Washington Medical Marijuana Laws
Washington Department of Health Medical Marijuana Program
In Washington State, medicinal marijuana patients who have a valid authorization from their healthcare practitioner may join the medical marijuana authorization database, and online registry, and receive their medical marijuana recognition card. Joining the database is not required to be a medical marijuana patient unless the patient is under the age of 18. However, patients between 18-20 will be required to register and have a medical marijuana card to be able to purchase products from a medically endorsed store. Patients who believe they would benefit from medicinal marijuana treatment do not need to visit a medical marijuana treatment clinic (MMTC) or pay for authorization. To seek authorization to use medical marijuana, you may want to begin discussing the use of marijuana as a treatment option with your general practitioner or specialist who you’ve been seeing for a qualifying medical condition. Many doctors offer telemedicine, so, if interested, ask your doctor if that’s an option. Medical Marijuana patients may designate a 21 or older individual as a designated provider. This individual’s role is to assist the patient with purchasing medical marijuana products and the growing of marijuana plants. At your doctor appointment, let your doctor know that you have a designated provider. You will need to provide the doctor with the full name and street address of said provider even if they reside at your residence.
Due to COVID-19, telemedicine is allowed for initial appointments and for renewals.
Yes
Those entered in the state’s voluntary patient database may possess: 48 ounces of marijuana-infused product in solid form; 3 ounces of useable marijuana; 216 ounces of marijuana-infused product in liquid form; or 21 grams of marijuana concentrates.
Those entered in the state’s voluntary patient database may cultivate, in his or her domicile, up to 6 plants for the personal medical use and possess up to 8 ounces of useable marijuana produced from his or her plants. If the health care professional determines that the medical needs of a qualifying patient exceed the amounts provided, the health care professional may specify on the authorization that it is recommended that the patient be allowed to grow, in his or her domicile, up to 15 plants, yielding up to 16 ounces, of usable marijuana for the personal medical use of the patient. Qualified medical marijuana patients and designated providers may purchase immature plants, clones, or seeds from a licensed producer. In order to purchase plants or clones the patients and providers must hold a recognition card and be entered in the medical marijuana authorization database.
If a qualifying patient has not been entered into the medical marijuana authorization database, he/she may grow, in his or her domicile, up to 4 plants for the personal medical use of the qualifying patient and 6 possess up to six ounces of useable marijuana in his or her domicile.
No, but retail providers may also engage in the sale of medical cannabis.
Yes, designated provider is a person who has been designated in writing by a patient to serve as a designated provider. The caregiver must be 21 years of age or older. The provider must also possess either authorization from the qualifying patient’s health care professional or has been entered into an authorized database. The provider must only provide cannabis to the expressed patient.
No
As mentioned, patient’s do not have to join the medical database and receive a medical marijuana card; however, there are benefits of registering in the state database, including not having to pay sales tax when buying products through a medically-endorsed retail store, being able to buy and possess increased amounts of medical marijuana products outside of the recreational amounts allowed under law, being able to buy high THC compliant products from medically-endorsed retail stores, and receive arrest protection if compliant with Washington State law. A list of medically endorsed stores can be found on the Washington State Department of Health website. To join the database, you must bring your doctor issued marijuana authorization form to any licensed and medically endorsed marijuana store. You may then ask the medical marijuana consultant to add your information into the database and create your medical marijuana recognition card.
Find a licensed marijuana doctor nearby to get your recommendation for a medical marijuana card.
Marijuana DoctorsMedicinal marijuana and low-THC cannabis are available in Washington for qualified patients. Legal marijuana products can include flower, capsules, vape products, tinctures, edibles, and CBD oil, to name a few. Each state has different regulations in terms of what medical marijuana treatment products are allowed.
Find more information pertaining to Washington’s medical marijuana program, including general FAQs, approved medical conditions, steps to take to participate in the Washington MJ program as a patient, and medical marijuana card renewal information.
Washington Department of Health