Colorado Recreational Cannabis Laws FAQ

Updated April 18, 2024

Is marijuana legal in Colorado?

• Yes.

Is marijuana legal for recreational use in Colorado?

• Yes. As of January 1, 2014, it is legal for adults 21 and over to purchase, possess, and consume marijuana for recreational use in Colorado.

I am not a resident of Colorado. Can I buy marijuana?

• Yes. Anyone over the age of 21 can purchase, possess, and consume marijuana for recreational use in Colorado, including out of state and foreign tourists.

Do I need a medical card or special identification to buy marijuana?

• No. You only need to prove you are over the age of 21. You can do this with a driver’s license, state-ID, or passport.

Where can I buy marijuana in Colorado?

• There are recreational marijuana dispensaries (pot shops) throughout the state. These shops are different from medical marijuana dispensaries and have a different type of license to sell to recreational customers. While many pot shops are both medical and recreational, not all are. To help you find the recreational shops, we have a complete directory of recreational weed dispensaries in Colorado.

Can I get marijuana delivery in Colorado?

• Yes. The state of Colorado allows recreational marijuana delivery to both residents and non-residents, but only to counties and municipalities that have legalized delivery. Also, weed delivery can only be made to a residential address. So, Colorado dispensaries can’t deliver to hotels, but they can deliver to residential vacation rental properties. Some recreational marijuana dispensaries in Colorado currently offer licensed and legal delivery.

What kind of marijuana can I purchase in recreational pot shops?

• Every type of cannabis product can be purchased including: buds (flower), hash oil, edibles, cannabis-infused drinks.

How much marijuana can I buy in Colorado?

• You can purchase up to one ounce (28 grams) of marijuana flower, 8 grams of concentrate, or 800 milligrams of edible marijuana per transaction, per day. The law says that one ounce of flower is equal to 8 grams of concentrate or 80 ten milligram servings of THC in “retail marijuana product” (edibles). In other words, you could purchase half of an ounce of flower and 4 grams of concentrate in a transaction or a half ounce of flower and 40 ten milligram edibles in a transaction, etc.

How much marijuana can I possess?

• Any adult over the age of 21 can possess up to two ounces of marijuana (flower or concentrates), including out-of-state visitors.

Can I possess marijuana anywhere in the state?

• Almost anywhere. National parks, national monuments, and national forests are Federal lands and you cannot legally possess marijuana on Federal land.

Can I possess marijuana in a car?

• Yes. You can possess marijuana in a car, however, it must be sealed. It cannot be in an “open container”.

Can I smoke marijuana while driving?

• No. You cannot smoke while driving and you cannot drive stoned. Both are illegal.

Where can I smoke marijuana in Colorado?

• You can smoke marijuana on any private property where marijuana consumption is allowed and out of the public view.

Can I smoke marijuana in public?

• No, not legally. You must be on private property where marijuana consumption is allowed and not in the public view.

Can I smoke marijuana in my hotel?

• Yes, some hotels allow it. But, there are also hotels that don’t. Check with your hotel for their policy. Typically, you would need to get a smoking room or have an outside area where pot smoking is allowed. Check our Colorado recommended hotels directory for hotels with private balconies and smoking rooms. Of course, using a vaporizer or consuming edibles can be done in almost any hotel room.

Can I smoke my marijuana with someone under 21?

• No. It is illegal for people under 21 to buy, possess or use retail marijuana. It is a felony for anyone to give or sell to, or share marijuana with anyone under 21.

Can I take marijuana from Colorado out of state?

• No. You cannot take marijuana from Colorado outside of Colorado. You cannot cross the border with it and you cannot fly with it. Finish it before you leave.

This is just a general guide and is NOT intended as legal advice. For more information on Colorado laws, visit the state’s official website: https://cannabis.colorado.gov/legal-marijuana-use/laws-about-marijuana-use .