Cannabis reforms in Maine
In late 2016, Maine became one of the first U.S. states on the East Coast to vote to legalize recreational cannabis. Following a lengthy showdown with former Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R), who vetoed multiple legislative attempts to implement the voter-approved legalization proposal — as well as other bureaucratic hiccups — Maine’s adult-use marketplace eventually opened for business in October 2020. Since then, the state has repeatedly broken sales records as cannabis consumers adapt to the legal, regulated marketplace. The state’s medical cannabis market has also thrived. In fact, medical marijuana was reported as the state’s most lucrative crop in 2020.
Industry overview
Cannabis dispensaries are open and operating throughout Maine. Adult-use cannabis sales carry a 10% excise tax as well as the state’s standard 5.5% sales tax. Medical cannabis sales are not taxed.
Meanwhile, licensed cannabis cultivators face a wholesale excise tax of $335 per pound of cannabis flower, $94 per pound of trim, $1.50 per pound of cannabis seedlings, and $.35 per pound for cannabis seeds.
Maine cannabis possession & purchasing rules
- Adults aged 21+ in Maine are allowed to purchase and possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis flower.
- Adults can possess up to five grams of cannabis concentrates.
- Adults can also grow up to three mature and nine immature cannabis plants at home (or at someone else’s home, with permission).
- Cannabis consumption is allowed only inside of a private residence or on private land.
