STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — You can now grow what you bowl with new legislation in New York.
The New York State Cannabis Control Board — the approval and oversight body of the Office of Cannabis Management — this month approved regulations that will allow adult New Yorkers to cultivate weed plants in their homes.
“We’re very excited that these regulations are now moving forward, and the office will be putting out some further guidance on our website, just around the parameters and the rules and regulations, so folks know what is and what is not allowed,” said OCM Chief Operating Officer Patrick McKeage.
Here’s what you need to know to grow, according to a written statement.
Can I grow?
If you’re over 21-years-old, you can grow your own weed at home. However, if you’re under 21 and need weed for medical issues, “a parent/guardian can assign a designated caregiver to grow on your behalf.”
What can I have growing at home?
If you don’t have weed money for dispensary prices, don’t stress. You can cultivate three mature plants and three immature plants at a time, with a maximum of six mature plants and six immature planets per household.
The statement offered ways to cultivate weed at home with safety in mind, as well:
- Using LED lights can help cut back on energy costs and reduce the risk of an electrical overload that could lead to a fire.
- Keep your growing area well-ventilated so that fungus or mold doesn’t grow or infect your crop. Fans, dehumidifiers, and the like are suggested.
- Keep your plants out of the public’s purview so that thieves aren’t tempted to snake some of your weed.
- Keep your weed away from pets and children.
- Don’t try to extract your weed’s properties via a flame.
How much weed can I have at home?
At home, “you can have up to five pounds of trimmed cannabis and the equivalent weight in concentrates in or on the grounds of their private residence.” Keep in mind that though you can have five pounds at home, you can only have 24 ounces of weed concentrates or three ounces of weed on your person while out and about in New York state.
Additionally, whatever you grow at home is meant for you, and you alone: “It is illegal to sell, trade or barter with homegrown cannabis,” the statement warned.
Where can I grow at home?
You can grow your weed wherever you’d like in or on your property, so long as you “own or rent” something “like a room, home, apartment, mobile home, co-op or other residential spaces. Landlords can only refuse to lease space to or penalize a tenant if they risk losing federal benefits.”
Keep in mind that “you must take reasonable measures to prevent cannabis odor from becoming a nuisance to neighboring residents, such as co-planting items like lavender in an outdoor garden or using a carbon filter for indoor cultivation.”
How can I get seeds to grow weed?
You can grab weed seeds from “commercial retailers,” the statement said. Immature plants, on the other hand, “can be purchased from New York licensed dispensaries, microbusinesses, or other entities authorized by the Office of Cannabis Management.”