Cannabis laws in Washington

Medical: Yes
Recreational: Legal
Reciprocity: No

Washington first approved medical marijuana in 1998, though the first medical dispensary didn’t open until 2012. Today patients in Washington can grow up to 15 plants in their residence and be in possession of up to three ounces of usable marijuana, 48 ounces of marijuana-infused product in solid form, 216 ounces of marijuana-infused product in liquid form, or 21 grams of marijuana concentrate. In 2012, Washington joined Colorado as the first two states to legalize marijuana possession and retail sales for recreational use.

How to Get a Medical Card in Washington

1. Schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider

To receive approval for a medical marijuana permit in the state of Washington, an applicant must first schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider licensed by the state.

2. Have healthcare provider fill out an authorization form

Have your healthcare provider fill out a printed copy of the state’s medical marijuana authorization form. (PDF available here) The form must state that the applicant has one of the medical conditions authorized for the use of medical marijuana. (See list of qualifying conditions below.)

3. Take the form to a licensed retail marijuana store

Take your printed and signed authorization form to a licensed dispensary, where it will be entered into the database. The fee for joining the registry is $1. After entering the registry, the patient will receive a medical recognition card. Here you can find a list of dispensaries with a certified medical marijuana consultant on staff who can register you into the database and create and issue a card. Contact the store first to see if you need to make an appointment.

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Qualifying Conditions

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

Cancer
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Multiple sclerosis
Epilepsy or other seizure disorder, or spasticity disorders
Intractable pain, limited for the purpose of this chapter to mean pain unrelieved by standard medical treatments and medications
Glaucoma, either acute or chronic, limited for the purpose of this chapter to mean increased intraocular pressure unrelieved by standard treatments and medications
Crohn’s disease with debilitating symptoms unrelieved by standard treatments or medications
Hepatitis C with debilitating nausea or intractable pain unrelieved by standard treatments or medications
Diseases, including anorexia, which result in nausea, vomiting, wasting, appetite loss, cramping, seizures, muscle spasms, or spasticity, when these symptoms are unrelieved by standard treatments or medications
Chronic renal failure requiring hemodialysis
Posttraumatic stress disorder
Traumatic brain injury

Mental health conditions do not qualify a patient to receive medical marijuana.

Where to Buy

Patients can purchase marijuana legally at hundreds of recreational use marijuana dispensaries across the state with or without a medical marijuana license.