Yo, listen up, New York State! The cannabis regulators are about to vote on some new rules for home marijuana cultivation. If these rules get approved, y’all will be able to grow up to 12 cannabis plants at home, but hold up, there are gonna be some conditions and limitations, so don’t get too excited just yet.
So, the New York Cannabis Control Board was supposed to vote on these new home weed cultivation rules on January 25th, right? But they decided to push it back and discuss it next month instead. Once they give their approval, there’s gonna be a 60-day public comment period before these rules become official.
Now, let’s back it up for a sec. In 2021, New York legislators said it’s all good to smoke that recreational cannabis with the Marihuana Regulation and Tax Act (MRTA). They were like, “Yeah, adults can grow their own weed at home!” But they had to wait ’cause the Office of Cannabis Management needed to come up with some regulations for this home growing situation.
Alright, now let’s dive into these proposed rules, fam. If you’re 21 or older, you can grow up to twelve cannabis plants at home. That includes six immature plants and six mature plants that got them visible flowers. But hold up! You gotta keep those plants out of sight from the public eye and make sure nobody under 21 can get to ’em. And yo, you can only grow ’em at one address. No multiple spots for you!
Now here’s the dealio with getting those seeds. You can cop ’em from anywhere you want. But when it comes to buying actual weed plants in New York, you can only get ’em from licensed cannabis retailers with nursery licenses. So don’t go trying to sell your homegrown stash on the streets illegally, my friend.
Oh snap! Check this out. You can possess up to five pounds of trimmed weed from your plants, which is a big jump from the usual three-ounce limit in New York. And peep this, you can even gift some of that dank herb to other adults. But remember, selling it without a license is a no-go according to state law.
Now, when it comes to where you live, ain’t nobody gonna tell you that you can’t have cannabis in your crib. Property owners and co-op boards can’t ban the possession or home cultivation of weed. But they can make you put in some measures to control the smell. Can’t be stinkin’ up the joint, ya feel?
But hold up, not everyone gets to join in on this home-growing party. If you live in buildings run by the New York City Housing Authority or other federally subsidized housing, sorry, but you’re left out. The feds still think weed is illegal, so they ain’t lettin’ you cultivate it at home.
Now, there are some people who are hyped about these new rules. The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) thinks it’s dope that adults can have the option to grow their own weed instead of buying it from retail stores. They say it’s important for those who can’t always afford dispensary products or who live far away from one. They compare it to the rules for brewing your own alcohol at home, like yo, if you can make your own booze, why not grow your own bud?
And let’s not forget about those who are tired of waiting for dispensaries to open up. Only 53 licensed retailers have opened in the whole state of New York, including 23 in the Big Apple. Melissa Moore from the Drug Policy Alliance thinks these new rules will be a breath of fresh air for New Yorkers. She says people won’t have to stress about finding a dispensary anymore, especially with all the lawsuits delaying the rollout. Now they can just grow their own and keep it movin’.
So there you have it, New York State. The regulators are about to vote on these new rules for home weed cultivation. If they pass, you’ll have the green light to grow up to 12 plants at home. But remember, follow the rules, keep it secure and out of sight, and don’t be sellin’ that bud illegally. Stay lit, my friends!