Mariposa County

Mariposa County is located in the western section of the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California. The county is bordered by Fresno to the south, Merced to the west, and Stockton to the northwest. The seat of the county is Mariposa, and it has a population of 18,251 as estimated in the 2010 census. The eastern section of Mariposa County is situated within Yosemite National Park.

Mariposa County’s Marijuana Laws

Possession

California marijuana laws can vary. The possession of marijuana in small quantities has been decriminalized in Mariposa County. For amounts of 28.5 grams or less, only a civil infraction will be charged, which involves only a $100 fine and which is not an arrestable offense. For marijuana possession in amounts exceeding 28.5 grams however, a criminal offense will be charged, which merits a 6-month jail term and a $500 fine.

Cultivation

The only individuals allowed to cultivate or process marijuana in Mariposa County are patients approved for medical marijuana use, or their caregivers. Other than such individuals, people caught cultivating and/or processing marijuana in any amount is a criminal offense that may merit a 16-month prison sentence. In order to avoid criminal prosecution for the cultivation or processing of marijuana, an individual will have to possess a state issued medical marijuana ID card. Even then, legal possession is limited to only 6 mature plants or 12 immature plants and 8 ounces of bud.

Sale

The sale of marijuana is illegal in Mariposa County as in many other counties of California. The exceptions to this rule are legal dispensaries that may sell limited amounts of marijuana per patient. Anyone else caught selling marijuana is liable to face a 2- to 4-year prison sentence, which is increased to 3- to 5-year of the marijuana is sold to a minor. For sales of marijuana made by people below the age of 21, the offender’s driver’s license may be revoked for up to one year.