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North Dakota – allowed marijuana usage and limitations

North Dakota, being the conservative state it is, doesn’t look too fondly on marijuana consumption in general. In practical terms, this means that you can’t expect to use it for recreational purposes without getting in trouble with the law. You can, however, use it for medical purposes, as long you’re a medical marijuana card holder.

If you get caught smoking weed without one, you’re going to get fined either way. Carrying even as little as one ounce counts as a misdemeanor. Any more than that, and the state considers it a felony, which means a certain amount of jail time is imminent. If you’re thinking about distributing or selling it, don’t – the penalties are rather unforgiving.

Those of you who are just planning on stopping by in the state are out of luck; only the residents of North Dakota with certain qualifying medical conditions are eligible to obtain a medical marijuana card. These include (but are not limited to):

– HIV/AIDS
– Alzheimer’s
– PTSD
– Cancer
– Epilepsy
– Glaucoma
– Severe chronic pain

It goes without saying, but still: not even the medical marijuana card holders are allowed to take any of their stash across the border. The good news is that once you do have one, you’re allowed to obtain 3 ounces of marijuana from one of the officially-approved dispensaries in North Dakota every month. However, this will not help you in terms of growing your own, which is something you’re not allowed to do no matter what.

Marijuana possession, sales, and cultivation fines in North Dakota are nothing to play around with. As we’ve already established, if the authorities discover any amount of weed on you (even less than one ounce), you can be imprisoned for a month and required to pay $1,500. As little as 2 ounces of it can get you imprisoned for 5 years, and the fines also jump rather astronomically (to $10,000).

Getting caught trying to sell it is pretty much guaranteed jail-time (3-10 years, in fact). If a minor is involved in the process in any way, you’re going to spend the next 10 years behind bars for sure. If a school is located within a radius of 1000 feet, you’re looking at 20 years of prison.

Driving under the influence of marijuana is also a no-go in North Dakota. If suspected, an officer can administer a blood test which you’re obliged to consent to (any refusal on your part may count as admission of guilt, even though it’s sometimes not considered as sufficient proof). As for the penalties, even first-time offenders need to pay at least $250, and they’re also required to undergo addiction evaluation. Medical marijuana card holders are, of course, treated differently, since a small trace of marijuana is left in the body even weeks after the last marijuana consumption (this is why the lawmakers needed to adapt the rules).

Finally, in terms of smoking marijuana at your workplace, this depends on the policies of your employer. But – generally speaking – yes, attending the workplace under the influence of marijuana or smoking it while there is grounds for losing your job.