Colorado is known as one of the country’s most cannabis-friendly states, home to hundreds of dispensaries and cannabis brands, plus some of the most well-known growers in the world. While you can buy cannabis virtually anywhere in Colorado, many weed lovers are also interested in growing their own at home.
Growing at home is a fabulous way to save money on weed, and a great hobby for amateur and experienced plant-parents alike!
This is part 1 of our Colorado Home Cannabis Grower’s Guide, where we’ll be covering everything you need to know about the legal side of growing cannabis at home. Who can grow cannabis at home? Where can you grow cannabis at home? How much cannabis can you grow in Colorado? Keep reading for the answers to these questions and many more:
Is It Legal To Grow Marijuana At Home in Colorado?
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Yes! Adult recreational users over 21 and medical patients are permitted to grow cannabis in their homes.
If you are a medical marijuana patient, you may be able to submit a petition for your local dispensary or a caregiver to oversee the growth of your cannabis. This is a particularly helpful feature of Colorado home-grow laws, since some individuals with chronic conditions may not be able to handle the care of their cannabis plants alone. Requesting that a dispensary or caregiver oversee the growing of cannabis is also useful for medical patients under 21, and for families with young children.
How Many Cannabis Plants Can You Have at Home?
Depending on the municipality you reside in, you may be permitted to grow anywhere from 6 to 12 plants at a time. In general, the rule is 6 plants at a time with a maximum of 3 flowering at once. If you stick to this, you shouldn’t have any problems.
Plant Location & Safety
While it is completely legal to grow cannabis at home, there are some rules about where your plants can be kept. Here are some of the key regulations you’ll need to follow:
- Plants must be kept in a locked, secure space (i.e. they must be inside, not outside in your yard)
- Plants must not be visible from the outside of your home (i.e. keep plants away from windows)
- In homes with residents under 21, plants must be kept separate from all minors in a locked, enclosed space
Many people prefer to keep their plants in a basement, office space, or spare room with little traffic. This helps to keep your plants safe and secure and meets requirements for home growing in Colorado.
Important Home Growing Rules
Growing at home is a dream come true for many cannabis users, but there are a few super-important rules you’ll need to follow. While Colorado has relatively lenient cannabis laws, it is still possible to get in trouble if you don’t follow state and municipal regulations. Here are just a few of the laws that you’ll need to be aware of if you plan to grow at home:
No Selling
Only licensed commercial growers and dispensaries are permitted to sell cannabis in Colorado, so don’t try to start your own artisan marijuana brand out of your basement! None of your homegrown cannabis can be sold or advertised for sale, and breaking of this rule may lead to legal consequences.
Possession Limits
While you can grow up to 12 cannabis plants in certain areas of Colorado, there is a strict limit to how much cannabis you can have at one time. Possession laws restrict Coloradoans to 2 ounces of cannabis at a time, so be sure to time your harvests accordingly. If you accidentally end up with excess, be sure to get back to the legal limit as soon as possible.
Keep It In Colorado
Colorado might have legal cannabis, but cannabis is still federally illegal, and many states still do not allow recreational marijuana use. Because of this, it’s important not to travel with your home-grown cannabis. Marijuana cannot be brought across state lines, cannot be sent/mailed to someone across state lines, and cannot be brought into airports, bus stations, train stations, etc. So, if you have friends or family outside of Colorado, hold off on letting them try your home-grown weed until they can be in Colorado.
Can You Give Home-Grown Cannabis As a Gift?
Although you may not be allowed to sell your home-grown cannabis, you can give it to friends and family as a gift! The recipient must be at least 21, and you cannot gift more than an ounce at a time, but this loophole makes it super easy to offload extra flower after particularly bountiful harvests.
Get the Latest Info on Cannabis Laws in Colorado at Colorado.Gov
Learn more about cannabis laws in Colorado
Learn where and how you can travel with your homegrown once you are done.