From 99 to 16: Colorado Lowers Marijuana Growing Limits

Currently, medical marijuana patients in Colorado are allowed to grow up to 99 plants. But with the recent decision of the Colorado House, local marijuana cultivation laws will become way stricter.

The House Bill 1220 is a bipartisan initiative meant to close the gap that exist in Colorado's current medical marijuana law. Although most cities across Colorado impose local limits for at-home cannabis cultivation, there is still a lot of areas where people have an opportunity to almost uncontrollably grow large amounts of legal marijuana and sell it illegally on the black market. The Colorado House supported the initiative with a 55-10 vote.

The bill reduces the number of cannabis plants that can be grown in residential areas from 99 to 16 plants per residence. As for the caregivers, the bill allows them to grow a maximum of 16 cannabis plants at home but more plants may be grown within areas where large-scale, commercial grows are allowed.

It is noteworthy that the original version of the bill contained even stricter limits: only up to 12 marijuana plants per residence. The number was chosen for a reason: many cities in Colorado, including Denver, have a 12-plant limit on at-home marijuana cultivation. But the lawmakers softened the original bill and increased the limit to 16 plants.

If approved, the House Bill 1220 will bring Colorado medical weed regulations closer to other states' medical marijuana laws. But first, the bill needs to get an approval from Senate and the governor's signature.