Yes, if the amount of marijuana is 100 pounds or more…
The only people who are permitted to cultivate marijuana in Nevada are:
- registered medical marijuana growers, and
- pre-approved medical marijuana patients who cannot access dispensaries.
Otherwise, cultivating pot is a crime in Nevada.
Growing marijuana that weighs less than 100 pounds is not considered trafficking in Nevada. It is prosecuted as only a category E felony, which carries probation and a suspended sentence, with a possible jail sentence of up to 1 year. (But if the defendant has two or more prior felony convictions, the court may order one to four years of Nevada State Prison and a maximum of $5,000 in fines.)
But growing 100 pounds or more of marijuana in Nevada is prosecuted as trafficking, which carries much harsher penalties and astronomical fines:
Growing 100 pounds to less than 2,000 pounds of marijuana is a category C felony. The sentence is:
- 1 to 5 years in Nevada State Prison, and
- $25,000, and
- maybe up to an additional $10,000 in fines
Meanwhile, growing 2,000 pounds to less than 10,000 pounds of marijuana is a category B felony. The sentence is:
- 2 to 10 years in Nevada State Prison, and
- $50,000
Finally, growing 10,000 pounds or more of marijuana is a category A felony. The sentence is up to $200,000 in fines and:
- life in Nevada State Prison with the possibility of parole after 5 years, or
- 15 years in Nevada State Prison with the possibility of parole after 5 years
Read more information about Nevada marijuana cultivation laws and our article, “Is it a crime to be high on pot in Nevada?“
