take effect today.

Among the most notable changes, registration is now optional for patients, as well as caregivers whose patients are family or household members. In addition, possession limits have been adjusted slightly to allow patients to possess 2.5 ounces of marijuana, six mature plants, and a limited amount of harvested marijuana. An affirmative defense is also available to those who exceed the limit if doing so was “reasonably necessary” to ensure uninterrupted availability. A brief summary of these and other changes is available for download here and at our Maine overview page.

Many kudos to State Representative Deborah Sanderson (R-Chelsea) who sponsored the bill, her many co-sponsors, and Governor LePage for signing the bill into law.

Stay tuned to our email alerts for all the latest news on marijuana policy reform in Maine. And as always, thanks for all you do.