Madera County

Madera County is located in the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada of California, with Fresno County to the south. Within its borders is Madera-Chowchilla, and the seat of the county is Madera. According to the 2010 census, Madera County had a population of just slightly lower than 150,900.

Cultivation Laws in Madera County

Individuals legally allowed to use medical marijuana in Madera County are limited to the cultivation of 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants and 8 ounces of bud. This law applies to patients that have been approved for medical marijuana and have the state issued marijuana ID card to show for it, and the caregivers of such patients. For everyone else however, cultivation and processing of any amount of marijuana is an arrestable offense that may result in a 16-month prison term for the offender.

Possession of Marijuana in Madera County

As in most cases of marijuana in California, possession in small amounts has been largely decriminalized in Madera County. Possession of 28.5 grams of marijuana or less is considered only a civil infraction, meriting a mere $100 fine. Possession in excess of this amount however merits a 6-month jail term and a $500 fine.

Marijuana Sales in Madera County

The sale of marijuana in Madera County is illegal under California law regardless of amount. Considered a felony offense, the sale of marijuana in any amount may merit a 2- to 4-year prison sentence. If the offense involves selling marijuana to a minor, the penalty is a possible 3- to 5-year prison term. If the offender is below 21 years of age, his or her driver’s license may also be suspended for up to a year.

Madera County’s Newest Marijuana Policy

As of April 2012, all outdoor cultivation in Madera County is illegal under county law, even for those approved for legal marijuana use. For people allowed to cultivate marijuana legally, growing areas are limited to a maximum of 120 square feet of enclosed space not closer than 2,000 feet of churches, schools or other public buildings.