Yes. Under Arizona marijuana laws, adults 21 and older can legally possess and buy up to 1 ounce of marijuana, of which no more than 5 grams may be concentrate, and can grow up to 6 plants at home. Smoking in public is a petty offense, sales happen only at state-licensed dispensaries, and adult-use purchases carry a 16% excise tax on top of sales tax. These rules are current as of October 2026.
Arizona voters legalized adult-use cannabis in 2020 with Proposition 207, the Smart and Safe Arizona Act, and the state also runs a separate medical program. This guide covers what the law says as of October 2026 for residents and visitors, with links to the statutes behind each rule. It is general information, not legal advice.
Arizona Cannabis Laws at a Glance
| Topic | The rule in Arizona | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Legal for adults 21+ (Proposition 207, 2020); separate medical program | A.R.S. 36-2852 |
| Legal age | 21+ for adult use; registered medical patients may be younger | A.R.S. 36-2852 |
| Possession limit | 1 oz, of which no more than 5 g may be concentrate | A.R.S. 36-2852 |
| Over the limit | More than 1 oz up to 2.5 oz (up to 12.5 g concentrate) is a petty offense | A.R.S. 36-2853 |
| Home grow | 6 plants per adult, 12 per residence with two or more adults, locked and out of public view | A.R.S. 36-2852 |
| Where to buy | Dispensaries licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services | ADHS |
| Public use | Smoking in a public place or open space is a petty offense | A.R.S. 36-2853 |
| Driving | Impairment “to the slightest degree” required for a THC metabolite DUI charge | A.R.S. 36-2852(B); A.R.S. 28-1381 |
| Taxes | 16% excise tax plus state (5.6%) and local transaction privilege tax; medical patients exempt from the excise tax | A.R.S. 42-5452 |
| Medical program | Registry card from ADHS; 2.5 oz per 14 days | A.R.S. 36-2801 |
| Regulator | Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) | azdhs.gov |
Is Marijuana Legal in Arizona?
Yes, for adults 21 and over. Voters approved Proposition 207 in 2020 with about 60% of the vote, adding adult-use protections to Title 36 of the Arizona Revised Statutes.
The older Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, at A.R.S. 36-2801 and following, still runs alongside adult use with its own limits and tax treatment.
Some things remain illegal for everyone: selling without a license, smoking in public, driving while impaired and carrying more than the legal amount. Cannabis also remains illegal under federal law for adult use, which matters on federal land and at airports. See our guide to federal marijuana law in 2026.
How Much Cannabis Can You Possess and Buy in Arizona
Under A.R.S. 36-2852, adults 21 and older may possess, use, transport and buy:
- Up to 1 ounce (28 grams) of marijuana in total
- No more than 5 grams of that ounce in concentrate form, such as vape cartridges, wax or rosin
- Up to 6 plants for personal home growing (see below)
- Paraphernalia for growing, processing and consuming
Adults may also give away up to 1 ounce (5 grams of concentrate) or up to 6 plants to another adult 21 or older, as long as no money changes hands and the gift is not advertised to the public.
Going modestly over the limit is not a crime. Under A.R.S. 36-2853(A), possessing more than 1 ounce but not more than 2.5 ounces, with no more than 12.5 grams of concentrate, is a petty offense. In Arizona a petty offense carries a fine of up to $300 under A.R.S. 13-802. Larger amounts are prosecuted under the state’s criminal drug laws.
People under 21 caught with 1 ounce or less face a civil penalty of up to $100 for a first violation, and the court may order up to four hours of drug education. A second violation is a petty offense.
Where You Can and Cannot Use Cannabis in Arizona
Under A.R.S. 36-2853(C), a person who smokes marijuana “in a public place or open space” commits a petty offense. Under A.R.S. 36-2851, employers may keep drug-free workplaces, and anyone who owns or controls property may ban cannabis there.
Not allowed
- Streets, sidewalks, parks, trails and other public spaces
- Restaurants, bars, hotels and other businesses that prohibit it
- While driving or riding in a vehicle on a public road
- Federal land, including Grand Canyon National Park, national forests and military bases, where cannabis is illegal under federal law
- Tribal land, where tribal and federal law apply
Allowed
- Private residences and private property, with the owner’s permission
- Rentals and hotels only where the property allows it
Buying Cannabis in Arizona: Dispensaries and ID
All legal sales happen at dispensaries licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services. Many hold dual licenses and serve both adult-use customers and medical patients.
- ID: Adult-use customers must show a valid government photo ID proving they are 21 or older. Out-of-state driver’s licenses and passports are accepted.
- Limit per visit: The 1 ounce possession limit, with no more than 5 grams of concentrate, effectively caps each adult-use purchase.
- Advertising rules: A 2025 law, HB 2179, restricts dispensary ads and product names that appeal to children, including cartoons and characters such as Santa Claus. Its provisions take effect after June 30, 2026, according to the bill text.
Tourists 21 and older can buy at any adult-use dispensary with valid ID. There is no residency requirement.
Medical Marijuana in Arizona
The medical program is run by ADHS. Patients need a written certification from a qualifying physician for a listed debilitating condition and then apply online for a registry identification card. A 2019 law, SB 1494, made cards valid for two years instead of one, according to reporting on the bill.
Registered patients get several advantages:
- Higher limit: 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana in any 14-day period, under the “allowable amount” defined in A.R.S. 36-2801.
- Lower taxes: no 16% excise tax on marijuana dispensed to registered patients under A.R.S. 42-5452; transaction privilege tax still applies.
- Age: ADHS has a pathway for qualifying patients under 18.
- Cultivation: a patient whose card authorizes cultivation may grow up to 12 plants in an enclosed, locked facility.
Arizona has a visiting-patient provision, but visiting patients may not buy from Arizona dispensaries as patients. Adults 21 and older from out of state can simply buy under the adult-use rules.
Growing Cannabis at Home in Arizona
Adults 21 and older may grow up to 6 plants at their primary residence. If two or more adults 21 or older live there, the household limit is 12 plants, under A.R.S. 36-2852. The plants must be:
- In an enclosed area with a lock or other security device that keeps minors out
- Not visible from public view without binoculars, aircraft or other optical aids
Breaking those conditions is a petty offense for a first violation and a class 3 misdemeanor for a second or later violation, under A.R.S. 36-2853(D). Property owners, including landlords, may ban growing on property they control under A.R.S. 36-2851.
Driving and Cannabis in Arizona
Arizona’s DUI statute, A.R.S. 28-1381(A)(3), makes it a crime to drive with any listed drug or its metabolite in the body. Prop 207 narrowed that for cannabis: under A.R.S. 36-2852(B), THC metabolites alone are not enough for that charge unless the driver is also “impaired to the slightest degree.” Driving while impaired by cannabis remains a DUI.
The same section says the odor of marijuana alone is not reasonable suspicion of a crime, except when police are investigating impaired driving. Keep cannabis sealed and out of reach while driving, and never consume in a vehicle.
Crossing State Lines, Airports and Federal Land
Taking cannabis across any state line or the Mexican border is illegal under federal law, even into California or Nevada, where adult use is legal. Federal officers, including at Border Patrol checkpoints, enforce federal law, not Arizona’s.
TSA screens for security, not drugs, but it refers cannabis found at screening to local police. Flying with cannabis, including within Arizona, carries federal risk. Grand Canyon National Park, national forests and military bases are federal land where possession is illegal.
Cannabis Taxes in Arizona
Adult-use purchases carry a 16% excise tax under A.R.S. 42-5452, plus the state’s 5.6% transaction privilege tax and any county and city taxes, according to the Arizona Department of Revenue. Registered medical patients pay only the transaction privilege taxes.
Expungement of Old Marijuana Records
Prop 207 lets people petition a court to expunge past arrests, charges and convictions for possessing, consuming or transporting up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana (no more than 12.5 grams of concentrate), up to 6 plants at a home, and related paraphernalia, under A.R.S. 36-2862. Petitions have been accepted since July 2021.
Hemp, Delta-8 and THC Products in Arizona
Arizona defines hemp more narrowly than federal law. In a March 2024 opinion, Attorney General Kris Mayes concluded that delta-8 and other hemp-derived intoxicating THC products may be sold only by ADHS-licensed marijuana establishments. In March 2025 her office told retailers that selling THC-infused drinks and edibles without an ADHS license is illegal. A hemp trade group’s request to block enforcement was denied in Maricopa County Superior Court in April 2025.
Federal law is also tightening. A November 2025 federal law redefines hemp using a total-THC standard and caps finished products at 0.4 mg total THC per container. The restrictions take effect on November 12, 2026, for cannabinoids the plant cannot naturally produce, such as THC-O, and on December 11, 2026, for everything else, including delta-8 made from CBD.
What Changed in Arizona Cannabis Law Recently
- Repeal effort dropped (2026): A proposed 2026 initiative to end adult-use sales was abandoned in May 2026, according to the Arizona Capitol Times. Adult use is not on the November 2026 ballot.
- Advertising limits (2026): HB 2179, signed in May 2025, restricts marketing that appeals to children, effective after June 30, 2026.
- Hemp THC enforcement (2025): The Attorney General moved against unlicensed sales of intoxicating hemp products.
- Federal rescheduling (2026): In April 2026 the Justice Department moved marijuana held under a state medical marijuana license to Schedule III. Adult-use cannabis remains in Schedule I while a broader rescheduling proceeding is stayed. Details are in our federal law guide.
From the editor, James Buddsey: Arizona’s law is one of the more forgiving ones on paper: going a little over the ounce is a petty offense, not a crime. The traps are geographic. Federal checkpoints, national parks and tribal land all follow different rules, and a legal purchase in Phoenix does not travel with you.
Arizona Marijuana Laws FAQ
Is weed legal in Arizona?
Yes. Since Proposition 207 passed in 2020, adults 21 and older can possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana, with no more than 5 grams of concentrate, and buy it from state-licensed dispensaries.
How much weed can you carry in Arizona?
Up to 1 ounce, with no more than 5 grams of concentrate. Possessing more than 1 ounce up to 2.5 ounces is a petty offense, a fine-only violation.
Can tourists buy weed in Arizona?
Yes. Any adult 21 or older with valid government photo ID, including an out-of-state license or passport, can buy at an adult-use dispensary.
Can you grow weed in Arizona?
Yes. Adults 21 and older may grow up to 6 plants at their primary residence, or 12 per household with two or more adults, in a locked area out of public view.
Can you smoke weed in public in Arizona?
No. Smoking marijuana in a public place or open space is a petty offense under A.R.S. 36-2853.
Is delta-8 legal in Arizona?
The Attorney General’s position is that delta-8 and other intoxicating hemp THC products may be sold only by ADHS-licensed dispensaries. Federal hemp restrictions that cover delta-8 made from CBD take effect December 11, 2026.
What are the weed taxes in Arizona?
A 16% excise tax plus the 5.6% state transaction privilege tax and local taxes on adult-use purchases. Medical patients are exempt from the excise tax.
Can you get a DUI for weed in Arizona?
Yes, if you are impaired. Since Prop 207, THC metabolites alone are not enough for the metabolite DUI charge unless the driver is also impaired to the slightest degree.
More State Cannabis Law Guides
Compare Arizona with every other state in our state cannabis law guides, and read our federal marijuana law guide for rescheduling and hemp updates. Neighboring states: California and Colorado.
Neighboring state guides: California · Nevada · Utah · New Mexico · Colorado · All state cannabis laws
General information about Arizona cannabis law as of October 2026, not legal advice.