Washington was the second state after Colorado to legalize recreation and medical marijuana, now cannabis tourism has become big business to Washington.  Before you pack your bags there are some things that you should know.  Let’s go over the laws governing marijuana in Washington and what you can and can’t do.

Buying Cannabis in Washington

This is treated much like alcohol in that you need to be 21 and you need valid photo ID, it can be from any state or a passport will work too, to purchase cannabis legally in Washington.  Some municipalities weren’t quite on board with the new state legislation and they have banned dispensaries within the town limits.

What is considered “cannabis” is also going to include edibles along with lighters, bongs, pipes or whatever you may need to smoke it.  Most dispensaries will have everything available to you.  Once you have everything and you’re ready to light up be very aware of where you are, you can’t smoke in a public park, near a school or near public transportation.

The Limits

Legalization doesn’t mean you can go out and buy a pound of pot to get you through the winter, you can only have an ounce of bud, concentrates must be less than 7 grams and liquids cap out at 72 ounces.  Amounts above the limits are seen as “intent to sell” and you can still go to jail for that.  If you are buying medical marijuana you get a bit more leeway and you can have as much as 24 ounces of bud or 15 plants provided you have a valid prescription.

Smoking Pot

First and foremost you need to know there is no smoking in public places period.  As far as private property goes there are rules too, if your property is near a public space where people can smell it then smoking is a no-no.  You can light up in your own home, at a marijuana social club or even a hotel that is friendly to pot smokers.

Driving While High

Don’t do it.  In the state of Washington if you have more than 5 nanograms per milliliter in your bloodstream then you’re driving under the influence.  If you are arrested in Washington and you’re the driver that means you consent to drug testing.  Refusing the test won’t necessarily save you, you can still face jail time.

Transporting Marijuana

You cannot send marijuana out of the state, that is illegal.  You can’t carry it across nor can you mail it to someone, if you try both you and whoever receives the package are both looking at jail time.