Cannabis
in Washington

In Washington, only adults 21 and older may possess cannabis. They can carry up to one ounce of usable cannabis plant matter and up to 16 ounces of solid cannabis-infused edibles (LCB). They may also have up to 72 ounces of liquid infused products and 7 grams of concentrate (NORML; Visit Seattle). Registered medical patients are allowed larger amounts. Patients who register at a medically endorsed store and get a recognition card can buy up to three ounces of usable cannabis, 48 ounces of solid infused products, 216 ounces of liquid infused products, or 21 grams of concentrate (DOH). --- Notes for the editor: Liquid and concentrate limits (adult use): The official LCB source provided only confirms the one-ounce flower limit and the 16-

Washington sets different age rules for recreational and medical cannabis. For recreational use, possessing or consuming cannabis is limited to adults 21 and over (LCB). The medical program has no fixed minimum age. A healthcare practitioner may authorize cannabis for a patient of any age when it is medically appropriate (DOH FAQ). Patients under 18 need a parent or legal guardian to act as their designated provider (DOH FAQ). Anyone else serving as a designated provider must be at least 21, unless they are the minor patient's parent or guardian (DOH FAQ). --- Notes Conflict on minimum patient age: washington.medcards.org says medical applicants must be at least 18. The official DOH FAQ says practitioners may authorize patients of any age. I followed DOH and left out the 18-year minimum. Unclear DOH wording: The DOH FAQ summary says authorization is available at any age "but authorization is not required." It's unclear what that refers to, so I left it out. Someone should check the original page. Minor registration requirement: Cascade Health Clinic says database registration is voluntary except for patients under 18. No official source here confirms this, so I didn't include it. Other age-related claims: Claims about penalties for supplying minors and driving rules for people under 21 come only from starttalkingnow.org, which isn't an official source. They're also outside this section's scope, so I left them out.

Washington, which allows both medical and adult-use cannabis, does not let adults grow cannabis at home for recreational purposes, even though they can legally buy and possess it (MPP; Visit Spokane). Qualifying medical patients are the exception. With a valid authorization from a healthcare practitioner, they may cultivate a limited number of plants for their own use. How many plants they may keep depends on whether they have registered in the state's medical cannabis system and on what their practitioner recommends (NORML; Nirvana Cannabis). Patients planning a home grow should confirm the current plant limits for their situation with the Washington State Department of Health before starting. --- Notes for the editor: No official citations. Neither .gov source provides usable facts on home grow. Both DOH pages list home grow as a heading, but the research extracted nothing from those sections. Every claim above therefore rests on non-official sources. Someone should pull the DOH text directly and replace or supplement these citations. Plant counts left out because the sources disagree: NORML says registered patients may grow 6 plants, or up to 15 with a practitioner's recommendation, and unregistered patients may grow 4. Higherleaf says qualifying patients may grow 4, with no mention of registration. Wikipedia gives 15 plants as part of a 60-day supply, which looks like older law. Recreational ban. Three non-official sources agree on it, and none contradict it, but no .gov source confirms it. **Cooperatives left

Washington regulates both adult-use and medical cannabis under one framework, and the state's two cannabis agencies divide the work between them. The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) handles licensing and enforcement for all cannabis businesses (MRSC). The LCB also publishes the consumer rules on age, possession, and public use (LCB). Medical cannabis has been part of this licensing system since July 1, 2016 (MRSC). There are no separate state-licensed medical-only dispensaries (NORML). For patients, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) sets out the program's requirements: Authorization: patients need approval from a qualifying healthcare practitioner (DOH). Registration: patients register at a medically endorsed store and receive a recognition card (DOH). Tax exemptions: registered patients qualify for tax exemptions at medically endorsed retailers (DOH FAQ). --- Notes for the editor: No official source for the LCB's role.

Washington adds an excise tax and sales tax to cannabis purchases, but registered medical patients can avoid both. Patients who hold a recognition card are not charged either tax when they buy qualifying medical cannabis products at a medically endorsed retailer (DOH Patient Information; DOH FAQ). To get the card, a patient registers at a medically endorsed store and pays a fee of at least $1 (DOH Patient Information). Adult-use shoppers without a card pay the standard taxes at checkout. If you visit mainly for medical products, ask whether the store holds a medical endorsement. --- Notes for the editor Tax rates were left out. Neither official source gives the excise or sales tax percentage. Green Wellness (a commercial site) cites a 37% excise tax, but no .gov source here confirms it. The exemption's time window was left out. Green Wellness says the exemption runs from June 2024 through June 2029. The DOH pages describe the exemption with no dates, so I couldn't verify this. The savings estimate was left out. Green Health Docs claims patients save "approximately 10% or more." That figure is unofficial and seems low next to the combined excise and sales tax exemption the DOH describes, so the two may conflict. Local sales tax is uncertain. Green Wellness says the exemption covers local sales tax. The DOH sources just say "sales tax" without separating state from local. I kept the DOH wording. The line about adult-use shoppers is an inference. "Adult-use shoppers without a card pay the standard taxes" follows from the DOH describing the medical exemption, but no source states it directly. Cut it if you want every sentence directly sourced.

If you're planning to try your purchase near the store, check where Washington allows use. The state bars cannabis use in public places, including parks, sidewalks, restaurants, concerts, and federal land (WSLCB). Using cannabis in public view can bring a civil violation and a fine (NORML). Using it in a moving vehicle is a traffic infraction, and cannabis carried in a car must stay in a sealed container in the trunk, glove compartment, or another area the occupants can't reach (NORML). In practice, that means planning to consume on private property rather than at or around the shop. --- Notes: Not stated: whether dispensaries or consumption lounges may allow use on their premises. Several sources list "on-site consumption" as a heading, but none of the supplied facts says whether licensed retailers may permit it or whether any licensed consumption venues exist. I avoided claiming "no dispensary allows on-site use" because the sources don't support it. Please confirm this on the LCB page before adding it. Not stated: rules specific to medical patients. No source says whether registered patients have any exception to the public-use ban, so I left this out, even though the directory lists Washington as both medical and recreational. Two claims rely on a non-official source. The civil fine and the vehicle rules come only from NORML, since the official LCB facts provided don't cover them. It would be worth checking both against LCB or the RCW if you want .gov sourcing throughout. "Private property" is framed as practical guidance. None of the sources explicitly says private use is permitted, so I didn't present it as a legal rule.

In Washington, getting a medical cannabis card starts with a healthcare practitioner, not a state office. Patients must be Washington residents with a qualifying condition and must obtain an authorization from an eligible practitioner, such as a medical doctor, osteopathic physician, physician assistant, advanced registered nurse practitioner, or naturopathic physician (DOH). The first authorization visit and the issuance of the card must happen in person, though later renewals may be done by telemedicine (DOH FAQ). With the authorization in hand, the patient registers at a medically endorsed retail store and pays a fee of at least $1 for a recognition card (DOH). Patients under 18 need a parent or legal guardian to act as their designated provider (DOH FAQ). --- Notes on what was left out Telemedicine conditions: One commercial source (greenhealthdocs.com) says telemedicine renewals are allowed only when an in-person visit would cause severe hardship. The DOH FAQ, as summarized, doesn't mention that condition, so I stated only that renewals may use telemedicine. Please check the DOH page before adding any qualifier. Minimum age to apply: washington.medcards.org says applicants must be 18 or older. DOH says practitioners may authorize patients of any age, with minors needing a designated provider. I followed DOH and did not state an age floor. Whether registration is required: cascadehealthclinic.org says database registration is voluntary except for minors. LawAtlas says Washington has no registry, which appears to describe the pre-2016 framework. Neither is an official source and they conflict with each other, so I left out whether registering is mandatory. Other omissions: Card mailing times (3–5 business days),

To use medical cannabis in Washington, a patient must live in the state, have a diagnosis on the approved list, and hold an authorization from a healthcare practitioner (DOH). The Department of Health's list includes cancer, HIV, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and other seizure disorders, spasticity disorders, intractable pain, glaucoma, Crohn's disease, Hepatitis C, illnesses that cause nausea or wasting, and PTSD (DOH). An authorization can come from a medical doctor, osteopathic physician, physician assistant, advanced registered nurse practitioner, or naturopathic physician (DOH). Because the practitioner decides whether a patient's condition qualifies, patients should bring relevant medical records to the evaluation. --- Notes for the editor The list may be incomplete. The DOH excerpt I had was cut off after "PTSD, and tr…". That missing text is probably traumatic brain injury, but I couldn't confirm it, so I left it out. Please check the full DOH page and add any remaining conditions. The sources disagree about the list. NORML says there are exactly eight conditions and names traumatic brain injury and terminal or debilitating illness. Cascade Health Clinic mentions chronic renal failure. medcards.org lists "chronic pain" instead of "intractable pain." I used only the official DOH list and did not settle these differences. I left out the claim about mental health conditions. A non-official clinic source says bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety don't qualify. No .gov source confirms this. I did not describe the registry. LawAtlas says Washington has no patient registry, but DOH describes a recognition card issued at medically endorsed stores. That page appears outdated, so I followed DOH. The last sentence is general advice, not a legal claim, so it has no citation. Remove it if the directory wants only sourced statements.

To qualify as a medical cannabis patient in Washington, you must be a state resident, have a diagnosed qualifying condition, and hold an authorization from a healthcare practitioner (DOH). Eligible practitioners are MDs, DOs, physician assistants, advanced registered nurse practitioners, and naturopathic physicians (DOH). The first authorization visit must be in person, and card issuance also happens in person, though later renewals may be done by telemedicine (DOH FAQ). With an authorization, you register at a medically endorsed retail store and pay a fee of at least $1 for a recognition card (DOH). Practitioners may authorize patients of any age when medically appropriate. Patients under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian serve as their designated provider. Adult patients' designated providers must be at least 21 (DOH FAQ). --- Notes on what I left out and why Minimum age of 18: washington.medcards.org says applicants must be at least 18. The DOH FAQ says practitioners may authorize patients of any age, with a parent or guardian as designated provider for minors. I followed DOH and omitted the "18+" claim. Whether registration is voluntary: Cascade Health Clinic says database registration is voluntary except for patients under 18. LawAtlas says Washington has no patient registry, which appears to describe the pre-2016 system. DOH describes registering at an endorsed store to get a recognition card, but the cited DOH facts don't say whether registration is optional for adults. I left this question out rather than guess. **Telemedicine

Washington's medical cannabis program, which runs alongside the state's adult-use market, handles a patient's first visit and later visits differently. The first authorization requires meeting a healthcare practitioner in person and getting the recognition card, but later renewals may be done by telemedicine (DOH FAQ). The authorization must come from a qualifying practitioner, such as an MD, DO, PA, ARNP, or naturopathic physician. Registration and the recognition card are handled at a medically endorsed store for a fee of at least $1 (DOH Patient Information). Renewing patients should check with their practitioner and an endorsed retailer about current requirements before their authorization lapses. --- Notes for editor: Conflicting condition on telemedicine renewals: Greenhealthdocs (source 8) says telemedicine renewals are allowed only if the practitioner decides an in-person visit would cause "severe hardship." The official DOH FAQ does not mention this condition, so I left it out. It should be checked against the statute or DOH rules before being added. Renewal interval not established: None of the sources say how long an authorization or recognition card is valid, or how often patients must renew. I left this out. Renewal fee not established: DOH lists a minimum $1 fee for the recognition card, but no source says whether it applies again at renewal. I attached the fee only to registration and the card, not to renewal. Wording choice: The closing sentence is general guidance, not a legal claim, so it has no citation.

Washington does not allow a first-time medical cannabis authorization to happen entirely online. According to the Department of Health, the initial practitioner visit must take place in person, and the recognition card is also issued in person (DOH FAQ). The card is issued at a medically endorsed retail store, where the patient registers and pays a minimum $1 fee (DOH Patient Information). After that first appointment, later renewals may be handled through telemedicine (DOH FAQ). --- Note for editor: Hardship condition left out. One non-official source (greenhealthdocs.com) says telemedicine renewals are allowed only when the practitioner finds that an in-person renewal would cause "severe hardship." The official DOH facts provided say only that renewals may use telemedicine and don't mention any hardship requirement. I couldn't confirm the condition from a .gov source, so I didn't include it. It's worth checking against the DOH pages or the underlying statute and rules before publishing, since it could change the meaning of the paragraph. Possible gap in Source 1. The DOH Patient Information page lists "telemedicine rules" as a heading, but none of the extracted facts from that page address telemedicine. It may contain more detail, such as renewal frequency or who qualifies for remote renewal, that the outline didn't capture. No conflicts found on the core rule. The official FAQ and the commercial source (greenwellness.org) agree: in person for new patients, telehealth possible for renewals.

Washington's official sources don't address whether the state recognizes medical cannabis cards from other states, so out-of-state patients should check before relying on one. The Department of Health describes its medical program as open to Washington residents who have a qualifying condition and an authorization from a healthcare practitioner (DOH). The program's perks, including tax-free purchases and higher limits, are tied to registration and a recognition card obtained at a medically endorsed store in Washington (DOH). Because Washington also allows adult-use cannabis, visitors 21 and older can buy and possess it under the general adult rules. Those rules cap usable flower at one ounce and solid infused edibles at 16 ounces, and they bar use in public places such as parks, sidewalks and restaurants (LCB). --- Notes Reciprocity itself isn't established. None of the sources, official or otherwise, say whether Washington accepts or rejects out-of-state medical cards. I didn't state either way. The DOH residency requirement is the closest official fact, so I cited it without claiming it answers the question. Some adult-use limits are left out. Several non-official sources (Visit Seattle, NORML, W