Is marijuana legal in Arizona?

Question

Accepted Answer

Yes — marijuana is legal in Arizona for adults 21 and older, within defined limits. Recreational possession and personal use are lawful for individuals at least twenty-one years old .

What adults 21+ may legally do:

- Possess, consume, purchase, or transport one ounce or less of marijuana, of which no more than five grams may be in the form of concentrate .
- Cultivate up to six marijuana plants for personal use at one's primary residence, with no more than twelve plants at a single residence where two or more adults live . Cultivation must occur in an enclosed area (closet, room, or greenhouse) equipped with a lock or security device preventing access by minors, and the plants must not be visible from public view without binoculars, aircraft, or other optical aids .
- Transfer one ounce or less of marijuana (five grams or less as concentrate), or up to six plants, to another person 21 or older, provided the transfer is without remuneration and is not advertised or promoted to the public .
- Possess and use marijuana paraphernalia, and assist another adult in any of the above acts .

Key limits and consequences:

- Possessing more than the allowable amount but not more than two and one-half ounces (with no more than twelve and one-half grams as concentrate) is a petty offense .
- A person under 21 who possesses, consumes, transports, or transfers one ounce or less faces a tiered penalty structure: a civil penalty of up to $100 and possible drug education for a first violation, a petty offense for a second violation, and a class 1 misdemeanor for a third or subsequent violation . Under-21 use is not otherwise permitted, and selling or providing marijuana to anyone under 21 is prohibited .
- Smoking marijuana in a public place or open space is a petty offense .
- Cultivating where plants are visible from public view or outside a locked, minor-proof enclosed area is a petty offense for a first violation and a class 3 misdemeanor for subsequent violations .
- Driving, flying, or boating while impaired to even the slightest degree by marijuana remains prohibited, and the odor of marijuana alone does not create reasonable suspicion of a crime .

Arizona also maintains a separate medical marijuana program under which registered qualifying patients and designated caregivers are protected from arrest and prosecution for medical use within allowable amounts , though medical use remains barred in places such as schools, school buses, correctional facilities, and public transportation . Marijuana possession or use also remains unlawful on the campuses of public universities and all schools in the state, subject to a narrow exception for federally approved medical research . Employers, property owners, and private entities retain the right to prohibit marijuana on their premises even where state law otherwise allows it . Finally, because marijuana remains regulated under federal law, questions involving federal consequences (for example, federal employment, firearms, or immigration) are governed by federal law rather than Arizona law and should be directed to a licensed attorney .