Cannabis
in Massachusetts Dispensaries, Deals & Laws

Adults 21 and over may carry up to one ounce of marijuana outside the home, of which no more than five grams may be concentrate, and may keep up to ten ounces at their primary residence, with anything above one ounce there kept locked or otherwise secured. These figures come from reference summaries of the adult-use law under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94G; one state social media post has cited a two-ounce figure, so readers should confirm the current limit with the Cannabis Control Commission. Registered medical patients work under a separate ceiling: a 60-day supply, presumed to be ten ounces, unless their certifying provider documents that a larger amount is medically necessary. Newly certified patients may buy up to 2.5 ounces over 14 days while their registration is processed. Open containers are not allowed in a vehicle's passenger area.

You must be 21 to possess, use, or grow marijuana for adult use in Massachusetts, and retailers must verify age at the point of sale. Buyers do not need to be residents, only to show valid government-issued photo identification. The medical program sets a lower threshold: adults 18 and over can register as patients if a certifying provider diagnoses a qualifying condition. Patients under 18 may take part only if two certifying providers, one of them a board-certified pediatrician, diagnose a debilitating life-limiting illness and a parent or guardian gives written consent. According to the state's summary of the law, people under 18 found with three ounces or less are referred to a drug awareness program rather than facing adult penalties.

Adults 21 and over may cultivate up to six plants for personal use, and a household where two or more adults live may keep up to twelve plants in total, however many adults reside there. The state requires plants to be kept in a locked or otherwise secured area and not visible from a public place without binoculars or other optical aids. Home processing is restricted too: marijuana cannot be manufactured at home using solvents with a flashpoint below 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Home-grown cannabis may be given away to other adults but not sold without a license. For medical patients, the Cannabis Control Commission's hardship cultivation program, which would allow larger patient grows, has not yet been implemented, so patients grow under the same adult-use limits.

The Cannabis Control Commission regulates both the adult-use and medical programs in Massachusetts. It administers two separate sets of rules: 935 CMR 500.000 for adult-use marijuana and 935 CMR 501.000 for medical use, under the statutory framework of Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94G. The Commission licenses retailers, delivery businesses, and other operators, runs the state's cannabis equity programs, and maintains the Medical Use of Marijuana Program, including the online system through which providers certify patients and patients register. The Commission has overseen the adult-use market since retail sales began in 2018. Taxation of cannabis sales is governed separately, under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 64N, rather than by the Commission's own regulations.

Adult-use purchases carry three layers of tax. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 64N imposes a 10.75 percent state excise on marijuana sales, the standard 6.25 percent state sales tax applies on top, and cities and towns may add a local option tax of up to 3 percent, for a combined rate of up to 20 percent. Retailers may not accept EBT cards for recreational purchases. Registered medical patients are exempt from both the excise and the sales tax, which is one of the main practical reasons patients keep their registration current. Visitors holding medical cards from other states do not receive this exemption, because Massachusetts does not recognize out-of-state cards and those buyers pay the full adult-use rate.

Consumption is limited to private property. Using cannabis in any form in public is prohibited, as is consuming it in a vehicle. The Cannabis Control Commission has adopted regulations addressing social consumption, meaning licensed venues where adults could use cannabis on the premises, but the sources in our research do not show that any such venues are operating, so visitors should not expect a lounge or cafe option. Hotels, landlords, and other property owners can set their own rules. In practice, the only reliably legal place to consume is a private residence where the owner permits it. Driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal, and the law sets no specific numeric threshold for impairment.

The Medical Use of Marijuana Program works in two stages. First, a registered Certifying Health Care Provider, who may be a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant, evaluates the patient and submits a certification electronically through the program's online system. The Cannabis Control Commission then emails the patient a PIN, which is used to create an account and complete registration online. Once approved, the patient can print a temporary card and use it at medical dispensaries immediately, while the plastic card arrives by mail, typically within one to three weeks. Newly certified patients can also use Initial Access to buy up to 2.5 ounces over 14 days while registration is pending. The state charges no fee to register.

The Cannabis Control Commission names a set of debilitating conditions, including ALS, Crohn's disease, hepatitis C, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis, and reference sources add cancer, glaucoma, and HIV/AIDS. The list is not closed. A certifying provider may also certify other debilitating conditions, defined as those causing weakness, cachexia, wasting, intractable pain, or nausea that substantially limits a major life activity, and in practice providers have certified conditions such as chronic pain and anxiety on that basis. Sources disagree on how many conditions are formally named, and the state has no petition process for adding new ones. Patients under 18 qualify only with a life-limiting illness diagnosed by two providers, one a pediatrician.

Applicants must be Massachusetts residents aged 18 or older, except patients receiving palliative, end-of-life, or cancer treatment in the state, who may register without residency. Before registering you need a written certification from a Certifying Health Care Provider enrolled in the program. The state application is completed online using the PIN the Commission sends after certification, and requires a government-issued ID such as a driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID, proof of Massachusetts residency, and a passport-style photograph. There is no state registration fee, though providers set and charge their own fees for the certification visit. A replacement card costs $10, which can be waived for verified financial hardship. Registered patients must report changes to their personal information within five days.

A patient's registration depends on the underlying certification, which the certifying provider sets for anywhere from 15 days to one year. Clinic sources describe cards as typically valid for one year. To renew, the patient needs a new certification from a registered provider, submitted through the Medical Use of Marijuana Program online system, and then updates the registration in their own account. The state still charges no registration fee, although the provider will usually bill for the visit. The research does not establish a specific window for starting a renewal before expiry, so patients should begin well ahead of the date on their card. Personal Caregivers must register again every year.

Massachusetts permits certification by telehealth. According to the Cannabis Control Commission's guidance for certifying providers, initial certification appointments may be conducted via telehealth as of November 2024, so a first-time patient no longer needs an in-person visit, and clinic sources report that follow-up certifications are also commonly done remotely. The provider still has to be registered with the Medical Use of Marijuana Program and must submit the certification electronically through the state's online system. Commercial telehealth services advertise evaluations at around $99, but pricing is set by providers, not the state. Telehealth covers only the certification step; registration is completed by the patient online, and purchases happen at a licensed dispensary or through a licensed delivery service.

Massachusetts does not recognize medical marijuana cards issued by other states. Visiting patients cannot buy at medical dispensaries or access medical-only products, and they do not receive the medical tax exemption. What visitors can do is shop at adult-use retailers like anyone else: purchasers 21 and over need only a valid government-issued photo ID, and there is no residency requirement for adult-use purchases, subject to the one-ounce public possession limit. The one narrow route into the medical program for non-residents is for patients receiving palliative, end-of-life, or cancer treatment in Massachusetts, who can register without being residents. Carrying cannabis across state lines remains illegal under federal law regardless of either state's rules.