Compared to regular commodities like butter, dispensaries have limits on how much cannabis they can sell per customer. For example, Washington state dispensaries can only offer up to one ounce of bud per person, while Michigan-based stores can sell a maximum of 2.5 ounces per transaction.
While cannabis purchasing is set into place to prevent out-of-store selling, the patchwork of unique limitations per state, timing of purchase, type of product, possession limits, and more have been confusing for shoppers.
Here’s an updated guide state-by-state to help dispensary owners and buyers determine how much they can buy from a dispensary at a time.
Is There A Cannabis Purchasing Limit and Possession at the Federal Level?
No. The US Government at the federal level has not put a purchase or possession limit for cannabis at the federal level because it’s illegal to buy, sell, or possess marijuana in the country. In fact, any amount of cannabis possession in America constitutes one year of jail time and a maximum fine of $1,000.
Despite cannabis being a Schedule I controlled substance, states can independently enact their laws about cannabis. Hence, people residing within jurisdictions that have legalized recreational and medical weed can freely buy in authorized dispensaries.
This conflict between federal and state laws is a grey area within the industry. However, federal law enforcement has long conceded to state-based authorities when enforcing the law. Still, federal law enforcement is obliged to arrest in federal spaces like airports.
State-Based Cannabis Purchase Limits (Medical and Recreational)
Now, on to the most important matter—state-based cannabis purchasing limitations.
If you’re a dispensary owner or a cannabis buyer, you’d be more interested in knowing the limits of cannabis purchases per transaction in your state. To help you align with what’s legal, here are the latest state laws on cannabis purchase and possession limits.
Alabama
Medical cannabis purchase limit: Capped at 75mg of THC daily, with minors limited to only 3% THC per day.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
Status: Medical cannabis is not yet active but will be expected to operate as soon as before 2024 ends.
| Law: SB46 |
Alaska
Medical cannabis and recreational cannabis purchase limit: Dispensaries can only sell 1 ounce of usable weed, 7 grams of inhalable marijuana concentrate, or 5,600mg of combined THC dosage sales.
| Law: 3 AAC 306.355 |
Arizona
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 2.5 ounces of cannabis per patient for 14 days.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: 1 ounce of cannabis flower or not more than 5 grams of cannabis concentrate for 14 days.
| Law: 9 A.A.C. 18 |
Arkansas
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 2.5 ounces per patient for 14 days.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
California
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 8 ounces of dried weeb and six mature or 12 immature cannabis plants per day.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: Not more than 28.5 grams of non-concentrated cannabis, 8 grams of concentrated cannabis, and eight immature cannabis plants per customer a day.
Special consideration: In case a physician’s prescription exceeds the allowable amount of cannabis, a special exemption is given to that patient.
Colorado
Medical cannabis purchase limit: Capped at 2 ounces of usable marijuana.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: Aged 21 years old and above, individuals are allowed to purchase and possess up to 1 ounce of cannabis at a time.
Connecticut
Medical cannabis purchase limit: Follows the dosage written on a physician’s recommendation per month.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: Persons aged 21 and over can buy up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis in total.
Delaware
Medical cannabis purchase limit: Three ounces of cannabis every 14 days, equivalent to a maximum of six ounces per month.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: Individuals 21 years old and older can purchase and possess a maximum of 1 ounce of leaf marijuana, 12 grams of concentrated cannabis, or 750 milligrams of THC on cannabis products.
Florida
Medical cannabis purchase limit: Physicians draft the supply limit for up to three 70-day supply of medical cannabis. Additionally, a 35-day supply should not exceed 2.5 ounces.
Here’s the list of maximum purchase limits for various cannabis product forms per 70-day supply:
- Edibles: 4,200 mg THC
- Vaporized: 24,500 mg THC
- Oral capsules and tinctures: 14,000 mg
- Sublingual tinctures: 13,300 mg THC
- Suppositories: 13,650 mg THC
- Topical: 10,500 mg THC
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
| Law: SB 182 |
Georgia
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 20 fluid ounces of 0.3% THC and CBD with an equal or higher amount than THC.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
| Law: House Bill 324 |
Hawaii
Medical cannabis purchase limit: Four ounces of usable marijuana at any given time between the patient and primary caregiver.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
| Law: ACT 241 |
Idaho
Cannabis is illegal in all forms.
| Law: Not available |
Illinois
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 2.5 ounces or 70.87 grams of cannabis every 14 days. A waiver can increase the limit to 5 ounces per 14 days.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: 30 grams of cannabis, 500 mg of THC-infused products, or 5 grams of cannabis concentrate.
Indiana
No purchase limits are mentioned, but the state permits the sale of high CBD, low THC (not more than 0.3%) products.
| Law: Indiana SB52 |
Iowa
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 4.5 grams of THC within 90 days, but may be more for terminally ill patients and those determined by a physician needing more than the allotted THC amount.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
| Law: House File 2589 |
Kansas
Medical cannabis purchase limit: No limits specified, but THC per product should not be more than 5%.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
Kentucky
Medical cannabis purchase limit: Uninterrupted 30-day supply.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
Status: Medical cannabis law was signed in 2023, but the program has not yet started.
| Law: Senate Bill 47 |
Louisiana
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 30-day supply of non-smokable cannabis supported by a physician’s recommendation.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
Maine
Medical cannabis purchase limit: A total of two and one-half ounces of a combination of cannabis flower and concentrate or just pure marijuana flower.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: 2 ½ ounces of cannabis flower or a combination of cannabis flower and 5 grams of cannabis concentrate. The combined total ounces per day should not exceed 2 ½ ounces.
| Laws: Me. Rev. Stat. Tit. 22, §2423-D (2010)Me. Rev. Stat. Tit. 22, §§2422; 2425 (2010)Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 22, § 2383-B(5), (6) (1999) (amended 2001)Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 22, § 2383-B(3)(e) (amended 2001)TITLE 28-B |
Maryland
Medical cannabis purchase limit: During a span of 30 days, qualified patients can buy up to 120 grams of cannabis flower and 36 grams of THC in cannabis products.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: 1.5 ounces of cannabis flower, 12 grams of concentrated cannabis product, or a combination of sales of not more than 750mg of THC.
| Law: Copy not available |
Massachusetts
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 10 ounces of cannabis every 60 days unless suggested otherwise by the physician. Those with a temporary 14-day registration may avail 2.5 ounces of cannabis within 14 days.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: 1 ounce of dried cannabis, 5 grams of THC concentrate, or 500 milligrams of THC in edibles for one day. Meanwhile, topical THC is not subjected to any kind of purchasing limitations.
| Law: 105 CMR 725.000 and 935 CMR 501.000 |
Michigan
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 2 and ½ ounces of usable cannabis daily with an allocation of up to 10 ounces per month.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: 2 and ½ ounces of cannabis flower or a combination of 15 grams of cannabis concentrate and cannabis flower not exceeding the two and ½ ounces daily limit.
| Laws: Mich. Comp. Law § 333.26424(j) (2008)Mich. Comp. Law §§ 333.26423; 333.26426(d) (2008)Public Acts 281-283 of 2016 |
Minnesota
Medical cannabis purchase limit: A 30-day supply of non-inhalable cannabis flower recommended by a physician. Qualified patients may also buy up to 2 and ½ ounces of cannabis flower within 14 days.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: 2 ounces of cannabis flower, 8 grams of THC concentrate, and 800 milligrams of edibles.
Mississippi
Medical cannabis purchase limit: Patients are allowed up to 0.5% of THC and at least 15% of CBD as determined by a physician.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
| Law: House Bill 1231 |
Missouri
Medical cannabis purchase limit: Patients can buy a maximum of 6 ounces of cannabis within 30 days.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
Montana
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 1 ounce of usable cannabis per transaction but not more than 5 ounces of cannabis in one month.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: 1 ounce of usable cannabis but not more than 8 grams of concentrated cannabis and 800 milligrams of edibles.
Nebraska
Cannabis is illegal in all forms.
Nevada
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 1 ounce of usable cannabis daily but not more than 2.5 ounces or 10,000 mg of THC products within 14 days.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: 1 ounce of usable cannabis or equivalent to that in one day.
| Laws: Nev. Rev. Stat. §§ 453A.010 – 453A.240 (2008)Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§435A.080(1)(a), (2); 435A.250(2) (2008)Assembly Bill No. 533 |
New Hampshire
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 2 ounces of usable cannabis within ten days.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
| Law: Copy not available |
New Jersey
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 3 ounces of cannabis per month unless terminally ill, in which case, no form of limitations apply.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: A total combination of ½ ounce of cannabis flower and 2 grams of concentrate or five packages of gummies and ½ ounce of cannabis flower.
| Laws: N.J. Stat. Ann. §§ 24-61-1-10 (2015)N.J. Stat. Ann. §24:6I-3 (2010) |
New Mexico
Medical cannabis purchase limit: Tax-free 15 ounces of cannabis within 90 days.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: 2 ounces of cannabis, 16 grams of cannabis extract, or 800 milligrams of edibles per transaction.
| Law: Copy not available |
New York
Medical cannabis purchase limit: The possession limit for medical use is according to what a licensed doctor recommended for a 60-day supply.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: The possession limit is up to 3 ounces of cannabis flower or 24 grams worth of cannabis concentrate.
North Carolina
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 0.9% THC and at least 5% CBD oil, as determined by a neurologist.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
| Law: Copy not available |
North Dakota
Medical cannabis purchase limit: Up to 2.5 ounces or 70.87 grams of usable cannabis and 4,000 milligrams of concentrate within 30 days.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
| Law: CHAPTER 19-24.1 |
Ohio
Medical cannabis purchase limit: You can purchase up to a 90-day supply.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: 2.5 ounces of cannabis flower and 15 grams of cannabis extract at a time.
| Law: Copy not available |
Oklahoma
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 3 ounces of cannabis, 1 ounce of concentrate, 72 ounces of edibles, six mature cannabis plants, and six seedlings per transaction. Patients under 18 are only entitled to 1 ounce of concentrate per transaction.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
| Law: Copy not available |
Oregon
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 24 ounces of usable cannabis, 5 grams of cannabinoid concentrate, 16 ounces of solid cannabinoid products, 72 ounces in liquid forms, 50 cannabis seeds, and four immature cannabis plants daily.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: 2 ounces of usable cannabis, 5 grams of concentrates, 16 ounces of solid cannabinoid products, 72 ounces in liquid forms, ten cannabis seeds, and four immature cannabis plants daily.
| Laws: Oregon Medical Marijuana Act, Or. Rev. Stat. § 475.300 (2007)Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 475.302(5); 475.312(2) (2007) |
Pennsylvania
Medical cannabis purchase limit: Good for a 90-day consumption as prescribed by a patient’s physician.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
| Law: SB No. 3 |
Rhode Island
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 2 and ½ ounces of usable cannabis within 15 days.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: 1 ounce of cannabis per transaction and possess up to 10 ounces of cannabis and the live plants they grow in their primary residence.
| Laws: R.I. Gen. Laws § 21-28.6-4(k) (2006)R.I. Gen. Laws § 21-28.6 (2006)R.I. Gen. Laws 1956, §21-28.6-3 (9) (2006) |
South Carolina
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 0.9% THC and 98% CBD oil as prescribed by the physician.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
| Law: SC S1035 |
South Dakota
Medical cannabis purchase limit: Three ounces of cannabis products. Medical marijuana cardholders under 21 are not allowed to purchase or possess inhalable cannabis products.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
| Law: Copy not available |
Tennessee
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 0.9% THC with high CBD oil content as prescribed by a physician.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
| Law: SB280 |
Texas
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 0.5% THC with high CBD oil as prescribed by a physician.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
| Law: H.B No. 3703 |
Utah
Medical cannabis purchase limit: A 30-day supply of unprocessed cannabis not exceeding 113 grams by weight and medical cannabis products not exceeding 20 grams of THC for a single dose.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
| Law: Copy not available |
Vermont
Medical cannabis purchase limit: Two ounces of usable cannabis daily and a single serving of medical cannabis product should not be more than 100 milligrams of THC.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: 1 ounce of cannabis daily.
| Laws: Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 18, §§ 4471- 4474d (2003)Vt. Stat. Ann. Tit. 18, §4472(6); 4474(1),(2)(c) (2003) |
Virginia
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 4 ounces of botanical cannabis for 30 days.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: 1 ounce of cannabis shareable with other adults.
| Laws: The Legality and Availability of CBD Oil in Virginia§ 18.2-251.1.§ 18.2-251.1:1. § 40.1-27.4 |
Wyoming
Medical cannabis purchase limit: Unspecified amount of 0.3% THC and 15% CBD as prescribed by a neurologist.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
| Law: Bill No. HB0032 |
Wisconsin
Medical cannabis purchase limit: Any CBD product that yields zero psychoactive effect.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
| Law: Copy not available |
West Virginia
Medical cannabis purchase limit: Limit determined by the patient’s physician.
Recreational cannabis: Not currently allowed.
| Law: Copy not available |
Washington State
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 48 ounces of solid cannabis form, 3 ounces of usable cannabis, 216 ounces of cannabis-infused liquid product, or 21 grams of concentrates.
Recreational cannabis purchase limit: 1 ounce of usable cannabis or 16 ounces of solid cannabis edibles, 72 ounces of liquid cannabis-infused edibles, and 7 grams of concentrates per day.
| Laws: Wash. Rev. Code §§ 69.51A – 69.51A.901 (2007) and Wash. Rev. Code §§69.51A.010, 69.51A.040 (2007) |
District of Columbia
Medical cannabis purchase limit: 4 ounces of cannabis in 30 days.
Recreational cannabis sales: Commercial recreational cannabis is not allowed, but a person may share up to 1 ounce of cannabis with another 21-year-old person.
| Law: Legalization of Possession of Minimal Amounts of Marijuana for Personal Use Initiative of 2014 (Initiative 71) |
Wrapping Up
Cannabis purchasing limits are set to keep the authorized selling of such products within licensed dispensaries. On the other hand, the federal government has not set a purchasing limit for hemp-derived products with equal to or less than 0.3% Delta 9 THC content. The decision to limit hemp purchase and other requirements, such as age, is entirely dependent on the state and store.
Here at The Hemp Doctor Wholesale, we help business owners and regular cannabis consumers buy bulk hemp-derived products without the worry of purchasing limits. Our THCA flower strains aren’t very different from regular weed. We dare say they’re even because they’re legal at the federal level.
| Disclaimer: We always strive to provide updated information, this blog is not meant to provide legal advice. Consult with a lawyer, if need be, in understanding the legal nuances of cannabis purchasing limits of your state. |
FAQs
Do dispensaries track how much you buy in Illinois?
Yes. They track it through a state-mandated tracking system.
How much recreational can I buy in Michigan?
You can buy up to 2 and ½ ounces of cannabis flower or combined sales of 15 grams of concentrate and cannabis flower not exceeding two and ½ ounces per day.
How many ounces can I buy in California?
You can buy recreational weed up to 8 immature cannabis plants per day. For medical cannabis, a qualified patient in California can buy a maximum of 8 ounces per day.
How much recreational can I buy in NJ?
½ ounce of cannabis flower and 2 grams of concentrate or five packages of gummies and ½ ounce of cannabis flower.
