CASPER, Wyo. – Law enforcement officials in Wyoming are promising to be on the lookout for anyone bringing marijuana into the state during the Great American Solar Eclipse later this month.
The Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police said Friday that the state’s marijuana laws will be “strictly enforced.”
Parts of Wyoming are in the path of totality, meaning eclipse watchers will be able to see the moon entirely obscure the sun. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to travel to the state to watch the rare event, which will occur on Aug. 21.
RELATED: How to safely watch the 2017 total solar eclipse
Neither medical nor recreational marijuana is legal in Wyoming and law enforcement agencies don’t plan to be lenient with anyone coming from states where it’s legal, such as Colorado.
“Medical marijuana is not legal in Wyoming, and even if you have a card from another state it is still illegal to possess marijuana in Wyoming,” said WASCOP Executive Director Byron Oedekoven. “If you are caught with any controlled substance you will be charged with a misdemeanor or felony drug offense depending upon how much of that substance you have in your possession.”
Under Wyoming state law, anyone caught with three ounces or less of marijuana faces a misdemeanor possession charge, which carries a penalty of up to a year in jail, a fine of up to $1,000 or both for a first offense.
WASCOP has a firm anti-marijuana stance and runs a campaign titled ‘There is No Debate,’ which aims to discredit claims of marijuana’s medical benefits and highlight its potential dangers.
