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While stuck at home, you may find you want to turn to marijuana usage to alleviate your boredom. However, it is important to make sure your boredom doesn’t lead to trouble with the law.

For medical marijuana users who are quarantined or practicing social distancing in Colorado,  House Bill 1234 passed just in the nick of time. House Bill 1234 is the bill that allows home delivery of marijuana. However, it is important to note that home delivery is currently only available from licensed medical marijuana providers to patients who have red cards.

That means if you are trying to practice social distancing and remain in your home during the coronavirus crisis — as you should — access to recreational marijuana will be more difficult.

While dispensaries are permitted to remain open with certain restrictions during the shutdown, they are still unable to deliver it to your home for recreational use. It is also important to note that under the new law, different cities can decide whether or not they want to allow delivery within their borders.

What can you do to avoid breaking the law?

How to Legally Obtain Marijuana in Colorado

If you absolutely must leave your home, the safest way is to make your order in advance online. Many dispensaries are able to leave your purchases curbside, limiting the interaction you have with employees.

To avoid legal trouble and stiff penalties, it is important that both you and the seller are following Colorado law during the interaction. To stay on the right side of the law when buying weed, here are some key points to remember:

• Keep it one ounce or less. While you can and should stock up on groceries and toilet paper, you cannot purchase weed in bulk. You are only allowed to buy and possess up to one ounce of marijuana at a time. If you are caught with more, you may face a fine and other penalties.
• Be careful who you share your marijuana with. Colorado law also prohibits people under 21 from using marijuana. Never give, sell, or share marijuana with anyone who is under 21. Doing so is a felony — which means you’ll be facing incarceration if you are caught.
• Stay in your home. During the coronavirus stay-at-home order, you should make every effort to stay at home whenever possible. But you’ll definitely want to stay in your home when smoking marijuana — smoking in public is illegal in Colorado. Under state law, you may face community service and fines if you are found smoking in public.
• Don’t buy from unauthorized vendors. That includes anyone who grows marijuana in their home. Under Colorado law, you can give another adult up to one ounce of marijuana, but you may not sell it. If you are found purchasing from friends or unauthorized dealers, you both could be hit with fines and other penalties.

Will Recreational Delivery Ever Come?

Delivery of recreational marijuana from retailers and third-party services won’t be available until January 2021. Advocates of the marijuana industry are pushing to have the rollout of recreational delivery rescheduled for a sooner date in light of the current crisis.

According to industry advocates, home delivery would promote safety practices and encourage more Colorado residents to comply with the stay-at-home order. Right now, however, that isn’t legally possible.

About the Author:

Andrew Bryant is a well-respected Colorado Springs criminal attorney who has been practicing in the area for years. A Colorado native, he returned to the home he loves after graduating from the University of Kentucky College of Law. Now, he uses the knowledge he gained as an El Paso County District Attorney to fight tirelessly for his clients’ rights. He is AV-Preeminent rated, has been recognized for his work by The National Trial Lawyers, and has been named to Best of the Springs lists by The Gazette for years.