Cannabis will not be rescheduled in Wyoming, according to the state’s attorney general and state commissioner, Keith G. Kautz, a Republican. Though recreational and medical marijuana are illegal in Wyoming, state law allows for the state commissioner to object to changes in the federal classification of controlled substances.
However, the law also requires a period for comment from interested parties; though according to the final announcement that came from Kautz’s office, only nine individuals responded. On July 7, it was announced that cannabis would not be rescheduled in the state.
“After considering all of the comments from interested parties, the commissioner has determined that all marijuana products, including marijuana subject to a state medical marijuana license, shall remain on Schedule I of the Wyoming Controlled Substances Act. The Commissioner will appropriately schedule products approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration once that agency has approved the product,” the announcement from Kautz’s office said.
The rules surrounding cannabis in Wyoming are noticeably strict. Low amounts of cannabis, 3 ounces or less, is considered a misdemeanor, and can lead to a year in prison. Being caught with more than 3 ounces is considered a felony, leading to up to $10,000 in fees, and five years in jail. Recreational cannabis is legal in neighboring states like Montana and Colorado, which has led some Wyoming residents to travel across state lines to purchase cannabis. So much so, that in 2019, Wyoming police warned Colorado to keep cannabis out of its state.
“Wyoming does not have legal marijuana for any amount. Please keep your marijuana in Colorado,” Capt. Linda Gesell of the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office told 9News Denver. “We do know from our fellow law enforcement in Colorado that they do see a lot of Wyoming plates in Colorado at the dispensaries.”
Currently, Wyoming is the only state to reject the federal reclassification of cannabis.
