While cannabis is legal both medically and recreationally in California, this does not mean you can buy and possess as much as you want. There are still limits on the amount of cannabis you can purchase in a single day, depending on whether you are using it for medical or recreational purposes and what kind of cannabis products you are buying.
What are the daily cannabis purchasing limits in California?
We’ve broken down the different purchasing limits in California by the type of cannabis and by medical and recreational use.
Flower
Medical:
With a medical marijuana card, you can purchase up to 8oz. of dried cannabis flower per day.
Recreational:
Dispensaries are limited to selling no more than 1oz. of cannabis flower to any given adult in one day.
Oil
Medical:
Consumers with a medical marijuana card can buy up to 8g of cannabis oil per day, but they can possess more than that at a time if it is recommended by their doctor.
Recreational:
Recreational marijuana users can legally buy up to 8g of cannabis oil in one day, just like medical marijuana users.
Edibles
Medical:
Medical marijuana users can purchase edibles with up to 2,000mg of THC per day, with that being the maximum amount you will find in any package.
Recreational:
For recreational marijuana users, edibles have a daily purchase limit of 1,000mg with no more than 10mg per serving.
Does this vary by city?
Purchase limits are state regulations rather than regulations imposed by city governments. This means regulations on marijuana purchasing limits will be the same from city to city. However, some cities allow looser possession rules for medical users as advised by their doctor.
On the other hand, some cities have chosen to ban cannabis businesses, which means consumers cannot purchase, in person, any legal cannabis in those cities. Many cannabis consumers in these banned cities can still get delivery. In which case, the above limitations would apply.
Do dispensaries or deliveries keep track of how much you buy?
Yes, they do. Whenever you go to a dispensary in person, you have to provide your name and legal identification. Then, when you check out, you will need to give the cashier your information again so your receipt can be saved under your name and identification. This allows the quantity of cannabis you are purchasing to be saved in the database for the day. The same process is followed by delivery services, except it is more straightforward as you enter your information yourself when you check out.
