Is Marijuana legal in Louisiana?

The short answer is No. However, recently Louisiana did legalize medical marijuana, which means that if you have a medical provider who diagnoses you with an illness that is recognized to be helped by marijuana, they can prescribe you medical marijuana. The legislation is still being worked out and currently no one is prescribing marijuana but soon it will be available for those people who need its help. This is great news.  Unfortunately, this does not mean you can walk down Bourbon street with a joint.

However, there is some good news with regards to smoking marijuana in New Orleans. The City has decided that marijuana possession will no longer be an offense with an automatic arrest. Police officers now have the discretion to give you a summons to appear in Municipal Court. They can arrest you if they find other drugs or if you have been involved in another crime, but if you are caught just smoking marijuana, they can simply give you a citation. This is good news because it means they are writing the citation under City Ordinance violation rather than a State violation. This means that your fines will be lower and it can be easier to negotiate a plea deal. Also, it is easier to expunge it off your record down the road.

Recognize this does not give you a free pass to smoke weed. Also, if the police are looking for a reason to stop you and you are smoking weed you are giving them a reason to stop you. However, the good news is that it does not create quite the legal mess it used to create when you were arrested. It has become much easier to handle. If you have been given a summons for possession of marijuana then you should call me immediately. I can help get this charge reduced, or possibly even dismissed. Call me today, 504-300-8338. Remember … When No One’s Carin’ Call McLaren!