Alabama Marijuana Policy
If you live in Alabama and you consume marijuana, then you should know what the marijuana policies are in your state. If you don’t live in Alabama and consume marijuana, you may still find this information useful for educational purposes. I’ve always been a marijuana information nerd, and one of my favorite things to do is research each state’s marijuana laws for our marijuana law database. When comparing Alabama’s marijuana laws to the rest of the country’s, it becomes pretty obvious that Alabama has some of the harshest laws in the nation.
There is no such thing as marijuana decriminalization in Alabama. There is also no medical marijuana program in Alabama. Possession of 2.2lbs or less of marijuana (first conviction) is a misdemeanor, punishable by 1 year in jail and a $6,000 fine. Possession of 2.2lbs or less of marijuana (second conviction) is a felony, punishable by 1-10 years in prison and a $15,000 fine. Possession of more than 2.2lbs of marijuana is a felony, punishable by 1-10 years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
All cultivation of marijuana is considered felony activity. Cultivation of 2.2lbs or less of marijuana is a felony, punishable by a minimum sentence of 3 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. Cultivation of 2.2lbs to 100lbs of marijuana is a felony, punishable by a minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. Cultivation of 100 to 500lbs of marijuana is a felony, punishable by a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $200,000 fine. Cultivation of more than 1,000lbs of marijuana is a felony, punishable by a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Considering the cops are going to weigh the raw plants in their entirety (not dried out), anyone that cultivates marijuana in Alabama is risking a lot.
Distributing marijuana is a very serious offense in Alabama. Distributing any amount of marijuana to a minor is a felony, punishable by 10 years to life in prison. Distributing any amount of marijuana within 3 miles of a school or public housing project is a felony, punishable by a minimum sentence of 5 years in prison. Distributing any amount of marijuana (1st offense) is a felony, punishable by 25 years to life in prison, and a $50,000 to $1,000,000 fine. Distributing any amount of marijuana (2nd offense) is a mandatory lifetime sentence! Possessing or distributing marijuana paraphernalia is a misdemeanor, punishable by 1 year in jail and a $2,000 fine. Distributing marijuana paraphernalia to a minor that is at least 3 years younger than the offender is a felony, punishable by 2-20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
To add insult to injury, in Alabama any conviction for marijuana results in the suspension of the offender’s driving privileges for six months. Do you think these laws are harsh? I certainly do! Fortunately for the marijuana consumers in Alabama, there are some great people working very hard to reform marijuana laws in Alabama:
Alabama Medical Marijuana Coalition Facebook
Alabama Medical Marijuana Coalition Website
If everyone in Alabama that is a supporter of marijuana joined one, if not all, of these great organizations, true marijuana reform would happen much faster. If you have another group that I didn’t list, please add it to the comments below so I can include them on our activism page. Alabama is a great state, and it’s citizens deserve a more sensible approach to marijuana policy. Enforcement resources are scarce in Alabama as they are in the rest of the nation. Shouldn’t these resources be used to fight real crime, instead of being wasted on marijuana? Get out there marijuana supporters in Alabama! Get active!
