Cannabis regulations in Indiana

Medical: No
Recreational: No
Reciprocity: N/A

Indiana does not have a legal medical or adult-use cannabis program. A bill introduced in January 2022 to legalize cannabis failed, but the state is exploring regulating and decriminalizing delta-9 products and restricting delta-8 products in the 2022 fall session.

Possible penalties

Indiana still has harsh cannabis laws. Possession of any amount of cannabis is a misdemeanor and has jail time and a fine. First offenses face up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine while repeat offenders face a year in jail and a $5,000 fine. If you have more than 30 grams of flower or five grams of concentrate and a prior drug offense, you face a felony charge, jail time, and a $10,000 fine.

Selling or growing the plant is also harshly punished. If you have less than 30 grams you face a misdemeanor charge but anything larger and it’s a felony charge. Possessing paraphernalia like a bong is a civil infraction but can carry a hefty fine of $10,000.

At least one country prosecutor has declined to prosecute small cannabis possession charges.

How do people in Indiana feel about cannabis?

Many people in Indiana understand and appreciate the medical and economic potential of the plant, but there are also people who prefer to keep the state in prohibition, at least until the plant is federally legalized.

Indiana has a long history of restricting cannabis, banning the sale of the plant in 1913 to people without a prescription. Before 1913, Indiana residents could buy liquid cannabis at most pharmacies. The campaign against cannabis continued throughout the 20^th century as the war on drugs took over the country.

The state once had a strong industrial hemp industry, but this was ended after the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937. It started up again under the 2014 Farm Bill that allowed farms with DEA approval to grow hemp for research and expanded after the 2018 Farm Bill passed.

Does Indiana have a medical cannabis program?

Indiana is one of just 13 US states that do not have a medical marijuana program.

The state has explored medical legalization since 2018, but it has never been successful. In 2021, 11 cannabis-related bills were introduced and only one passed, regarding drivers caught with cannabis in their bloodstream.

CBD regulations

CBD derived from hemp plants is legal in Indiana thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill. You can find CBD products at hemp stores across the state.

Can you grow your own weed?

No, you cannot grow your own cannabis plants in Indiana. Being caught doing so means you may face jail time and thousands of dollars in fines. Farmers who are licensed through the state can grow hemp.

Visiting Indiana – can you buy or bring marijuana products?

No, you cannot bring cannabis into or buy cannabis products in Indiana. Since Indiana is a prohibition state, the only place to buy THC products is on the black market (also called the legacy market.) Cannabis consumers have been using the black market to get the plant for decades, but exercise caution – these products are untested and unregulated. Purchase and consume at your own risk.

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