New Year‘s Weed: What to know before rec. marijuana hits the market

It's finally here. After Montanans voted to legalize recreational marijuana in the 2020 election, and the Montana Legislature hammered out a plan to regulate weed earlier this year, existing medical marijuana dispensaries are set to begin selling the drug for recreational use on New Year's Day. The new law will have big implications for anyone over the age of 21. Possession penalties may change for students. Tax dollars will roll into Missoula and the state's coffers.

But Montanans who've grown and sold their own products illegally for years still have some waiting to do before the law catches up with them.

News reporter Emily Tschetter joins Kaimin Cast host Austin Amestoy to break down what's changing for weed in the new year, what's staying the same, and what students need to know.

 

Produced and edited by Austin Amestoy. Reporting by Emily Tschetter.

 

Questions? Comments? Email us at editor@montanakaimin.com

 

A podcast from the Montana Kaimin, University of Montana's independent, student-run newspaper.