In the U.S., 11 states have legalized adult recreational marijuana use. Many of these laws allow both residents and non-residents alike to possess and consume the substance.
For instance, in Illinois, a person 21 years of age and over who is not a resident of the state can have:
- 15 grams of the cannabis flower;
- 2.5 grams of cannabis concentrate; and
- 250 milligrams of a THC-infused product
With such laws in place, many people living in areas where marijuana is legal have jumped on a new business opportunity called “weed tourism,” and those living in other states have participated in the tours.
What exactly constitutes weed tourism depends on what state you go to. Some involve bus tours, dispensary hopping, glass blowing classes, painting, and museum visits.
Can You Smoke Weed During a Tour?
Whether or not you can consume marijuana while on a tour depends on the state you’re in. For instance, in California, Colorado, and Oregon, you can smoke what you purchased at a dispensary on the bus. However, in places like Washington and Nevada, you wouldn’t be able to. Regulations in those states allow tours for educational purposes only.
Additionally, once your tour ends, you’re limited on where you can consume marijuana. Again, this depends on the state you’re in. But let’s look again at Illinois, where adult recreational use will become legal in January of 2020.
Under the Illinois law, it will be illegal to consume marijuana:
- On school grounds or in a school bus
- In a correctional facility
- In a private vehicle
- In a private residence that provides child care
- Anywhere smoking is prohibited
- In any public area
- Near anyone under 21 years of age
What About When You Get Back to Wisconsin? What’s Legal and What’s Not?
Although weed is legal in other states and you may be able to purchase it and consume it there, when you return to Wisconsin, you are bound by the laws here. It is still illegal to possess the substance in this state. Even if you bought it legally elsewhere, if you are caught with it here, you could be charged.
But say you consumed it in a state where it’s legal and your friend – who didn’t smoke any – drove you back to Wisconsin. Can you be charged with an offense for being high here? Technically, it is not illegal to be under the influence of marijuana here. As long as you didn’t smoke it while in Wisconsin, you’re not violating the law if it’s in your system.
What happens if you smoked marijuana in somewhere like Illinois (when it becomes legal there), and you drive back to Wisconsin? Is that illegal? Yes. Driving while under the influence of an intoxicating substance (including marijuana) is against the law. You could be charged with an OWI for engaging in such behavior.
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