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Cannabis in Maine

Maine legalized medical cannabis in 1999, but patients couldn’t access it at dispensaries until 2009. In 2016, residents voted to legalize cannabis for adult-use, and recent reports show the state expects sales to begin at licensed adult-use dispensaries as early as March 2020.

The Maine Office of Marijuana Policy is currently developing final rules for the state’s recreational cannabis industry, but those rules have not been released yet. The information on this page reflects the draft adult-use cannabis laws in Maine.

Overview of Key Maine Cannabis Laws

Is medical cannabis allowed? Yes

Is adult-use cannabis allowed? Yes

Personal Laws

Adults age 21 and older in Maine can possess and grow cannabis for medical and recreational use within certain limits. Registered medical cannabis patients can purchase cannabis from any licensed dispensary or registered caregiver.

Personal Possession

Overall Possession: Up to 2.5 oz. but no more than 5 grams of marijuana concentrate

Registered Medical Patient Possession: A “usable amount” with proof of a physician’s recommendation

Non-Maine Resident Possession: Up to 2.5 oz. under adult-use rules

Personal Growing

Adults age 21 and older may grow cannabis in Maine.

Registered Medical Patient Growing: No more than 3 plants

Registered Caregiver Growing: No more than 3 plants

Recreational User Growing: No more than 3 plants

Medical Cannabis Patient Qualification and Registry

Patients do not need to have a specific qualifying condition to access medical cannabis in Maine. As long as physicians think cannabis would help their patients, they can recommend medical marijuana.

Qualifying medical conditions include:

  • N/A – There are no qualifying conditions for a patient to get a medical certification from their healthcare provider.

Business Laws

Vertical integration or “license stacking” is required for businesses operating in Maine’s current medical cannabis industry, which means a company must handle cultivating, manufacturing, and dispensing. Under the draft adult-use rules, it appears that vertical integration will be allowed except for testing labs.

Residency is required to apply for a cannabis business license in Maine. All owners and individuals with a majority interest in the company must have been Maine residents for four years, but out-of-state companies may control cannabis businesses in Maine.

Maine’s medical cannabis laws allow eight dispensaries (dispensaries also do all cultivation and manufacturing), which are located in eight defined Public Health Districts across the state. Those eight licenses have already been issued.

When the adult-use cannabis market opens in Maine, it is expected that there will be no state limit on the number of adult-use dispensary, cultivation, or manufacturer licenses. Testing lab licenses will also be issued as part of the new adult-use rules.

License Types

  1. Cultivation Licenses
  2. Manufacturer Licenses
  3. Dispensary Licenses
  4. Testing Lab Licenses

License Fees

Cultivator: Under current medical laws, dispensaries do all cultivation, so there are no separate cultivation licenses or fees. The dispensary registration certificate fee is $15,000. Adult-use cultivation application fees are expected to range from $100 to $500 and licenses fees could range from $250 to $30,000.

Manufacturer: $250 application fee plus $2,500 licensing fee under adult-use rules

Dispensary: $250 application fee plus $15,000 license fee under medical cannabis rules. Fees are unknown for adult-use dispensary licenses.

Testing Lab: $250 application fee plus $1,000 license fee under adult-use rules

License Timeline

Maine will start accepting applications for adult-use licenses as soon as the state’s program rules are finalized. No date has been announced yet.

Testing

Cannabis testing is required in Maine.

Training

License holders are not required to attend training in Maine.

Learn More about Cannabis in Maine and How to Work or Start a Business in the Maine Cannabis Industry

Leafy Green Agency offers a variety of certification seminars for people who want to start businesses, find jobs, get promotions, or invest in the cannabis industry in Maine and across the country. Follow the link to learn more about our educational seminars.

Sources and More Information

Data current as of 10/9/19.