California Marijuana Law Breakdown

		Incarceration	Fine
Possession
28.5 g or less	misdemeanor	none	$100
More than 28.5 g	misdemeanor	6 months	$500
28.5 g or less on school grounds while school open (over 18 yers old)	misdemeanor	10 days	$500
More than 28.5 g on school grounds while school open (over 18 yers old)	misdemeanor	6 months	$500
Cultivation
Any amount (exception for patients or caregivers)	felony	16 - 36 months	none
Sale
Gift of less than 28.5 g	misdemeanor	none	$100
Any amount	felony	2 - 4 years	none
28.5 g or less by a minor	misdemeanor	none	$250
Any amount to a minor over 14 years old	felony	3 - 5 years	none
Any amount to a minor under 14 years old (includes offering, inducing, distributing, or employing)	felony	3 - 7 years	none
Miscellaneous (paraphernalia, license suspensions, drug tax stamps, etc...)
Any conviction of minor under 21 causes driver's license suspension for 1 year.

Details

Possession of 28.5 grams or less of marijuana is not an arrestable offense. As long as the offender can provide sufficient identification and promises to appear in court, the officer will not arrest the offender. Upon conviction of the misdemeanor charge the offender is subject to a fine of $100. Possession of greater than 28.5 grams is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500. Possession of 28.5 grams or less of marijuana on school grounds when the school is open is punishable by up to 10 days in jail and a $500 fine. Possession of greater than 28.5 grams or more of marijuana in a school zone is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500. The cultivation or processing of any amount of marijuana is punishable by up to sixteen months in state prison. There is an exception to the cultivation prohibition for patients or patients’ caregivers who possess or cultivate for personal use by the patient upon approval of a physician. The laws regarding possession and cultivation of marijuana do not apply to patients or patients’ primary caregivers who possess or cultivate marijuana for the personal medical use of the patient, upon the recommendation or approval of a physician. Selling marijuana in any amount is punishable by 2 – 4 years in the state prison. Giving away less than 28.5 grams is a misdemeanor and is punishable by a fine of up to $100. Sale of marijuana to a minor is punishable by 3 – 5 years in prison. For anyone under the age of 21 convicted of any of the above offenses, the state may suspend the offender’s driver’s license for up to one year. Possession of paraphernalia is a civil fine of $200-$300 for the first offense and goes up to $5,000-$6,000 for a fifth or subsequent violation within a five-year periood.