Recreational marijuana used to be illegal in Montana. Possessing 60 grams or less was a misdemeanor, which could include 6 months in jail and a $500 fine for the first offense. Anyone possessing any amount with so-called “intent to distribute” would be slapped with a felony and up to 20 years in prison, not to mention a $50,000 fine. Growing any amount of marijuana was also a felony, with any amount up to 30 plants. It came with up to 10 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. In other words, it was a very high risk to try and cultivate weed in the state of Montana.

However, Montana has had a medical marijuana program since the year 2004, but this only applied to 12 medical conditions. Medical patients could grow their own marijuana plants, with specific limits. For example, individuals could cultivate 4 seedlings and 4 mature plants at the same time. The maximum for households with two or more registered patients was 8 seedlings and 8 mature plants. For those with one of the few qualifying conditions, it worked well.

Related Article: A Guide on How to Grow Marijuana

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The Laws Changed

As of January 1st, 2021, possessing, growing, and using marijuana solely for recreation is legal in the state of Montana. This is very exciting news for a state that has only had a medical marijuana program since 2004. Outside of that, it was otherwise very harsh to marijuana growers and users.

Initiative 190 legalized recreational cannabis. The passing of Constitutional Initiative 118 amended the constitution to reflect the legal age for marijuana consumption (21).

It still pays to be a medical patient if you have one of the qualifying conditions. Patients will most likely gain access to stronger strains and avoid the hefty 20% tax that has been added to recreational marijuana.

Let’s talk about amounts. Adults can possess up to a single ounce of “flower” and up to eight grams of concentrates. Growing is also legal for the average Joe now, with certain limitations.

Related Article: Grow Weed Starting From Seed

Staying Legal

Up until January 1st, marijuana will remain illegal in the state of Montana. For this reason, it’s important to wait until at least midnight on New Year’s Day to publicly use or grow marijuana. If you plan to grow marijuana, you can start your seeds in January. If you plan to buy recreational marijuana, you must wait until the sales of recreational marijuana have actually begun – and that might not start for another year. (Yes, we are talking January 2022).

For that reason, it might be a good idea to grow your own marijuana with a Pot for Pot. You’ll have your own clean supply – legally – without needing to wait for the dispensaries and regulations to catch up to the current state of affairs. Just be sure to stay within the legal limits. That means having only a maximum of eight plants growing in one household at a time. For individuals, this means 4 mature plants and 4 seedlings growing at the same time.