State-by-State Retail Limits on Purchasing Medical and Recreational Cannabis

If you run a dispensary — or you’re a patient trying to figure out how much you can actually buy — the patchwork of purchase limits across American states will drive you a little crazy. Every state does it differently. Some cap by weight, some by THC milligrams, some by rolling time periods, and a few use equivalency formulas that practically require a math degree. The whole thing shifts every legislative session, and 2025–2026 brought some significant changes: Ohio overhauled its framework under SB 56, Alabama finally licensed dispensaries after five years of delays, Virginia passed retail cannabis legislation, and the federal rescheduling process keeps grinding forward in the background.

This guide breaks down the actual purchase limits — medical and recreational — for every state. Bookmark it, because you’ll need to check back.

Understanding Purchase and Possession Limits

Two concepts that trip people up constantly: purchase limits and possession limits. They’re not the same thing, and in some states the gap between them creates genuinely confusing situations.

Purchase limits cap how much you can buy from a dispensary in a single transaction or over a defined period — a day, 14 days, 30 days, 90 days. They’re usually defined by flower weight, THC milligrams in concentrates or edibles, or some combination. Possession limits dictate how much you can legally have on your person or in your home at any given moment.

Here’s where it gets interesting: these numbers don’t always match. In some states, medical patients can accumulate cannabis over time up to a possession limit that exceeds what they can buy in any single visit. In others, the purchase limit and possession limit are identical. Medical patients almost always get higher limits than recreational consumers — that’s by design, recognizing cannabis as a treatment rather than a casual purchase.

The product type matters too. An ounce of flower, a gram of concentrate, and a 100mg edible aren’t interchangeable under the law — each carries its own limit and its own equivalency ratio. Some states (Montana, New Mexico, Missouri) publish explicit conversion formulas. Others leave it vague enough that your budtender’s POS system is doing the real compliance work.

The timeframe dimension adds another layer. California tracks daily. Mississippi uses a rolling 7-day window. Massachusetts runs a 60-day rolling period. Iowa gives you 90 days. Miss the reset and you’re stuck waiting — or worse, you’re in violation.

Bottom line: if you’re a consumer, know your state’s rules before you walk into a dispensary. If you’re an operator, your compliance infrastructure needs to handle all of this automatically. Manual tracking at volume doesn’t work.

State-by-State Retail Limits for Medical and Recreational Use

What follows covers every state — current as of early 2026. Where significant legislative changes happened in 2025–2026, we’ve flagged them.

Alabama (AL)

• Medical: Alabama’s program is finally operational — barely. After five years of litigation and false starts since lawmakers legalized medical cannabis in 2021, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission licensed dispensaries in December 2025, with the first storefronts expected to open in spring 2026. Up to 12 dispensary locations are approved statewide. Purchase limits are set at a 70-day supply as recommended by the patient’s physician. Smokable flower, vapes, and food-form edibles (cookies, candy) are prohibited — only tablets, capsules, gummies, tinctures, patches, suppositories, and nebulizer-ready formulations are allowed.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Alaska (AK)

• Medical: Up to 1 ounce of flower or 7 grams of concentrate per day. Total THC across all products capped at 5,600 milligrams daily.
• Recreational: Same limits apply — 1 ounce flower, 7 grams concentrate, 5,600mg total THC in a single day.

Arizona (AZ)

• Medical: Up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis every two weeks.
• Recreational: 1 ounce (28 grams) of marijuana or cannabis-infused products, with concentrates capped at 5 grams.

Arkansas (AR)

• Medical: 2.5 ounces within a 14-day period.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

California (CA)

• Medical: A licensed retailer can sell up to 8 ounces of dried flower (or plant conversion equivalent) and 12 immature plants to a single patient or their caregiver per day.
• Recreational: 28.5 grams of non-concentrated cannabis, 8 grams of concentrates (including those in cannabis products), and 6 immature plants per day.

Colorado (CO)

• Medical: Up to 8 grams of concentrate for patients 21+. Patients aged 18–20 are limited to 2 grams of concentrate.
• Recreational: 1 ounce of flower, 8 grams of concentrates, 800mg of edible THC products, and 6+ seeds daily. Topicals are exempt. Ages 18–21 limited to 2 grams of concentrates.

Connecticut (CT)

• Medical: Up to a one-month supply (5 ounces) within a 30-day period, unless a physician specifies otherwise. Can be dispensed at any time and in any quantity within the period, as long as it doesn’t exceed the cap.
• Recreational: 0.5 ounce of cannabis or equivalent per transaction.

Delaware (DE)

• Medical: Up to 3 ounces every 14 days.
• Recreational: 1 ounce (28 grams) for adults 21+, with no more than 5 grams being concentrated cannabis.

Florida (FL)

• Medical: Up to a 70-day supply of marijuana products (or a 35-day supply of 2.5 ounces for smoking) based on physician recommendation. Physicians may prescribe up to three 70-day supply limits or six 35-day smoking supplies, with exceptions possible.
• Recreational: Not permitted. Florida voters rejected Amendment 3 in November 2024, falling short of the 60% supermajority needed.

Georgia (GA)

• Medical: Up to 20 fluid ounces of low-THC (0.3%), high-CBD oil. CBD content must equal or exceed THC content.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Hawaii (HI)

• Medical: Up to 4 ounces of marijuana or manufactured equivalent within a 15-day period.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Idaho (ID)

• Medical: No medical cannabis program exists — not even low-THC CBD oil. Legalization efforts continue through petition drives.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Illinois (IL)

• Medical: Up to 2.5 ounces every 14 days. Patients can apply for a medical necessity exemption to increase this to 5 ounces per two-week period.
• Recreational: State residents can purchase 30 grams of dried cannabis, 500mg THC in infused products, or 5 grams of concentrates. Non-residents get half: 15 grams, 250mg THC, or 2.5 grams of concentrates.

Indiana (IN)

• Medical: Only low-THC (0.03%) CBD oil — no specified purchase limits under Act 52.
• Recreational: Same — low-THC CBD oil without specified limits.

Iowa (IA)

• Medical: Up to 4.5 grams of THC within a rolling 90-day period. Physician exemptions possible. Smokable cannabis is prohibited.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Kansas (KS)

• Medical: Low-THC (5%), high-CBD oil without specified purchase limits.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Kentucky (KY)

• Medical: Kentucky signed a medical cannabis law in 2023 with dispensary sales expected to begin January 1, 2025. Patients may obtain cannabis in approved forms including flower (for vaporization), edibles, oils, and topicals. Specific purchase limits are determined by the physician’s recommendation. Home cultivation is prohibited.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Louisiana (LA)

• Medical: Up to 2.5 ounces (71 grams) of raw flower per 14-day period. Other product forms as recommended by physician. In 2024, Act 439 extended protections to out-of-state patients. The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) now oversees the program — regulatory authority transferred from the Board of Pharmacy as of January 2025.
• Recreational: Not permitted. HB 373, filed in February 2026, proposes an adult-use pilot program starting January 2027, but it’s still in committee.

Maine (ME)

• Medical (Residents): Up to 2.5 ounces of flower or flower/concentrate combination per day. Plus up to 12 immature plants or seedlings per day.
• Medical (Non-Residents): Same 2.5-ounce limit but within a 15-day period. No immature plants allowed.
• Recreational: Up to 2.5 ounces of flower or flower/concentrate combination per day. Up to 12 immature plants per transaction. No seed limits.

Maryland (MD)

• Medical: A combined 30-day limit: 120 grams of dried flower or 36 grams of THC in processed products. These are combined — if you’ve used 50% of your flower limit and 15% of your THC limit, you’ve used 65% of your total allocation.
• Recreational: Adults 21+ may purchase up to 1.5 ounces of flower, 12 grams of concentrated cannabis, or products totaling no more than 750mg THC.

Massachusetts (MA)

• Medical: Up to 10 ounces within a 60-day rolling period (or as specified by physician). Temporary 14-day registration allows 2.5 ounces within that period.
• Recreational: Up to 1 ounce of flower or equivalent per day. Equivalencies: 5 grams active THC in concentrates or 500mg THC in edibles. Topicals exempt from daily limits.

Michigan (MI)

• Medical: Up to 10 ounces per month, purchased either directly or through a registered caregiver.
• Recreational: Up to 2.5 ounces of flower or a combination including up to 15 grams of concentrates per day. No more than 3 immature plants per transaction.

Minnesota (MN)

• Medical: Up to a 30-day supply (as determined by the dispensing pharmacist) within a 23-day period.
• Recreational: Adults 21+ can purchase 2 ounces of flower, 8 grams of THC concentrate, and 800mg of edible THC products, including lower-potency edibles. Retail sales are operational.

Mississippi (MS)

• Medical: Uses the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Equivalency Unit (MMCEU) system — 1 MMCEU equals 3.5g flower, 1g concentrate, or 100mg THC in an infused product. Residents: up to 6 MMCEU per rolling 7-day period and 24 MMCEU per rolling 30-day period. Non-residents: up to 12 MMCEU per rolling 15-day period.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Missouri (MO)

• Medical: Up to 6 ounces of dried flower (or equivalent) per 30 days. Conversion: 3.5g flower = 1g concentrate = 100mg infused product.
• Recreational: Up to 3 ounces per transaction, and lawful possession of up to 3 ounces at any time.

Montana (MT)

• Medical: Up to 1 ounce per day and 5 ounces per month of flower. Conversions: 1 oz flower = 800mg THC in edibles = 8g or 8mL THC in concentrates. Combination purchases calculated by conversion.
• Recreational: Regulated by THC concentration rather than weight. Edibles: 10mg THC/serving, 100mg/package. Flower: max 35% THC. Topicals: max 6% THC, 800mg/package. Capsules, patches, suppositories: up to 800mg THC/package.

Nebraska (NE)

• Medical: Nebraska voters approved medical cannabis via ballot initiative in November 2024. The program is in development, with dispensary openings expected in 2026. Specific purchase limits will be established through rulemaking.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Nevada (NV)

• Medical: Up to 1 ounce per transaction.
• Recreational: 1 ounce (28.35g) of usable cannabis, or 1/8 ounce of concentrated cannabis or products containing no more than 3,543mg THC, or a combination within legal limits.

New Hampshire (NH)

• Medical: Up to 2 ounces of usable cannabis per 10-day period.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

New Jersey (NJ)

• Medical: 3 ounces per 30-day period. No limits for terminal illness patients.
• Recreational: 28.35g (1 oz) dried flower, or 4g solid concentrates, or equivalent 4g liquid/vape, or 1,000mg ingestible products. Combinations allowed (e.g., half ounce flower + 2g concentrate).

New Mexico (NM)

• Medical: Up to 15 ounces (425 units) and 50mg THC per serving, no serving limit, within any 90-day period. If the 15-ounce limit is reached, patients can purchase adult-use products at adult-use limits — but pay taxes on those.
• Recreational: Per transaction/possession: 2 ounces cannabis, 16 grams concentrate, 800mg edibles, or 6 immature plants. No daily, weekly, or monthly transaction limits.

New York (NY)

• Medical: Up to a 30-day supply as prescribed, with no more than a 7-day supply of previously dispensed product in possession at any time.
• Recreational: Up to 3 ounces (85g) of flower and 24 grams of concentrated cannabis per day. Dispensary staff may refuse sales if they believe the customer is exceeding possession limits, if there’s diversion risk, or if the buyer is under 21.

North Carolina (NC)

• Medical: Low-THC (0.9%), high-CBD oil (min. 5% CBD) only, as prescribed by a neurologist.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

North Dakota (ND)

• Medical: Up to 2.5 ounces dried flower per 30 days. Cancer patients can be authorized for up to 6 ounces. Up to 6,000mg total THC for other products. Patients can check their “limit meter” in the registration system.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Ohio (OH)

• Medical: Ohio overhauled its framework under Senate Bill 56, effective March 20, 2026. The old tier-based, “whole day unit” system is gone. Patients can now purchase by actual weight and THC milligrams. Medical patients retain access to higher-potency products (up to 90% THC concentrates under certain conditions) and 50mg-per-serving edibles. Home delivery is authorized for medical patients once rules are finalized. The 10% recreational tax doesn’t apply to medical purchases.
• Recreational: Under SB 56 (March 2026): up to 2.5 ounces of flower and 15 grams of extract per day. THC potency capped at 35% for flower and 70% for concentrates (down from 90%). Edibles limited to 10mg THC per serving, no fruit/animal/cartoon shapes. Cannabis must be transported in original, unopened packaging in the trunk. Bringing products in from out of state is now explicitly illegal. Employers can still enforce zero-tolerance drug policies.

Oklahoma (OK)

• Medical: Up to 3 ounces of marijuana, 1 ounce of concentrate, 72 ounces of edibles, and cultivation of up to 6 mature plants plus 6 seedlings. Under-18 patients limited to 1 ounce of concentrate.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Oregon (OR)

• Medical: Per day: up to 24 ounces usable marijuana, 16 ounces solid medical cannabinoid product, 72 ounces liquid product, 16 ounces concentrate, 5 grams cannabinoid extract, 4 immature plants, and 50 seeds.
• Recreational: Per day: 2 ounces usable marijuana, 16 ounces solid cannabinoid product, 72 fluid ounces liquid product, 10 grams extracts/concentrates, 10 grams inhalation products, 4 immature plants, and 10 seeds.

Pennsylvania (PA)

• Medical: Up to a 30-day supply as determined by the physician. Cannot possess more than a 7-day supply already dispensed. Physician certification may restrict product types.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Rhode Island (RI)

• Medical: Up to 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana per 15-day period.
• Recreational: Up to 1 ounce cannabis, 7.7 grams concentrate, 83 single servings of 10mg THC (edibles), or a combination not exceeding 1 ounce equivalent.

South Carolina (SC)

• Medical: Only low-THC (0.9%), high-CBD (98%) oil as determined by a physician.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

South Dakota (SD)

• Medical: Rolling 14-day limit: up to 3 ounces of flower. As purchases age past 14 days, that amount is added back to the available balance. Clean system, easy to track.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Tennessee (TN)

• Medical: Cannabis sativa above 0.3% THC remains illegal. Hemp (below 0.3% THC) is permitted for cultivation and sale.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Texas (TX)

• Medical: Low-THC (1% THC as of 2023 expansion), high-CBD oil per physician recommendation. The Compassionate Use Program remains limited to specific conditions.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Utah (UT)

• Medical: Per 30-day period: up to 113 grams of unprocessed flower and/or 20 grams total composite THC in other dosage forms. Cannot exceed 30 days of treatment per dosing guidelines.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Vermont (VT)

• Medical: Up to 2 ounces of usable cannabis, 2 mature plants, and 7 immature plants. Non-edible, non-psychoactive topical products (ointments, lotions, balms) are exempt from the 2-ounce quantity limit. Purchase Limit Equivalency guidance published by the Cannabis Control Board.
• Recreational: 1 ounce of cannabis or equivalent per transaction for adults 21+.

Virginia (VA)

• Medical: Up to 4 ounces of botanical cannabis per 30 days. For cannabis products: a 90-day supply at up to 10mg THC per dose. Products may be in any formulation — inhalable, edible, topical.
• Recreational: Virginia’s General Assembly passed HB 642 in March 2026, creating a regulated retail framework with sales starting January 1, 2027. Possession limit increases to 2.5 ounces. Purchase limit: up to 2.5 ounces per transaction. The state caps retail licenses at 350, with a 6% state cannabis tax plus 1–3.5% local option. Existing medical operators must pay $10 million for retail access. Governor Spanberger is expected to sign. Until retail launches, no legal purchase point exists for recreational consumers — possession has been legal since 2021, but sales have not.

Washington (WA)

• Medical: Up to 3 ounces usable marijuana, 48 ounces solid cannabis-infused products, 216 ounces liquid cannabis-infused products, or 21 grams concentrates.
• Recreational: Up to 1 ounce flower, 16 ounces solid edibles, 72 ounces liquid edibles, and 7 grams concentrates per day.

Washington, DC (District of Columbia)

• Medical: Up to 4 ounces per 30-day period.
• Recreational: Transfer of up to 1 ounce to another adult without payment is permitted. Recreational sales are not legal — DC’s unique federal jurisdiction creates a permanently awkward “gifting” workaround market.

West Virginia (WV)

• Medical: Up to a 30-day supply; dispensary cannot dispense more until the patient has exhausted all but a 7-day supply. In March 2026, the House of Delegates passed HB 5260 to allow edibles (lozenges and gelatin forms, geometric shapes only, 10mg THC/serving) — the bill is pending in the Senate. Over 110 dispensaries are now operating statewide.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Wisconsin (WI)

• Medical: Physician-recommended CBD oil only — no broader medical cannabis program.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Wyoming (WY)

• Medical: Only neurologist-prescribed oil with minimum 5% CBD and no more than 0.3% THC.
• Recreational: Not permitted.

Challenges and Considerations

The variation across these 50 states (plus DC) creates real operational complexity for multi-state operators and genuine confusion for patients who travel. A purchase that’s perfectly legal in Colorado can get you arrested in West Virginia. A medical card from New Jersey means nothing in Louisiana — though Louisiana recently started serving out-of-state patients.

For dispensary operators, the compliance burden is significant. Your POS system needs to track rolling purchase windows, enforce daily or periodic caps, manage equivalency conversions between product types, and flag potential overages before the sale completes — not after. The states that use rolling-period calculations (South Dakota’s 14-day system, Massachusetts’ 60-day window, Iowa’s 90-day period) are particularly demanding on backend infrastructure.

The federal landscape adds another variable. President Trump’s December 2025 executive order directing marijuana rescheduling from Schedule I to Schedule III is still working through DEA rulemaking as of April 2026. If finalized, it won’t change state purchase limits — those are entirely state-governed — but it would shift the tax and banking environment substantially for operators in every legal state.

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and should not be treated as legal advice. Cannabis laws change frequently — sometimes mid-session. Always verify current regulations through official state resources and consult a qualified attorney.