don't know for sure!! but NY has decrimed weed possesion of small amounts BUT they have those "Rockafeller Laws" and i have heard/read somewheres that they r "brutal"
mandatory minumum? well where i come from growing usually mean a mandatory minimum of three felonies! Manufactoring a controlled substance, Felony Possession, INtent to distribute just for starters. Usually possession of a plant in the U.S. is a felony.
You can't be too young to grow pot. I started when I was 14 (sure I fucked up the first few times), but now I'm 18 and I'm happy to have started early and learned from my mistakes.
peacenpot