Marijuana’s popularity is hard to rival, with more and more people using it for either medicinal or recreational purposes each day. Never before has the plant received this much mainstream attention!
Many states in the US are now passing legislative laws in favor of either or both uses. Consequently, the cannabis sub-culture that was once secretive and only ran on the black market has unfolded into one of the fastest-growing legal agricultural industries. Many people are now building cannabis farms in different sizes, from small closets in a spare room to full-blown, commercial-scale, free-standing cannabis grow buildings.
According to Statista.com, there were about 20,000 to 28,000 cannabis businesses in the USA as of 2017. The numbers have only risen ever since. In Colorado alone, cannabis-related revenue accounted for a whopping $1 billion out of the state’s $30 billion budget in 2019. Some of the top companies made more than $6.5 billion in sales within a span of five years!
Would you like to know how? We won’t get into the details of building a business model, but we have lots of useful tips concerning how- and the type of environment to grow.
An Overview of the Specific States Where Growing Marijuana is Legal
Before we get all excited and ready to start growing, let’s consider the marijuana state laws in different locations. You might also want to find out how many plants are allowed if you don’t have a commercial license. However, there is no limit for licensed growers.
|
State |
Recreational | Medicinal | Cultivation |
| Alaska | legal | legal | Medicinal use only |
| Arkansas | illegal | legal | Medical use only |
| Arizona | illegal | legal | Medical use only |
| California | Legal | Legal | Six plants, or commercially licensed |
| Colorado | legal | legal | Six plant, or commercially licensed |
| Connecticut | decriminalized | legal | Felony |
| Delaware | decriminalized | legal | Medical use only |
| Florida | illegal | legal | Medical use only |
| Hawaii | Illegal (decriminalized beginning Jan. 11, 2020) | legal | Medical use only |
| Illinois | legal | legal | Five plants (medical use only) |
| Maine | legal | legal | Up to 3 mature plants, 12 immature plants, and unlimited number of seedlings or commercially licensed |
| Maryland | decriminalized | legal | Illegal |
| Massachusetts | legal | legal | 1 oz outside the home, 10 oz inside the home, up to six plants |
| Michigan | Legal | Legal | 12 plants per household |
| Minnesota | decriminalized | legal | Medical use only |
| Missouri | decriminalized | legal | Medical use only |
| Montana | illegal | legal | Medical use only |
| Nevada | legal | legal | 6 plants per household |
| New Hampshire | decriminalized | legal | Medical use only |
| New Jersey | illegal | legal | Medical use only |
| New Mexico | decriminalized | legal | Medical use only |
| New York | decriminalized | legal | Misdemeanor |
| North Dakota | decriminalized | legal | NA |
| Ohio | decriminalized | legal | Medical use only |
| Oklahoma | illegal | legal | Legal with medical license |
| Oregon | legal | legal | 4 plants per household |
| Pennsylvania | illegal | legal | Medical use only |
| Tennesse | Misdemeanor (less than ½ ounce) | Cannabis oil Less than 0.9% THC | Misdemeanor: 9 plants or less, felony: 10+ plants |
| Vermont | Legal up to one ounce or yield of two mature plants | legal | Two mature plants, four immature |
| Washington | legal | legal | Legal with restrictions and licensing |
Where Can You Grow Marijuana?
Naturally, the plant grows in warm climates. With the right marijuana buildings and high-tech greenhouse technology, however, you can make the production process more lucrative. Growers employ various greenhouse ideas depending on their economies of scale. They include:
- Marijuana Grow Cupboards: closet-sized spaces located in a spare room, housing only a few plants.
- Grow Cabinets: a larger space with some room to move around, but housed within a regular-sized room.
- Grow Tents: tents that fold out into a free-standing structure. You set them up in a spare bedroom, garage, basement, or storage shed.
- Cannabis Cultivation Buildings: they can occupy upwards of 100 square feet. Modern grow houses are made of steel, allowing for numerous possibilities.
The benefits of growing indoors are that you can control everything, including airflow, lighting, temperature, humidity, nutrients, and water, among others. Grow rooms have timers for controlling lights. More so, advanced lights mimic the sun, and the spectrum can even be changed depending on the growth phase. The light should not be too close to the plants that it burns them or too far that its effects fade.
Ducted recycling systems filter the air and eliminate the pungent odor of flowering. They also minimize the risk of infiltration by dust, pollen, spores, pests, molds, pathogens, and diseases.
Insulation not only saves energy but also prevents condensation, which is not uncommon in an enclosed growing environment. Foam spray makes for an ideal insulation type. So do soy-based insulation products because they are mold and disease resistant. A uniformly reflective insulation type is a plus as it capitalizes on the artificial light. An uneven surface – like aluminum foil – is not ideal because it creates hot spots that might burn the plants.
Ventilation should be adequate and must provide a steady supply of air that is rich in carbon dioxide. What’s more, the air temperature should be constant, preferably below 85 degrees, with a relative humidity of about 70%.
The amount of water can be manual or automated and will depend on various factors, including the stage of growth, temperature, and relative humidity.
Moreover, the grow house has to provide security from both external and internal theft. It could be locks, alarms, CCTV cameras, or computerized security systems that have biometric scanners.
Building a Marijuana Grow House
Modern cannabis grow buildings come in steel, and for a good reason – other materials can’t keep up. For instance, wood rots and gets all sorts of defects under humid conditions, while concrete is massive and cumbersome to use.
However, galvanized steel can withstand all weather conditions, is recyclable, and lightweight, among many other benefits that we’ll look at shortly. It’s no surprise that the demand for marijuana steel buildings is ever on the rise.
- Limitless Interior Span: No supports are taking up internal space. Therefore, you can get as much clear span on your marijuana building as you want. Unlike wood, steel does not get exponentially more expensive with increased span. The larger the width, the more the profits because it implies more plants than a smaller span. Each plant yields about 2-4 ounces.
- Quick Construction: Marijuana steel buildings can be prefabricated easily. Prefab structures translate to minimal or no on-site modifications. As a result, we can erect them in a matter of days. And no architectural planning is required. How convenient!
- Extremely Affordable: Steel is one of the most economical construction materials. We can erect buildings for as low as $30-40 per square foot. Steel structures also have minimal maintenance costs. You’ll only need to repaint once in a while. One more thing – you don’t need a thick foundation. How can traditional buildings compete with that?
- A Great Investment: A steel cannabis cultivation building is a perfect investment in many ways. Marijuana businesses willingly pay far higher rates per square foot when renting space. The structure also provides excellent service as it is uniquely suited for many requirements that marijuana growth demands. For example, it is easy to design for the wiring, AC units, and water channels. It is also convenient to partition. What’s more, you can repurpose, relocate, or sell a steel building quickly.
- Fully Customizable: Traditional buildings are only customizable according to the foundation. As for steel buildings, however, they are easy to replicate. Detailing and other options can be mass-produced while only varying the foundation. You are free to fully customize the span, height, roof-style, trims, windows, doors, and so much more! Modifications and adjustments are easy to make, even after erecting the structure.
- Durable and long-lasting: Galvanized steel is among the most durable construction materials you’ll ever find. It is not only long-lasting but also resistant to the elements. Steel buildings can serve their purpose for an entire lifetime without any significant loss in structural strength. Durability also translates to lower maintenance costs.
Safeway Steel – Marijuana Grow Buildings is the Place to Shop!
When searching for legal or medical marijuana buildings, you want something that can withstand the humidity. It must also be easy to install or relocate, facilitate easy wiring, and enable smooth creation of partitions. Not forgetting, secure, durable, and cost-effective. You want steel.
Safeway Steel understands the unique needs that the cannabis cultivation industry has and specializes in meeting all of them. We have over 20 years of experience, which comes with exceptional mastery of the steel building industry. We have created a swift business model that features the best customer service in our niche. Our A+ BBB rating and the many clients we get via referrals evidence our reputation. Safeway Steel offers quick delivery and installation of steel buildings with the help of a star team of design consultants who are ready to assist you throughout the process.
Contact us now on +1 (800) 818-2245 to talk to a design specialist and get started on your dream marijuana grow building.