Let’s take a closer look at one of the states that has recently legalized recreational cannabis, though Maine tends to take a back seat in the press to the likes of California and Massachusetts. Millions of people all over Maine recently woke up to a new era when not only is recreational cannabis now legal, but it’s even legal to grow the stuff at home for yourself. Which is, needless to say, precisely what quite a lot of people are planning on doing.
At the same time, it’s important to note that cultivating cannabis at home even in states like Maine isn’t quite as black and white as it appears to be on the surface. It’s important to remember that while it’s legal to grow it, legal to carry it out legal to use it, it still isn’t legal to buy it. What’s more, there are plenty of restrictions and important specifics when it comes to growing the stuff at home that must be taken into account.
What the Law Tells Us
What are the laws in Maine?If you’re looking to grow cannabis in Maine, there are a few things you need to take into account above and beyond everything else. First of all, you are now permitted to grow a maximum of six flowering cannabis plants at a time, along with unlimited seedlings and a dozen plants considered to be immature. As far as official legislation goes, any plants that are less than 24 inches in height and slimmer than 18 inches in width are considered to be seedlings.
Interestingly, regardless of whether you choose to grow your cannabis indoors or outdoors, you still need to stick a label on each and every pot with both your name and some kind of identification number, like the one taken from your driving licence. If you choose to grow cannabis outside, the law states that the plants must not be visible from any public streets unless those in question were using binoculars. It is also a requirement to ensure that it is made as difficult as possible for anyone under the age of 20 want to access the cannabis plants, by using some kind of fencing or protection of some sort.
But what’s even more interesting and extremely confusing for the time being at least is that as it stands, selling cannabis in any form – which includes cuttings and seeds – remains illegal. Even if you were to order seeds from a different state where they are perfectly legal, you would still be breaking the law.
If you do somehow manage to get around this and successfully cultivate cannabis, you will be legally allowed to keep hold of every last gram you harvest at the end. The law states that it is only legally permissible to carry a maximum of 2.5 ounces of cannabis, but this only applies when you had cannabis in your possession away from your home.
Not that any of this helps with the most pressing matter of all – how on earth are you supposed to get started in the first place? What with no seeds or cuttings legally available to buy, how can you remain in full compliance with the law, while getting started in home cannabis cultivation?
Getting Around the Rules, Legally
How to grow legally in Maine
Well, the simple answer is to think about whether or not there is anyone you know who may have access to medical marijuana. More specifically, the homegrown variety. While recreational cannabis is brand new to Maine, medical cannabis has been around for almost six years now and those with relevant prescriptions are allowed to grow their own at home. The key in this instance being that while it remains entirely illegal to sell or buy cannabis in any form whatsoever, it is perfectly legal to gift cannabis and bits of cannabis plants to other people. That is, just as long as the recipient is at least 21 years of age.
There is of course another option, which as far as you yourself are personally concerned does not involve breaking any rules whatsoever. In this instance, it’s a case of asking anyone you know who usually has a fairly large supply of cannabis on-hand (through whatever means they deem fit) to keep an eye on their product for seeds. If they come across any seeds and are happy to let them go free of charge, you can accept them without technically breaking any rules. Instead, it is the generous giver that could end up in bother.
Using one of these two methods therefore, it is perfectly possible to get hold of the genetic material you will need to grow cannabis at home legally. As for how likely it is that you will be asked any questions as to where you got the material from, it’s hard to say. But at the same time, it still represents common-sense to keep your growing activities on the down-low for the time-being at least, just until the industry begins to properly find its feet.
Of the two, it would probably be more advisable for you to focus on those who are able to provide you with cuttings from medical cannabis plants for a few important reasons. First of all, you will know exactly what strain of cannabis it is that you are looking at, which in turn means that you will not waste any time attempting to grow something that you later fined to be not to your liking. Secondly, there is the way in which medical cannabis plants that have been grown under the supervision of professionals (as is the case with the medical cannabis home-growing community in Maine), usually demonstrate extremely strong and reliable genetics.
Last but not least, there’s also the obvious benefit that comes with the way in which growing from clones means that you are already at something of a relatively advanced stage and don’t have to mess about with the initial germinating of the seeds. Instead, it’s simply a case of using some quality rooting hormone and plenty of water to get those roots started, after which your plants can be transplanted into the soil or hydroponics growing system of your choosing.
Just as soon as your plants start to reach a relatively mature age, it’s worth bearing in mind the fact that you may now be in a position where you can start taking cuttings and producing multiple identical plants. Not only this, but you could also be the generous member of your own local cannabis community who’s happy to provide cuttings free of charge for anyone looking to set up for themselves.
After all, it’s not as if you can sell them, so you might as well get yourself some kudos and popularity instead!
