Medical Marijuana North Dakota Frequently Asked Questions

Is Weed Legal in North Dakota?

Weed is legal in North Dakota, but only for medical marijuana. They tried to pass recreational usage in 2018, but the voters were not on board. It was rejected by 59% to 41%.

Proponents of changing the North Dakota weed laws to make recreational marijuana legal were unable to get it onto the ballot due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a good chance things could change in the coming years, making recreational use legal in North Dakota. Many states, including conservative states, have started to change their tunes in the past few years. They have seen how beneficial legalization can be.

Even though it is still illegal for recreational purposes, you will find that since 2019, those who have been caught with less than half an ounce on them won’t get jail time. This has been decriminalized. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any finds. You can still receive a fine of up to $1,000. So, even though it’s decriminalized, it’s a better idea to get a North Dakota medical marijuana card if you need weed for your medical issues.

Does North Dakota Have a Medical Marijuana Program?

Yes, in North Dakota, weed was made legal to help patients with a range of medical issues. The first attempt to pass the legalization of medical marijuana was in 2015, and it didn’t pass. It wasn’t until the following year that voters approved Measure 5. This established medical marijuana in North Dakota, and it finally went into effect in 2017.

However, the state legislature still wanted to put more restrictions on users. They did this with State Bill 2344. This modified the way medical marijuana works in the state. It removed a provision that had allowed medical users to grow their own marijuana. Now, they will have to buy through a dispensary.

What Kind of Medical Marijuana is Approved in North Dakota?

You will typically have a range of options available when it comes to options for North Dakota medical marijuana. Once you receive your medical card, discussed below, you can then visit a dispensary.

You can then choose from a range of options and the type of medical marijuana that was prescribed or that you prefer. There are typically options for whole flower, pre-rolls, concentrates, tinctures, vapes, and even topicals. You can find various strains and potencies to help best meet your needs.

Something to keep in mind is that if you want to buy weed you can smoke, you will need special permission from your doctor. You can’t just buy smokable cannabis. If you don’t have that permission from the doctor, you are only allowed to purchase the infused tinctures, topics, capsules, patches, or topical creams.

How Much Medical Marijuana Can You Have in North Dakota?

How much weed are you allowed to buy at any one time? According to the North Dakota cannabis laws, you are allowed to purchase up to three ounces of marijuana provided by one of the state dispensaries in a single 30-day period. After those 30 days, you could buy another three ounces for another 30 days. In some cases, it is possible to have a provider authorize an “enhanced amount” of dried leaves or flowers that can be up to six ounces.

If you are buying concentrate rather than whole flower or pre-rolls, the maximum per 30-day period will be 2,000 milligrams.

How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in ND

If you want to have a medical marijuana card, you will need to be at least 19 years old. You also need to have a bonafide relationship with the doctor that recommends the medical marijuana.

Those who are under the age of 19 will need to have a caregiver or legal guardian to get medical marijuana. Caregivers will need to be at least 21 years old and will have to undergo a criminal background check.

Regardless of age, the patient will need to have a medical marijuana qualifying condition mentioned in the following section. They also need to fill out the medical marijuana ND application.

The medical marijuana card is typically good for a year. Those who have a medical card are required to renew their card within 45 days before their current card expires. The renewal fee is $50. The cost of replacing a card is $25.

What Qualifies You for Medical Marijuana Card in North Dakota?

Below, you will see a list of the qualifying conditions. You will need to have at least one of these to qualify for a card.

• Agitation of Alzheimer’s Disease or Related Dementia
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
• Anorexia Nervosa
• Anxiety Disorder
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Brain Injury
• Bulimia Nervosa
• Cancer
• Crohn’s Disease 
• Decompensated Cirrhosis From Hepatitis 
• Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
• Endometriosis 
• Epilepsy
• Fibromyalgia
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Interstitial Cystitis
• Migraine
• Neuropathy
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Spinal Stenosis or Chronic Back Pain
• Terminal Illness
• Tourette Syndrome

Additionally, chronic or debilitating diseases or medical conditions for these types of diseases that produce one or more of the following issues could qualify you, as well. Your doctor will need to establish that you qualify.

Some of these could include pain from surgical procedures when the pain has lasted for three or more months, seizures, intractable nausea, cachexia, and severe and persistent muscle spasms, including MS.

Does North Dakota Medical Marijuana Program Allow for Home Cultivation?

When medical marijuana was first introduced, the goal was to allow the patients to be able to grow their own. However, this was not to last, as it was stripped away from the law almost immediately.

Even though being able to grow your own weed would be cheaper for those who have the green thumb and the patience, it is no longer allowed. Today, you are required to go through one of the North Dakota dispensaries to buy.

Growing at home had the potential to help patients save some money, but it’s no longer possible, at least with the current marijuana laws in place.

Can a Felon Get a Medical Marijuana Card in North Dakota?

One of the worries that some people have when it comes to getting medical marijuana is their criminal background. They may worry that since they have a felony, they will not be allowed to buy. Fortunately, that’s not the case in North Dakota. You can still be a felon and obtain one of these cards.

However, someone who is acting as a caregiver does need to go through a background check, as mentioned. A felony will likely preclude someone from acting as a caregiver.

Does North Dakota Have Dispensaries?

North Dakota marijuana dispensaries are the only place patients can get their marijuana since they aren’t allowed to grow it. Another one of the drawbacks to this is that the state only has eight total dispensaries at this time. More may be added in the future, but there are only a small number of them currently, which means some patients might have to drive a bit to get their medical marijuana. In those cases, it’s a good idea to purchase the maximum amount possible and to make sure it can last until you into the following month.