drug policy of california drug policy of california drug policy of california refers to the policy on various classes and kinds of drugs in the u.s. state of california. cannabis possession has been legalized with the adult use of marijuana act, passed in november 2016, with recreational sales starting january of the next year. with respect to many controlled substances, terms such as illegal and prohibited do not include their authorized possession or sale as laid out by applicable laws. california lawgreat seal of california constitution propositions (list) offices codes civil civil procedure evidence health and safety insurance labor penal vehicle note: there are 29 california codes. courts of record supreme court courts of appeal superior courts areas adoption bicycles criminal law capital punishment cannabis drugs taxation gambling civil procedural law administrative procedure act bagley-keene act california style manual civil harassment restraining order special motion to strike ordinary and administrative mandate tort law cumis counsel duty to protect students informed consent negligent infliction of emotional distress peculiar risk doctrine pure comparative negligence tarasoff liability strict product liability tort claims act civil rights law prop 209 (public affirmative action ban) sb 54 (sanctuary law) act to save lives art preservation act celebrities rights act end of life option act fair employment and housing act fair procedure public records act shield law free speech on privately owned property unruh civil rights act criminal law .50 caliber bmg regulation act of 2004 ab 962 (handgun ammunition sales) ab 1471 (firearm microstamping) adequate provocation comprehensive computer data access and fraud act felony petty theft felony murder marsden motion murgia motion (selective prosecution) murder romero motion uniform determinate sentencing act of 1976 laws concerning political subdivisions of the state ab 811 (energy efficiency zoning) housing accountability act brown act marks-roos (joint powers authorities) mello-roos (local tax districts) mills act (historic structure preservation) environmental law 2008 statewide truck and bus rule california environmental quality act california water plan electronic waste recycling act endangered species act hodge decision sustainable groundwater management act labor law prop 22 (rideshare drivers as contractors) ab 5 (independent contractors) agricultural labor relations act ab 1066 (equal overtime for farmworkers) california rule (pensions) child actor's bill de havilland law (seven year maximum on labor contracts) paid family leave talent agencies act family law palimony pereira accounting van camp accounting consumer protection law and building codes prop 103 (insurance rates) alquist priolo special studies zone act building standards code (contains the energy code) balloon law california foie gras law consumers legal remedies act consumer privacy act technical bulletin 117 (fire extinguishers) education law sb 277 (removing vaccine exemptions) california student free expression law dream act leonard law school success and opportunity act vergara v. california miscellaneous ab 1215 (automobile titling) ab 1535 (naloxone prescription by pharmacists) corporate disclosure act presidential tax transparency and accountability act road repair and accountability act historical laws act for the government and protection of indians alien land law of 1913 consenting adult sex bill criminal syndicalism act sanitary ordinance part of a series oncannabis artsculture 420 books magu (deity) names religion judaism latter-day saints sikhism smoke-in spiritual use sports stoner film stoner rock terms chemistry cannabinoid receptors cannabinoid receptor type 1 cannabinoid receptor type 2 cannabinoids 2-ag 2-age, noladin ether aea cbc cbl cbd cbdv cbg cbn cbv nada thc thcv virodhamine synthetic cannabinoids am-2201 cp-55940 dimethylheptylpyran hu-210 hu-331 jwh-018 jwh-073 jwh-133 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charlotte's web kush malawi gold sour diesel related drug culture illegal drug trade psychedelia cannabis portal medicine portal agriculture portal on november 4, 2014, voters approved proposition 47, which, among other things, reduced drug possession for personal use to a misdemeanor (except possession of more than one ounce of marijuana). specific drugs alcohol alcohol is legal for adults 21 and over in the state of california to possess, purchase, and consume. sale of alcohol is regulated and a license must be granted by county authorities before a store, bar, or restaurant may sell alcohol. driving a motor vehicle while intoxicated on alcohol is a misdemeanor which carries a penalty of up to one year in the county jail. subsequent offenses may be charged as a felony under certain circumstances. in practice driving a motor vehicle while intoxicated will result in probation for first offenses, along with hefty fines, alcohol education, and community service. subsequent offenses usually result in a small amount of jail time along with probation. public intoxication on alcohol is a misdemeanor under state law and also under most municipal ordinances. public intoxication on alcohol is often not prosecuted and the offender is released after sobering up in jail. sometimes, depending on criminal history, those convicted of public intoxication may serve very small jail sentences. the department of alcohol beverage control (abc) is the californian authority over alcohol licenses in the state. the department has outlawed the sale of alcohol to a "habitual drunkard" or any "obviously intoxicated person". selling alcohol to a habitual drunkard or obviously intoxicated person is a misdemeanor under section 25602 of the business and professions code. the department also outlaws the sale or consumption of alcohol on licensed premises between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. selling or allowing the consumption of alcohol on licensed premises between these hours is a misdemeanor under section 25632. amphetamines amphetamine, methamphetamine and dimethylamphetamine are schedule 2 on the california uniform controlled substances act, which is part of the california health and safety code. methamphetamine is illegal for possession under health and safety code 11377. methamphetamines are illegal for possession for sale under health and safety code 11378. in practice those without prior criminal histories convicted of hs 11377 will be granted pc1000, proposition 36, or felony probation. those convicted of hs 11378, possession of amphetamines for sale, may receive anything from probation up to 4 years in prison. harsher sentences are given for those convicted of manufacturing amphetamines such as methamphetamine. cannabis medical marijuana sign at a dispensary on ventura boulevard in los angeles, california all forms and preparations of cannabis, as well as its derivative tetrahydrocannabinol are schedule 1 on the california uniform controlled substances act. the first cannabis prohibition laws in california were passed in 1913. in the 1972 california november elections an initiative titled proposition 19, which would have legalized cannabis, was on the ballot. it failed to pass, with 66.5% voters voting "no" and 33.5% voting "yes." in 1976 the passage of the moscone act changed small-scale possession of marijuana from a felony to a misdemeanor. on november 5, 1996, 56% of voters approved proposition 215 (also known as the compassionate use act of 1996), taking effect the following day and removing state-level criminal penalties on the use, possession, and cultivation of marijuana by patients that "would benefit from medical marijuana" and possess a "written or oral recommendation" from their physician. conditions typically covered by the law include arthritis, cachexia, cancer, chronic pain, hiv or aids, epilepsy, migraines, and multiple sclerosis. initially, there existed no set limits regarding the amount of marijuana patients could possess or cultivate. california senate bill 420, also known as the medical marijuana program act, was signed into law in october 2003 and took effect on january 1, 2004, establishing the amount of medicinal marijuana patients and/or their caregivers may grow and possess. the bill allowed for no more than 8 ounces of dried marijuana and/or 6 mature (or 12 immature) plants, unless larger quantities were recommended by a physician. senate bill 420 also required the california department of state health services to establish a voluntary patient registry and issue identification cards to patients, though no such registry has been established to date. in february 2009, tom ammiano introduced the marijuana control, regulation, and education act, the first bill attempting to legalize the sale and use of marijuana in california. if passed and signed into law, marijuana would be sold and taxed openly to adults age 21 and older in a manner similar to alcohol. in september 2010, then governor arnold schwarzenegger signed sb 1449 into law, which reduced possession of under 1 ounce of cannabis from a misdemeanor to a civil infraction. the law went into effect january 1, 2011. in 2010, proposition 19, titled the "regulate, control, and tax cannabis act of 2010", qualified for the november california ballot. it failed to pass. if it had passed, the initiative would have legalized the recreational use of cannabis and its related activities in the state of california. it would have also allowed local governments to regulate and tax the newly created cannabis market. in the november 2016 election, voters passed an initiative legalizing recreational use of marijuana, the adult use of marijuana act. following the act, california has been pioneering the development of an appellations of origin program for cannabis products. the adult use of marijuana act went into effect on january 1, 2018. adults 21 and over in california may now possess up to one ounce of dried marijuana or eight ounces of concentrated cannabis and can grow up to six marijuana plants for personal use subject to certain restrictions. it is still illegal to sell or possess marijuana with intent to sell without both a state and local license. despite its legality in california, marijuana is still considered a schedule 1 drug under the united states controlled substances act. this means that federal prosecutors are allowed to decide to arrest and prosecute cannabis users and sellers who are in accordance to california law but not federal law. cocaine/crack cocaine, crack cocaine, coca leaves and all other forms of cocaine are schedule 2 on the california uniform controlled substances act. cocaine is illegal to possess under california health and safety code 11350. possession under hs 11350 was formerly a prosecuted as a misdemeanor or felony with up to 3 years in prison, but proposition 47 made simple possession for personal use a misdemeanor only. in practice, those charged with cocaine possession will in most cases be given an opportunity to plead guilty and receive no jail time under pc 1000, prop 36, or felony supervised probation. people with prior records and especially those with prior drug possession records will often be given small jails terms such as 30, 90, or 180 days, along with felony probation. possession for sale of cocaine salt ("powder") is prohibited under health and safety code 11351; "crack" cocaine under 11351.5. penalties for possession for sale of cocaine salt are 2, 3, or 4 years in the state prison; for "crack" cocaine, 3, 4 or 5 years. health and safety code 11352 pertains to selling or providing cocaine trafficking and provides for imprisonment for 3, 4 or 5 years. those convicted of possession for sale hs 11351 or sale/trafficking under 11352 will often serve from 1 year in county jail to a sentence of 2–5 years in state prison, based upon the quantities of drugs, the extent of their criminal history, and the jurisdiction in which they are prosecuted. those convicted of selling cocaine with prior related offenses may serve many years in the state prison, since qualifying prior convictions may add 3 years per conviction to the term provided for the conviction itself. various enhancements exist in the california health and safety code for dealing cocaine which may result in very long prison terms, such as selling to a minor, selling in a school zone, and selling large quantities of the drug. heroin and other opiates heroin is schedule 1 on the california uniform