California Purchasing & Limits Cannabis Compliance Guide
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Purchasing & Limits
Medical
No age limit. If the patient is under 18, the patient must have a designated caregiver. Patients under 18 are not allowed on-premises.
Adult Use
Consumers must be 21 years of age or older.
Purchase Limit Amounts
Medical
Patients are allowed 8 ounces of non-concentrated product and 12 immature plants per day. They are also allowed to purchase edibles with over 100 milligrams of THC per package, which adult-use consumers are prohibited from purchasing. The Bureau of Cannabis Control hasn’t clarified if patients have a concentrate limit or what it is.Adult Use
Consumers are allowed 28.5 grams (1 ounce) of non-concentrated product, 8 grams of concentrated product, and 6 immature plants per day.
Equivalency Calculation
California doesn’t use an equivalency calculation. Products contribute to the separate purchase limits according to the amount of cannabis or THC in the product.
Flower: grams of flower
Contributes to non-concentrated limit
Preroll: grams of flower
Contributes to non-concentrated limit
Infused preroll: milligrams of THC (from both flower and concentrate)
Contributes to concentrate limit
Cartridge: grams of extract
Contributes to concentrate limit
Extract: grams of extract
Contributes to concentrate limit
Kief: grams of kief
Contributes to non-concentrated limit
Edible: milligrams of THC
Contributes to concentrate limit
Beverage: milligrams of THC
Contributes to concentrate limit
Topical: milligrams of THC
Contributes to concentrate limit
Tincture: milligrams of THC
Contributes to concentrate limit
Pill: milligrams of THC
Contributes to concentrate limit
Caregivers
Caregivers have become increasingly uncommon since Adult-Use sales began.
Caregivers are allowed to purchase, receive, transport, or cultivate cannabis on behalf of the patient they are registered to provide care for. For the caregiver to receive any medical benefits (higher purchase limit, tax exemptions) on behalf of their patient, they must be registered as a caregiver and possess an identification card indicating their status. They must be at least 18 years old and responsible for the housing, health, or safety of the patient. Caregivers can only provide care for more than 1 patient if the patients live in the same city or county as the primary caregiver.
Medical Reciprocity
California does not recognize out-of-state patient status. If the patient is over 21, they can purchase, possess, and consume cannabis as an Adult Use consumer.
Taxes
California has 2 types of medical patients: Regular Medical and DPH (or ‘State’) Medical. Both types of patients must obtain a medical recommendation from a physician. If the patient then chooses to register their recommendation with their county’s Department of Public Health and is approved, they receive a Medical Marijuana Identification Card (MMIC) are exempt from sales taxes.
Medical - DPH
State excise tax: 15%
Applies to cannabis product
Non-arm's length (NAL): Calculated off Retail Price, Retail Price x 15% = NAL Excise Tax on Item
Local cannabis tax: varies
Can apply to cannabis product and/or merch items
Adult Use & Medical - Regular
Applies to cannabis product
Non-arm's length (NAL): Calculated off Retail Price, Retail Price x 15% = NAL Excise Tax on Item
State sales tax: 7.25%
Applies to cannabis product and merch items
Calculated off Gross Receipts, including excise tax on cannabis items
Local cannabis tax: varies
Can apply to cannabis product and/or merch items
Local sales tax: varies
Applies to cannabis product and merch items
State Tracking
California uses Metrc to track inventory and sales. All inventory activity must be entered into Metrc within 24 hours of occurrence.