Washington legalized cannabis in 2012, with the first adult-use sale coming through a few years later. Despite over a decade of legal weed under its belt, growing a plant without a patient card remains a felony. Washington is one of a few recreational states that does not allow home cultivation, while 21 others allow it.
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Year after year, lawmakers introduce a home grow bill into session, but none have gained traction–until now.
Representative Sharon Kloba introduced House Bill 1449 in late January and has the support of sixteen Democratic legislators. It has also earned support from the Cannabis Alliance, a member-based non-profit focused on passing vital cannabis legislation in Washington state. Home grow is listed as the second of six items on the group’s 2025 legislative agenda.
Cannabis Alliance executive director Caitlein Ryan explained to GreenState why home grow ranks so high and how that led the group to advocate for HB 1449.
“Right now, growing even one cannabis plant at home is a Class C felony in Washington—on par with crimes like second-degree robbery or possessing child pornography,” Ryan said. “That’s an outrageous penalty for something as simple as cultivating a personal-use plant in your own home. This bill addresses that injustice by making home cultivation legal under a clear and responsible framework.”
Washington home grow bill framework
The bill does not stop at granting the right to grow a cannabis plant at home. It lays down a framework of rules for hobbyists to follow. People over 21 could grow up to six plants, with a maximum of 15 plants in one household. Anyone caught with 11 to 15 plants would receive a civil infraction rather than a felony.
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Plants must be out of public view, and the bill contains odor control provisions. Violation of either would also result in a civil infraction, like a fine or ticket. Selling home-grown cannabis would still be prohibited. Local police forces would enforce these rules rather than the Liquor Control Board (LCB), the agency that currently oversees the regulated cannabis space.
While many support the bill, opposition does stand in the way. Some believe that allowing home cultivation increases illicit sales, recouping cash from an already struggling regulated sector for the black market. However, this has been disproven by states like Michigan that are thriving with co-existing adult-use and home grow laws.
Enforcement is another key issue, with those against the bill claiming enforcement of odor and plant counts would take time and resources from law enforcement.
“The reality is that states with home grow laws have not seen an increase in crime or public nuisance complaints,” Ryan shared. “This bill also includes reasonable safeguards to ensure responsible cultivation. In fact, HB1449 would actually free up law enforcement resources by eliminating the need to investigate and prosecute minor cannabis cultivation offenses.”
Need for home grow persists despite legalization
Finally, one may wonder why people need to grow their own cannabis if there are dispensaries around every corner (which there are in many Washington cities). Nick Avė, general manager for online home grow superstore Zamnesia, shared the benefits of home grow with GreenState.
“Growing your own cannabis offers a level of control and transparency that the commercial market simply can’t match,” Avė said. “When you cultivate at home, you know exactly what goes into your plants—no hidden additives, no shortcuts taken for the sake of mass production.”
Not all commercially grown cannabis is free of nasty byproducts, especially in states like Washington, where it is not required to label pesticides. Heck, even regulated, tested products have proven to contain harmful additives. When it comes to shopping at dispensaries, it is often a gamble on what extra compounds may be hiding in flower, concentrates, vapes, and edibles.
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Because of this, patients often cultivate their own plants to avoid absorbing or metabolizing anything that could make them sick. And growing is currently legal for medical patients in the state. However, everyone deserves access to clean weed. Then others simply love to grow cannabis plants, the way hobbyists enjoy brewing beer or planting vegetable gardens–both of which are legal in Washington.
HB 1449 is currently pending in the House Consumer Protection & Business Committee, and Washington hobby growers are waiting with bated breath alongside the Cannabis Alliance to see what happens.
“Home grow is simply a left-behind artifact in Washington’s evolving cannabis policy, and it’s time we give our residents the same rights enjoyed by people in nearly every other legal state,” Ryan concluded.
