36-2852. Allowable possession and personal use of marijuana, marijuana products and marijuana paraphernalia
(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)
A. Except as specifically and expressly provided in sections 36-2851 and 36-2853 and notwithstanding any other law, the following acts by an individual who is at least twenty-one years of age are lawful, are not an offense under the laws of this state or any locality, may not constitute the basis for detention, search or arrest, and cannot serve as the sole basis for seizure or forfeiture of assets, for imposing penalties of any kind under the laws of this state or any locality or for abrogating or limiting any right or privilege conferred or protected by the laws of this state or any locality:
1. Possessing, consuming, purchasing, processing, manufacturing by manual or mechanical means, including sieving or ice water separation but excluding chemical extraction or chemical synthesis, or transporting one ounce or less of marijuana, except that not more than five grams of marijuana may be in the form of marijuana concentrate.
2. Possessing, transporting, cultivating or processing not more than six marijuana plants for personal use at the individual's primary residence, and possessing, processing and manufacturing by manual or mechanical means, including sieving or ice water separation but excluding chemical extraction or chemical synthesis, the marijuana produced by the plants on the premises where the marijuana plants were grown if all of the following apply:
(a) Not more than twelve plants are produced at a single residence where two or more individuals who are at least twenty-one years of age reside at one time.
(b) Cultivation takes place within a closet, room, greenhouse or other enclosed area on the grounds of the residence equipped with a lock or other security device that prevents access by minors.
(c) Cultivation takes place in an area where the marijuana plants are not visible from public view without using binoculars, aircraft or other optical aids.
3. Transferring one ounce or less of marijuana, of which not more than five grams may be in the form of marijuana concentrate, to an individual who is at least twenty-one years of age if the transfer is without remuneration and is not advertised or promoted to the public.
4. Transferring up to six marijuana plants to an individual who is at least twenty-one years of age if the transfer is without remuneration and is not advertised or promoted to the public.
5. Acquiring, possessing, manufacturing, using, purchasing, selling or transporting paraphernalia relating to the cultivation, manufacture, processing or consumption of marijuana or marijuana products.
6. Assisting another individual who is at least twenty-one years of age in any of the acts described in this subsection.
B. Notwithstanding any other law, a person with metabolites or components of marijuana in the person's body is guilty of violating section 28-1381, subsection A, paragraph 3 only if the person is also impaired to the slightest degree.
C. Notwithstanding any other law, the odor of marijuana or burnt marijuana does not by itself constitute reasonable articulable suspicion of a crime. This subsection does not apply when a law enforcement officer is investigating whether a person has violated section 28-1381.
Notes of Decisions
Pattie Walcott v. Merrick Garland, 21 F.4th 590 (9th Cir. 2021).
“9 Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 36-2852 (A)(1). In doing so, Arizona joined fifteen other states and the District of Columbia in legalizing the recreational use of marijuana.”
Kirsten v. adot/mvd (Ariz. Ct. App. 2024).
· cites it 26× “The court found that A.R.S. § 36-2852, which outlines allowable possession and use of marijuana and prohibits penalties for the mere fact of its legal use, did not conflict with A.”
State v. Boisvert (Ariz. Ct. App. 2024).
· cites it 15× “DISCUSSION ¶6 The State first argues the superior court erred when it did not determine the intent of the electorate in implementing A.R.S. § 36-2852 or consider the initiative in the context of the electorate’s overall intent to regulate driving under the influence of marijuana…”
State v. Bouhdida, 560 P.3d 368 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2024).
· cites it 7× “A.R.S. §§ 36-2852, -2862(A). In this consolidated appeal,1 Trent Xavier Bouhdida, Sr.”
State v. Wade (Ariz. Ct. App. 2025).
· cites it 4× “¶5 In November 2020, Arizona voters passed Proposition 207, which decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana, A.R.S. § 36-2852, and provided an avenue for expungement of previous convictions for possession of marijuana, A.”
State v. Williams, 524 P.3d 1172 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2023).
· cites it 2× “A.R.S. § 36-2852. The Act also authorizes expungement of convictions for, among other things, conduct “occurring before the effective date of” the Act for “[p]ossessing, consuming or transporting two and one-half ounces or less of marijuana.”
State v. Williams (Ariz. Ct. App. 2023).
· cites it 2× “A.R.S. § 36-2852. The Act also authorizes expungement of convictions for, among other things, conduct “occurring before the effective date of” the Act for “[p]ossessing, consuming or transporting two and one-half ounces or less of marijuana.”
State of Arizona v. Maria Chavez Cisneros, 534 P.3d 932 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2023).
· cites it 2× “¶13 Further, as amended after the approval of Proposition 207, § 13-3415(B) proscribes the possession of drug paraphernalia, “[e]xcept as provided in § 36-2852 and § 36-2853, subsection C,” and designates the offense as a class six felony.”
Next Step Advisors LLC v. True Harvest LLC LLC (D. Ariz. 2022).
· cites it 2× “22 Defendant Greenrose, through Defendant TH Holdings, manufactures and processes 23 cannabis,1 which is legal under Arizona law but illegal under the federal Controlled 24 Substances Act (“CSA”).”
Peppers v. Mascher (D. Ariz. 2024).
· cites it 2× “§ 13-3405(A)(4), which criminalizes an individual’s import or transport for sale 26 of marijuana into Arizona, except for personal use as provided in A.R.S. § 36-2852. 27 Plaintiffs argue that the Yavapai County Defendants lacked probable cause to arrest them 28 because they had…”
State of Arizona v. Bennett Laquan Williams, 553 P.3d 161 (Ariz. 2024).
· cites it 2× “However, after the Act, use or possession of marijuana became legal within certain limits, A.R.S. § 36-2852, and prior convictions arising from such use or possession must be vacated and expunged on request and cannot be used as prior convictions, § 36-2862(C)(1)–(2), (E).”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 36-2852(A) — 1 case
Kirsten v. adot/mvd (Ariz. Ct. App. 2024).
“The court found that A.R.S. § 36-2852, which outlines allowable possession and use of marijuana and prohibits penalties for the mere fact of its legal use, did not conflict with A.”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 36-2852(A)(1) — 1 case
Kirsten v. adot/mvd (Ariz. Ct. App. 2024).
“The court found that A.R.S. § 36-2852, which outlines allowable possession and use of marijuana and prohibits penalties for the mere fact of its legal use, did not conflict with A.”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 36-2852(B) — 3 cases
State v. Boisvert (Ariz. Ct. App. 2024).
“DISCUSSION ¶6 The State first argues the superior court erred when it did not determine the intent of the electorate in implementing A.R.S. § 36-2852 or consider the initiative in the context of the electorate’s overall intent to regulate driving under the influence of marijuana…”
Kirsten v. adot/mvd (Ariz. Ct. App. 2024).
“The court found that A.R.S. § 36-2852, which outlines allowable possession and use of marijuana and prohibits penalties for the mere fact of its legal use, did not conflict with A.”
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