Cannabis laws in Colorado

Medical: Yes
Recreational: Legal
Reciprocity: No

Medical marijuana was legalized by Colorado voters under Ballot Amendment 20 in 2000 and became effective the next year. Patients are allowed to grow up to six marijuana plants and be in possession of up to two ounces of marijuana at a time. The state also legalized recreational marijuana sales in 2012.

How to Get a Medical Card in Colorado

To receive a medical marijuana license in Colorado, applicants must apply online to the state’s medical marijuana registry. The applicant must be over the age of 18 and a Colorado resident.

After signing up for an online account, the applicant must enter their personal information and submit a certification from an approved physician. They can then note if they would also like to apply for a cultivation permit (applicants can change this at a later point).

The processing fee costs $25 and the state says it should take one to three days to get approval if the application is filled out correctly. Applicants without access to the internet can apply by mail, and it should take six to eight weeks for processing.

If applying on behalf of a minor, a legal representative must create an online account in the minor’s name and then sign the application on behalf of the minor. The primary parent or legal representative must upload a consent form as well.

The license must be renewed on an annual basis.

Qualifying Conditions

The qualifying conditions for which patients in Colorado can receive medical cannabis include:

Cancer
Glaucoma
HIV or AIDS
Cachexia
Persistent muscle spasms
Seizures
Severe nausea
Severe pain
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
An Autism Spectrum Disorder
Any condition for which a physician could prescribe an opioid.

Where to Buy

Patients can purchase medical marijuana at nearly 500 medical dispensaries across the state. In addition, in 2012 Colorado fully legalized the sale and recreational use of marijuana, and medical patients can easily buy marijuana flowers, edibles, oil, vapes, concentrates and more at hundreds of legal dispensaries.

Reciprocity

Colorado does not allow patients to use out-of-state licenses to purchase marijuana in the state.

Taxes and Medical Marijuana in Colorado

There is a 2.9% sales tax on medical marijuana sales in Colorado. Retail marijuana is subject to up to a 15% retail marijuana excise tax and a 15% retail marijuana sales tax in Colorado.