The cannabis industry is undergoing a major boom in the USA right now, with 11 states so far having legalized cannabis in some form.
The differences between states include whether or not an individual is permitted to grow cannabis and how much they may have on their person, as well as various other criteria that must be met.
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As growing cannabis is now permitted – it’s worth checking that the state you live in permits you to grow herbs, and how many – the demand for cannabis seeds has rocketed.
With professional growers and first timers growing cannabis for the first time, there have never been more reasons to grow cannabis at home!
Are Seed Banks legal?
There’s a lot of confusion in answering this question, but more than that is there have been reports of some that have been scams or supplied low quality products.
As with all emerging markets the difficulty lies in finding out who is reputable and who is not, and with seed banks that can be difficult.
If you can find a reliable seed bank that ships to the USA then it’s worth giving them a try.
Beware that you may not get the seeds to germinate easily if it is your first attempt at growing, so follow all advice you can find.
Where is Cannabis allowed?
This is where you need to be careful. It is still a federal offence to grow, sell or use cannabis.
The laws have only been changed at state level.
This means that if you order cannabis seeds from a seed bank to an address in a state that has not legalized cannabis you are breaking the law.
However, in some states the law now says that an individual can grow up to 6 plants (the number varies per state) for personal use. In these states, you can buy cannabis seeds and propagate the plant.
The law will also differ in terms of how much you can have on your person, so it is important that you check the situation in the state where you live.
Following is some information about where cannabis is legal in the USA.
In each of the following states it is now within the law to use cannabis recreationally:
- Alaska
- California
- Colorado
- District of Columbia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Vermont
- Washington
Remember that the laws on growing and personal possession may differ with each. For example, in California you may grow up to six plants for personal use and have in your possession up to an ounce of cannabis, and you must be 21 or over.
In Maine, however, you may only grow up to 3 plants. These are just a couple of examples, so it is essential you learn the law for your state.
The following states have decriminalized the use of cannabis to at least a certain extent:
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Maryland
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Rhode Island
- Virginia
What does decriminalized mean?
In the above states the possession of cannabis – usually up to one ounce is no longer a criminal offence but is now a civil misdemeanour.
States have different levels of potential fine for those caught, although the likelihood of any imposition of such a fine is lower than before, and users can be expected to be treated lightly if they are not selling and have the substance only for their personal use.
The growth of plants is more than likely still prohibited, so make sure you check the legal status if you live in one of the above.
In the following states cannabis is entirely illegal:
- Alabama
- Idaho
- Kansas
- Mississippi
- Nebraska
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Finding a Seed Bank
As we mentioned earlier it can be difficult to find a reputable and reliable seed bank, but there are some around.
The cannabis industry is expanding at such a rate that it is not unusual for unscrupulous persons to drop into the market, sell sub-standard goods and then disappear with the money.
There have been many such stories and they will continue to surface. The best advice for finding a reputable seed bank is to ask around friends, family and work colleagues.
They may have found a bank from which they’ve grown decent quality plants, and that’s a sign they may be worth trying. There are only a small selection of seed banks in the US so pinning down the best ones should not be too hard.
How do you tell if you are buying quality seeds?
Here’s a brief guide:
Colour of the seed
You may be experienced in using cannabis but that doesn’t mean you know how to tell a good seed from a bad one!
You should be looking for dark coloured seeds – black or grey – and also seeds with noticeable patterns.
You will become more familiar with time but stay away from light coloured seeds such as green and white. The darker the colour the more mature the seed, and the more likely it will germinate and flower.
Hardness of the seed
Harder seeds are ready to plant, soft seeds that can be crushed will waste your time. Take one between your fingers and try and squash it; if you can, that’s a poor-quality seed.
We’ll leave it at that for now as we’ve given you pretty much all you need to know about seed banks, so finally take on board this tip: if you have a local cannabis retailer they may also sell seeds and plants, so if you’re having trouble buying online that could be your answer.