How to find Montana’s adult cannabis stores open
Recreational cannabis sales will begin in Montana on New Years Day 2022.
As in many constitutional states, however, not every county and every community will offer marijuana for sale.
Read on to learn where to buy it, how to navigate national parks with cannabis, and the details of Montana’s statewide legalization law.
Leafly always lists stores near you
The first stores to open already exist – as medical marijuana pharmacies. The stores listed below are licensed for sale to all adults 21 and older as of January 1st.
We called ahead and confirmed the stores that will definitely be open for recreational sales on January 1st, 2022 (listed under the map). Don’t forget to bring cash and government issued ID.
Starting January 1st, Leafly’s Pharmacy Finder will provide the most up-to-date information on recreational and medical cannabis stores near you. Download the Leafly app to find the closest store with a single tap.
Red counties and green counties
In drawing up the state’s adult cannabis program, Montana officials decided that sales would be allowed in counties where a majority of residents voted for legalization in the 2020 elections, and not counties that did not Voted legalization.
There is a caveat, however. Districts or municipalities can carry out a separate vote in order to switch from a “red” district to a “green” district or vice versa.
In general, western Montana is much more susceptible to legal weed than the eastern half of the state.
Major hubs such as Missoula, Bozeman (Gallatin Counties), Kalispell and Whitefish (Flathead Counties), and the capital, Helena (Lewis and Clark Counties) will see the opening of legal cannabis stores on January 1st.
Citizens of Billings, the state’s largest city, voted in November not to allow cannabis deals. But doing business is allowed in surrounding Yellowstone County, so a number of “Billings” stores are actually adjacent to Billings.
01.01.2022 Opening times on the opening day
Don’t take it with you to a national park
While it may be tempting to take a drag while viewing Montana’s many national parks, the important thing to remember is that national parks continue to be under federal jurisdiction and that it is federally illegal to own, sell, or use cannabis in any state.
As Leafly has reported, the consequences of being caught with weed in national parks can be severe: convictions, fines, and even probation … and that includes residents of legal states.
It’s still legal to own in red counties
While you can’t purchase recreational cannabis in every corner of Montana, up to an ounce of possession remains legal across state land. Consumers can purchase up to an ounce of cannabis or its equivalent in edibles, concentrates, or other forms at a time.
Different rules for tribal land
The only exception is tribal reservations, which are considered their own sovereign nations. Since federal law applies to the reserve, cannabis possession remains technically illegal there. Although tribes have limited criminal jurisdiction over non-members, it is still best to play it safe and avoid consuming on reserve land. If you’re traveling on a reservation, be sure to store your cannabis in its original, unopened packaging and in the trunk of your car.
Max Savage Levenson
Max Savage Levenson probably has the lowest cannabis tolerance of any writer on the cannabis beat. He also writes on music for Pitchfork, Bandcamp and other bespectacled folk. He is co-host of The Hash podcast. His dream interview is Tyler the Creator.
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