The United States has no shortage of weird laws on all sorts of topics, including weed. Even though a handful of states have legalized recreational marijuana and even more have approved it for medicinal use, lawmakers do everything they can to stand in the way of weed consumption and purchase.
These laws are good for a laugh, but when you look closer, they only harm businesses and prevent consumers from getting pain relief and seeing all the other benefits that come with cannabis use.
This post discusses some of our favorite weird weed laws in the United States and internationally. Believe it or not, the United States isn’t the only country with strange laws around marijuana.
If this list makes you want to smoke, Nexus Delivers is here for you. We know all the weed rules in place in the State of California, and we can bring your favorite cannabis products straight to your door so you can maintain your buzz or relax for the first time all day.
No Weed Merch in Mass
Who doesn’t love a good piece of merch? Whether it’s a T-shirt from the Eras tour or a stress ball from your local chiropractor, everyone loves a branded novelty item. Well, that won’t fly in Massachusetts.
Dispensaries can’t sell any branded merch or give away promotional items. It’s unfortunate for consumers who want to represent their favorite place to buy weed and for dispensaries who miss out on extra revenue and the opportunity to build brand awareness.
Font Restrictions in Oregon
Oregon has one of the more peculiar weed legalities we’ve come across. Graphic designers can’t flex their creative muscles too much because they’re restricted when it comes to font choices. They can use only 80-point size, and they have to use either Arial or Times New Roman. Sounds like someone was high when they came up with that rule.
Maine Adds a Meal Tax
Edibles are extremely popular all over the United States. They’re a great alternative for people who want to enjoy cannabis but don’t smoke. Maine makes it difficult to purchase edibles without a medical marijuana card, and they add a 7% meal tax to every edible purchase.
Getting the munchies in Maine will cost you extra even before you consume your edibles. It’s one of the strange cannabis restrictions that you just can’t get around if you live in Maine.
You Can Buy Weed in Arizona – If You’re Psychic
If you love weird marijuana legislation, you’re in for a treat. Arizona has plenty of dispensaries that offer quality marijuana products, but good luck figuring out where they are. If you want to enjoy weed recreationally and not solely for medical purposes, you’re going to have a hard time.
Arizona only shares names of licensed dispensaries with medical marijuana patients with official registration certificates. Anyone can buy weed in Arizona, but they won’t tell you where.
Extra Fees in Arizona
Arizona dispensaries have another weird ordinance they have to put up with. It’s not unusual for every business to owe an annual fee in order to retain their business license. If an Arizona dispensary changes its location or alters its business name, it has to pay an additional fee, and that doesn’t come cheap.
Connecticut Weed Is Bussin, But Not Lit
Connecticut is the next location in our overview of weird weed laws. Like Oregon, Connecticut has strange legislation for signage. No medical marijuana dispensary may use an illuminated sign to advertise weed products.
If you want to buy marijuana products in Connecticut, you’ll have to figure out how to do it without the aid of an illuminated sign guiding the way.
Outdated Advertising in Delaware
Surprisingly, Delaware allows dispensaries to advertise marijuana sales, but there’s one problem. They can only advertise in directories and phone books. Great for anyone over fifty, but most people haven’t looked at a phone book in years.
It seems that the angle lawmakers are going for is to limit sales by keeping the public in the dark about local dispensaries. It lets lawmakers off the hook because they allow advertising, just in a rarely-seen medium.
Nevada Is for Squares. When it Comes to Fonts, at Least
If you thought Nevada was the place to go for nonstop fun, you haven’t run into the people who assign weed regulations. The state legalized recreational marijuana in 2017, and today, it still has to adhere to an oddly specific font rule: no italics allowed.
The rule states that all weed products must have a label with font at least 8-point size, and it cannot be in italics. Additionally, the dispensary can only advertise its name and logo in sans-serif fonts. As everyone knows, serif fonts are the gateway to hard drug use, right?
What the H Do They Do in Michigan?
Talk about quirky weed laws; Michigan just spells marijuana any way they want. The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 replaced the existing J with the letter H, and they just went with it. Michigan Public Health Code still uses the alternate spelling.
With formal communication and on legal documents, “marihuana” is still considered the correct spelling. For informal communication, “marijuana” is acceptable. Some people try to avoid confusion completely by using the term “cannabis.”
The Michigan Legislature would have to step in and officially change the spelling, so most people just roll with the unusual spelling.
If You’re California Sober, Don’t Get Caught on a Boat
California famously legalized weed for medical use in 1996. Even though it is now legal for recreational consumption as well, California didn’t miss out on the chance to issue a strange law. It is illegal to transport weed by any means other than inside a vehicle or trailer, according to the requirements issued by the California Bureau of Cannabis Control.
Some of the types of transportation considered illegal are drones, railways, bicycles, and boats. If you’re planning to spend a day on the water, leave your weed at home, or you could face a large fine and other consequences.
Keep Your Nose to Yourself in Washington and California
Going to a dispensary is a whole experience. Many people enjoy choosing a new strain based on its unique smell, and budtenders have a wealth of knowledge to offer for each flower. Washington and California are against fun, and they forbid giving customers the option to smell the product before they buy it.
Washington and California both allow the sale of cannabis only in firmly sealed packaging. You’ll have to wait until you get home to find out whether you like the smell of the strain you chose.
Don’t Smoke and Do Auto Repair in Washington, D.C.
It sounds like Washington, D.C., just wanted to come up with an unusual weed law to stand out. The District of Columbia does now allow marijuana sales in any business that sells gasoline or offers auto repair.
Washington, D.C. enacted one of the more bizarre marijuana ordinances, but it might not even be necessary.
Just Give Weed Away
It’s legal to use recreational marijuana in Washington, D.C., but it’s not legal to buy or sell it. Huh?
Don’t worry, there’s a loophole. Businesses can give it to customers as a gift if they purchase a non-cannabis item first. You can go buy some digital art, and the kind salespeople will just give you weed for free (wink, wink).
Religious Freedom in Jamaica
The United States isn’t the only place with odd cannabis statutes. Jamaica decriminalized marijuana use, but locals and tourists alike may end up slapped with a fine if they’re caught smoking.
People who practice the Rastafari religion are exempt from this law. In Rastafarianism, cannabis is a sacred plant used in teas and meals to promote spiritual growth.
Weed Is Illegal in Switzerland – or Is It?
While Swiss citizens are generally in favor of legalizing marijuana, the government has yet to legalize it, mostly. The government legalized the sale of cannabis products containing up to 1% THC. Businesses quickly took hold of the new ruling, and you can now find this new strain of marijuana in tobacco stores throughout Switzerland.
The new ruling is popular because consumers enjoy lower stress levels and better sleep after consuming THC.
Festival Exemption in Nepal
In Nepal, the Hindu religion holds a similar reverence for cannabis. They believe it aids personal development and helps relax the mind during meditation. Even with these beliefs, Nepal has not chosen to legalize cannabis.
There is one exception when it comes to cannabis consumption in Nepal. During the Maha Shivaratri Festival, Hindus may legally consume hashish, which is a mixture of herbs, cannabis resin, and sometimes tobacco.
Looking Toward Future Legalization
There aren’t a ton of places where weed is totally legal for recreational and medicinal use. Uruguay set the tone for the rest of the world when it became the first country to completely legalize marijuana. Though not every country has made it legal, a few, like South Africa and Canada, have at least moved to decriminalize it.
Some countries are less progressive, and anyone caught possessing weed could end up in rehab and paying steep fines. All of these weird weed laws are just a reminder that though some states and countries have legalized marijuana, it is generally unacceptable to individual states and lawmakers.
Even with all these weird laws, it’s not illegal for you to order a mobile weed delivery in Sacramento. Nexus Delivers has everything you need for your favorite kind of high, including pre-rolls, edibles, and extracts, and we bring it right to you. Shop online, or reach out to us with questions by calling 916-709-4137.
Also Read: First Time Cannabis Users