New York Marijuana Law Details Many states have a lenient attitude towards the possession of a
small amount of marijuana for personal use. That amount is usually less
than an ounce or 28 grams. New York is one such state that treats that
amount of marijuana possession like a minor traffic accident. However,
the more pot you possess and what your intent is with that pot will
determine your fate if you are arrested in New York.
Although New York is considered a blue state with many liberal policies
and elected officials, they do not have any medical marijuana law
exceptions. There is an ongoing debate in the state legislature about
the issue of medical marijuana, but so far that debate has not
progressed to the polls.
New York Marijuana Penalties for Possession In New York, possession of less than an ounce of marijuana is
deemed a civil infraction. For a first or second offense you'll merely
be slapped with a fine of one hundred dollars. For a third offense of
possession in this amount, you will be charged with a misdemeanor and
could face up to five days in jail with a $250 fine.
Possession of an amount of marijuana from two to eight ounces is
considered a Class A misdemeanor and can include one year in jail along
with a $1,000 fine.
For an amount that is eight to sixteen ounces, you are looking at a
Class E Felony. If convicted of that charge you could serve one to four
years in jail and pay a $5,000 fine for a first offense. With a second
offense in this category, the jail time increases to a minimum of three
to four years in jail.
Being caught with sixteen ounces up to ten pounds of marijuana is a
Class D Felony that comes with a possible one to fifteen year prison
term and $5,000 fine for a first offense. With a second offense you are
be facing some mandatory jail time.
More than ten pounds of pot could land you in jail for up to fifteen
years and you will be charged with a Class C Felony.
New York Marijuana Penalties for Growing or Selling If you are caught growing or selling 24 grams of pot you will be
charged with a Class A misdemeanor and could find yourself in jail for
one year in jail with a $1,000 fine.
Being arrested for twenty-five grams up to four ounces as a sale will
get you slapped with a Class E Felony that comes with a possible one to
four jail sentence and a $5,000 fine. A second Class E Felony could
mean a three to four year jail term with the same fine.
A person who is caught selling or growing four ounces to sixteen ounces
will be charged with a Class D Felony and face a one to seven year term
in prison with a $5,000 fine. As the amount of pot increases, so does
the jail time and fines with a maximum penalty of fifteen years in jail
for selling an amount of ten pounds or more of pot.
If you are arrested for selling any amount of pot to a minor, you are
looking at a Class D Felony charge with up to seven years behind bars.