Federally, marijuana is still classified as a hard drug. But California decriminalized and legalized medical marijuana with Proposition 215 in 1996. Below are some of the key fundamentals of cannabis use, possession and cultivation in Los Angeles and the state of California.
Los Angeles Marijuana Laws: The Facts
- Possession of 28.5 grams or less of marijuana is considered a misdemeanor for which you can be fined $ 100.
- A gift of 28.5 grams or less of marijuana results in a $ 100 fine.
- Possession of more than 28.5 grams of marijuana remains a misdemeanor. However, arrest for this can result in six months in jail.
- Growing any amount of marijuana is a serious crime. If detained, the individual or group doing the cultivation can be ordered to serve 16–36 months in jail.
- Selling marijuana (in any quantity) is a felony and can result in two to four years in prison.
- California has decriminalized marijuana.
What does “decriminalized” mean?
Generally, this means that a first-time marijuana possession offense does not lead to any jail time or a criminal record (for small amounts of the drug for personal use).
California has an active hemp industry, which is licensed to conduct hemp-related research.
How does hemp differ from marijuana that is smoked or eaten?
Hemp is a variety of the plant species of cannabis saliva L., containing less than 1 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Therefore, it is not ingested for any psychedelic effects, but is used as an ingredient or component of certain products.
Historically, hemp has been used as a component in the construction of rope, paper, paint, clothing, and textiles. It is not uncommon these days to find it in cosmetics, food products like hemp milk, animal feed, and plastics.
How was medical marijuana legalized in Los Angeles and California?
At the federal level, marijuana is still classified in a category of hard drugs along with LSD and heroin; It has not been decriminalized. Even so, some states have legalized its use for medical purposes. When California’s Proposition 215 was passed in 1996, the state became one of more than a dozen states to legalize medical marijuana.
Proposition 215: The Facts
- Author: Dennis Peron, a veteran San Francisco-based medical cannabis activist and entrepreneur, wrote it with his associates, which included a psychiatrist and a nurse
- Approval Date: November 5, 1996
- Percentage of voters who approved: 58%
- Summary: Proposition 215, as is known, allows people with a valid medical recommendation (not to be confused with a formal prescription) to possess and grow marijuana for personal medical use.
- Amendment: The initiative has been expanded to protect the collective and cooperative distribution system (Section 11362.5). According to the added sections, doctors are safe from prosecution for recommending marijuana to their patients.
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