Note: As a result of P.L. 2021, ch. 669 the word "marijuana" was replaced with the word "cannabis" in the Maine Revised Statutes except for in Title 17-A. As of March, 2023, we have updated this page to reflect this change except for where the old language is used in the title of a bill, law or state agency.

On November 8, 2016 Maine voters approved Question 1 and joined eight other states to have legalized the recreational use, retail sale and taxation of cannabis, also referred to as adult use cannabis. Following a recount and certification of election results the law was enacted as IB 2015, c. 5, “An Act to  Legalize Marijuana”, and codified at the statutory citations listed in the Implementation section to the left.

For background information, the 2016 Maine Citizen’s Guide to the Referendum Election provides the following :

• Ballot wording of Question 1
• Text of the “Act to Legalize Marijuana”
• Summary
• Intent and Content Statement
• Fiscal Impact Statement
• Public comments in support and opposition

As with alcohol sales, municipalities can vote on whether or not to be a “dry town” regarding cannabis retail establishments and social clubs. Cannabis is still illegal at the federal level.

On January 27, 2017 the legislature approved a moratorium on implementing parts of the law regarding retail sales and taxation until at least February 2018, giving time to resolve issues and promulgate rules. The portion of the law that allows persons over 21 years to grow six mature plants and possess 2.5 ounces became effective on January 30, 2017. A 17-member special legislative committee, co-chaired by Sen. Roger Katz and Rep. Teresa Pierce, was formed to address the complex issues surrounding full implementation of the law. Also on January 30, 2017, Governor LePage issued Executive Order 2017-002 relating to rulemaking as it related to the moratorium. This was later rescinded by Executive Order 2017-007.

On May 2, 2018, the Legislature overrode the Governor's veto of LD 1719, An Act to Implement a Regulatory Structure for Adult Use Marijuana. As the title indicates, and according to the bill summary, the law will facilitate "the development and administration of a regulated marketplace in the State for adult use marijuana and the regulation of the personal use of marijuana and the home cultivation of marijuana for personal adult use pursuant to the Marijuana Legalization Act." LD 1719 was enacted as P.L. 2017, ch. 409. Information about the bill can be found here. P.L. 2017, ch. 409 took effect on 5/2/2018 upon override of the Governor's veto. It enacted Title 28-B of the Maine Revised Statutes and repealed 7 M.R.S.A. Chapter 417.

As stated in the preamble of P.L. 2017, ch. 409, "to facilitate the timely implementation of a retail marketplace in the State for adult use marijuana and adult use marijuana products, the agencies charged by law with the implementation, administration and enforcement of the Marijuana Legalization Act must adopt rules in accordance with that Act and the Legislature must review those rules in accordance with the Maine Administrative Procedure Act as soon as is practicable." A spokesman for the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services was quoted in a 5/2/2018 Bangor Daily News article as saying that the rulemaking process would take "no less than nine months" at which time the 129th Legislature would then have to approve them.

On June 27, 2019, Governor Mills signed into law 129th LD 719, which became P.L. 2019, ch. 491. Among other changes to Maine's adult use cannabis laws, P.L. 2019, ch. 491 requires several changes to the provisionally adopted rules. These rules were effective December 5, 2019. From the Office of Marijuana Policy (OMP) website: "On June 20, the Maine Legislature passed LD 719, An Act Regarding Adult Use Marijuana. The bill makes changes to the Marijuana Legalization Act and approves, with changes, the provisionally adopted major substantive rules developed by the Mills Administration for adult use marijuana. The law took effect on Thursday, September 19, 2019. Following the effective date, OMP has 60 days before it must finally adopt its adult use rules. The rules included in Chapter 1 are not in effect until 30 days after final adoption is completed."

The current statutes and regulations are linked at left.

We also have a webpage on medical cannabis (marijuana) in Maine.

 

News

Lawmakers eye limits on growers to keep marijuana boom from going bust - 4/22/2023

Lawmakers consider marijuana social clubs, boosting home grow - 3/13/2023

Maine's adult-use cannabis sales nearly doubled in 2022 - 1/9/2023

Maine junk shop sells to marijuana store in sign of a changing Route 1 - 8/8/2022

Maine's marijuana industry booming no thanks to banks - 6/26/2022

Maine is curbing illegal cannabis market at faster rate than other states with adult-use laws - 6/13/2022

Maine's 2 marijuana programs are unevenly regulated despite selling similar products - 4/25/2022

Marijuana delivery bill would allow access throughout Maine - 1/19/2022

Maine's recreational marijuana market may see only limited growth in the new year - 12/29/2021

Are pot-related problems on the rise? State lacks data to say for sure - 10/19/2021

After a year of growth, Maine's legal cannabis industry faces new challenges - 10/15/2021

Maine’s adult-use cannabis sales surpassed $10 million in August - 9/7/2021

Maine adult-use cannabis sales jumped 45% in July, to $9.4 million - 8/9/2021

Maine sales of recreational cannabis surpass $5 million in May - 6/8/2021

Office of Marijuana Policy seekings bids for public safety campaign - 3/17/2021

Numerous marijuana-related bills expected in next legislative session - 1/10/2021

Maine marijuana shops are seeing brisk business despite pandemic - 1/10/2021

216 vendors are still waiting to sell recreational pot in Maine - 12/3/2020

Maine records $1.4 million in recreational cannabis sales in first month - 11/23/2020

Small Maine marijuana caregivers sue over out-of-staters entering new adult-use market - 10/20/2020

First day of recreational pot sales in Maine yields $9,464 in sales taxes - 10/10/2020

Maine awards 1st active recreational marijuana licenses ahead of October retail sales - 9/8/2020

Federal judges sides with out-of-state cannabis businesses for equal treatment in retail licensing - 8/14/2020

State predicts 1st recreational cannabis sales by end of year - 7/29/2020

Marijuana collectors expected to help with testing in Maine - 6/30/2020

State decision to open adult-use marijuana market to non-residents sparks lawsuit - 5/31/2020

Maine drops residency requirement for recreational marijuana businesses - 5/11/2020

Maine legalized recreational pot 4 years ago but there are still no retailers. And now a new glitch - 5/11/2020

Virus worries may further delay start of recreational marijuana market - 3/24/2020

Maine marijuana company sues state over residency requirement - 3/23/2020

Maine issuing conditional licenses for 16 marijuana stores - 3/14/2020

Lawmakers strip secrecy and extraction rules out of marijuana bill - 3/9/2020

State no expects retail marijuana stores won't be open until June - 3/2/2020

State plan to 'harmonize' marijuana programs would wreak havoc, critics say - 2/26/2020

State's plan for special cannabis crimes unit sparks outrage - 2/26/2020

Guidance issued for advertising marijuana products in Maine - 2/21/20

Maine deems dozens of pot business applications complete - 2/19/20

Bill would drape secrecy over recreational cannabis - 2/9/2020

Lawmakers debate pros and cons of bill to allow home marijuana delivery - 1/27/2020

Maine's marijuana market in legislative spotlight - 1/27/2020

Forty companies apply for Maine cannabis licenses on first full day - 12/6/2019

After long wait, Maine to issue applications for 1st marijuana stores - 12/5/2019

The race is on for recreational marijuana licenses in Maine - 12/1/2019

Maine wants to phase in recreational cannabis testing - 11/22/2019

Maine finally ready to take applications for marijuana businesses - 11/4/2019

Maine could start accepting recreational marijuana retail applications by the end of the year - 10/25/2019

Maine adopts symbol for marijuana products - 10/21/2019

Maine on track for legal marijuana sales by spring 2020 - 10/6/2019

Confusion reigns as Maine rolls out its marijuana tracking system - 9/16/2019

With Mills' signature, Maine finally has rules for recreational marijuana market - 6/27/2019

Mills says she intends to sign law to allow marijuana sales in Maine - 6/25/2019

Recreational pot rules head to governor - 6/20/2019

Legal pot is coming to Maine, but will there be enough places to puff? - 6/16/2019

Maine might relax residency rules for legal pot businesses - 6/14/2019

Marijuana dispensary says it would be stifled by proposal requiring majority Maine ownership - 6/10/2019

Mainers can have their say about new recreational marijuana rules on Monday - 6/10/2019

Maine amends proposed marijuana rules to ease concerns - 6/5/2019

Maine tries again to enact marijuana rules before 3-year anniversary of legalization vote - 5/31/2019

Three years after voters legalized marijuana, Maine develops plan to begin sales - 5/24/2019

Maine hopes to avoid pitfalls during marijuana legalization push - 5/20/2019

One thing Maine's legal pot industry can't bank on: support of financial institutions - 5/13/2019

Legal pot hearing expected to draw huge crowd in Maine - 5/13/2019

Marijuana safety rules could be coming this year - 5/1/2019

Entrepreneurs see rules proposed for recreational pot as a sign of progress - 4/23/2019

Maine hires second marijuana consultant for $10,000 - 4/19/2019

Maine on track to launch recreational marijuana market this year, says state's pot czar - 4/10/2019

Maine hemp industry poised for growth as Mills signs bill allowing sales of CBD products - 3/27/2019

State hires director for its recreational marijuana program - 3/22/2019

New contract appeal may further delay Maine's rollout of marijuana sales - 3/6/2019

Maine's effort to track legal pot suffers another setback - 3/1/2019

Bill would let Maine stores resume sales of CBD edibles - 2/19/2019

Maine just signed a deal for a 'seed-to-sale' marijuana tracking system - 2/19/2019

Hemp supporters rally in Augusta after state directs retailers to pull CBD edibles off shelves - 2/5/2019

State orders stores to remove edibles with CBD from their shelves - 2/1/2019

Maine hires point person to roll out legal pot sales - 1/29/2019

Maine restarts search for consultant to help with pot rules - 1/28/2019

Timeline for Maine marijuana legalization is uncertain - 1/25/2019

Consulting deal falters, may cause new delay for Maine's recreational pot market - 1/24/2019

Maine taps Los Angeles consulting firm to help write recreational-marijuana rules - 12/7/2018

Two more added to Maine cannabis advisory commission - 12/5/2018

Questions lead to delay in Maine's cannabis consulting contract - 10/29/2018

Maine seeks consultant to craft rules and regulations for recreational pot sales - 9/13/2018

Maine cities, towns may gain control over all retail marijuana sales - 6/25/2018

Businesses see some clarity in Maine's new pot law, but delays are a concern - 5/3/2018

LePage veto fails, clearing way for recreational pot sales in Maine - 5/2/2018

Legislature overturns LePage's veto of recreational marijuana bill - 5/2/2018

LePage vetoes bill to launch Maine's recreational marijuana marketplace - 4/27/2018

Reduced home-grow limit offensive, pot advocates say - 4/23/2018

Recreational vs. medical: taxes divide pot advocates, LePage - 4/19/2018

Bill to launch recreational marijuana in Maine heads to LePage, who has vowed a veto - 4/17/2018

LePage says he'll veto bill to guide recreational marijuana market - 4/16/2018

Maine Senate approves recreational pot bill by veto-proof majority - 4/11/2018

Maine legal pot sales plan clears another big hurdle - 4/11/2018

Maine takes a big step toward retail marijuana sales - 4/10/2018

Maine House passes bill that would launch recreational marijuana market - 4/10/2018

First pot-business licenses would go to Maine residents of at least 4 years - 4/3/2018

Committee continues work on recreational marijuana legislation - 2/23/2018

Maine's pot legalization committee finds agreement on taxes, other regulations - 2/23/2018

Panel's marijuana regulation bill omits licensing of social clubs - 2/22/2018

Committee makes headway on recreational marijuana legislation - 2/21/2018

Lawmakers consider lowering number of marijuana plants Mainers can grow for personal use - 2/19/2018

As Maine's recreational pot law stalls, lawmakers seek to revamp medical marijuana program - 2/6/2018

Medical marijuana sales, caregivers and patient numbers decline - 2/2/2018

Maine lawmakers won't extend moratorium on pot sales, but it's still not for sale - 2/1/2018

Republican bill would allow more drug testing of Maine workers - 1/31/2018

Maine recreational pot sales delayed, but until when? - 1/30/2018

LePage likely to veto bill to extend pot sales moratorium - and seek longer delay - 1/24/2018

Lacking clarity from state, towns act to ban pot shops - 1/21/2018

Legislative panels vote to extend ban on adult-use pot, delay medical rules - 1/19/2018

Maine Attorney General joins push to let banks serve state-licensed pot businesses - 1/18/2018

Legalization panel makes concession, votes to delay social cannabis clubs until 2023 - 1/17/2018

Agreement reached on retail marijuana in Maine, but it could be again delayed - 1/10/2018