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Washington and Cannabis. What You Should Know

Join the thousands of people who turn to Elevate Holistics for all their medical marijuana card and cannabis information.

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What do medical marijuana patients need most? Information. Why? Because knowing that marijuana is legal in Washington doesn’t guarantee access if you don’t know how to go about it.

Also, you risk committing drug crimes if you’re unaware of the Washington marijuana laws.

Our job at Elevate Holistics is to bridge the gap between patients and marijuana. And in this piece, we’ll tell you all you need to know about medical marijuana in Washington.

Medical marijuana has been legal in Washington since 1998 when voters passed Initiative 692 with a 59% vote.

Washington residents with a qualifying condition can obtain a physician’s authorization which gives them legal protection and permits them to cultivate marijuana.

Patients who register on the medical marijuana authorization database can enjoy the full benefits of medical marijuana.

Medical Marijuana Authorization Database

Medical Marijuana patients who have valid authorization from their Heath care practitioner can join the medical marijuana authorization database and get a medical marijuana recognition card. Joining the database is voluntary, except for patients who are under 18 years.

Patients who join the database will enjoy the following benefits: 

  • Higher purchase and possession limits
  • Tax-free marijuana
  • High THC products
  • Legal protection
  • Can participate in cooperative for growing marijuana

Patients with valid physician authorization who did not register on the medical marijuana database are free from prosecution if they possess no more than four plants and six ounces of usable marijuana. However, they don’t enjoy the benefits of recognition card holders.

For more information on the medical marijuana database, click here.

Washington Recreational Weed

Washington and Colorado have the honor of being the first states in America to legalize recreational marijuana.

In November 2012, voters in Washington approved Initiative 502, making it legal for adults aged 21 and older to buy, possess, and use marijuana.

The measure passed with 55.7% of the vote, and its initiative directed the Liquor Control Board to develop a process that will regulate the production, processing, delivery, and sale of marijuana.

Washington Marijuana Laws

As much as we want you to have access to marijuana and enjoy nature’s wonder drug, we wouldn’t want you getting into trouble.

That’s right; you can commit a marijuana offense even though it’s legal. So it’s best to acquaint yourself with Washington marijuana laws.

Who Can Authorize Medical Marijuana Treatment?

Under Washington cannabis laws, patients can get a medical marijuana authorization only from any of the following:

  • Medical doctor (MD)
  • Physician Assistant (PA)
  • Osteopathic physician (DO)
  • Osteopathic physician assistant (DOA)
  • Naturopathic physician
  • Advanced registered nurse practitioner

Where Can You Consume Marijuana?

Washington marijuana laws are liberal, but there are restrictions on where you can consume marijuana.

You can’t consume marijuana in public; this includes schools, youth centers, public transportation, streets, public park, and sidewalks. A fine of $27 applies to smoking marijuana in public.

Initiative 692 explicitly states, “It shall be a misdemeanor to use or display medical marijuana in a manner or place which is open to the view of the general public.”

The most appropriate place to consume marijuana is in your home. However, landlords can ban the use of marijuana on their property.

What are the Marijuana Possession Limits in Washington?

Possession limits are one marijuana law you need to pay close attention to. You could get so caught up enjoying marijuana that you forget there’s a limit to how much you can possess.

The laws for buying weed in Washington are as follows. 

Recreational Use Limit:

Adults 21 and older can buy any of the following:

  • One ounce of usable cannabis
  • Seven grams of cannabis concentrate
  • Sixteen ounces of cannabis-infused product in solid form
  • Seventy-two ounces of cannabis-infused product in liquid form

Patients and designated caregivers who have valid authorization but are not registered on the Medical Marijuana Database can only buy the same amount of marijuana as recreational consumers.

Recognition Card Holders:

Qualified patients and designated caregivers who are registered in the medical marijuana database can buy:

  • Three ounces of usable marijuana
  • Twenty-one grams of marijuana concentrate
  • Two hundred and sixteen ounces of marijuana-infused product in liquid form
  • Forty-eight ounces of marijuana-infused product in solid form 

Driving Under Influence

Even though marijuana is legal, it is illegal to drive under the influence of marijuana. If you’re 21 years or older and caught behind the wheels with 5 nanograms of THC per millimeter of blood, you’ll face the legal consequences.

A first-time DUI offense is punishable by a minimum jail sentence of 1 day and a maximum of 364 days. The minimum fine is $990.50, and the maximum is $5000.

If you’re under 21, you are not allowed to drive with any amount of THC in your blood.

According to the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, it can take up to three hours after consumption for the cannabis level in some people to drop below the 5 nanograms per millimeter limit, but this depends on several factors like gender and body size.

The board recommends that users wait at least 5 hours after consuming cannabis before they drive. If you consume edibles, you must wait longer because the THC can stay in your system longer than when you smoke cannabis.

If you’re not sure you’re ready to drive, it’s best to call a taxi or leave the driving to someone else.

How to Get a Medical Marijuanas Card in Washington State

Do you want a medical marijuanas card in Washington? The process is easy. First, you must get your physician’s authorization in a simple two-step process.

Step 1 – Physician appointment: Schedule an appointment with your doctor. The appointment must be an in-person physical meeting. Telemedicine appointments are not allowed for a first appointment.

Step 2 – Physician recommendation: Your doctor will discuss your condition, evaluate you and decide if you’ll benefit from medical marijuana treatment. If your doctor decides you need medical marijuana, they will give you a “physician authorization.” Even if you have a qualifying condition, your doctor is not required to authorize marijuana treatment for you.

Your physician will specify the validity period of your authorization form. For patients aged 18 and above, it can be valid for up to a year, while for those below 18, it can be valid for up to six months.

If you have a physician’s authorization, you can cultivate marijuana for personal medical use and register on the medical marijuana database. However, you can’t enjoy the full benefits of medical marijuana until you register on the authorization database and get a recognition card.

The steps for registering in the medical marijuana database are as follows:

Step 1 – Schedule an Appointment: contact a medically-endorsed store and schedule an appointment with a certified consultant.

Step 2 – Register: Visit the store for your appointment and bring your physician authorization and a state-issued photo ID. The consultant will review your information, complete the registration process and give you a medical marijuana card. With your Washington MMJ card, you can enjoy the full benefits of medical marijuana in Washington.

How to Qualify for Medical Marijuana In Washington State

Only patients with terminal or debilitating medical conditions can register for medical marijuana in Washington state.

State law defines a terminal or debilitating medical condition as “a condition severe enough to significantly interfere with the patient’s activities of daily living and ability to function, which can be objectively assessed and evaluated.”

These conditions are:

  • Cancer
  • Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorders or spasticity disorders
  • Intractable pain that is, pain that’s not relieved by standard medical treatments and medications
  • Acute or chronic glaucoma that has not been relieved by standard medical 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
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Traumatic brain injury

Can You Grow Your Own Weed in Washington?

Only patients who have valid physician authorization can grow marijuana in Washington.  Recreational consumers are not permitted to grow marijuana. 

Patients who have recognition cards can grow up to six plants and possess up to eight ounces of usable marijuana produced from their plants.

Health care providers can authorize a higher cultivation limit if they believe the patient requires more marijuana. With this authorization, recognition card holders can grow up to fifteen plants and possess up to 16 ounces of usable marijuana produced from their plants.

Patients with valid physician authorization who did not register on the medical marijuana database can grow only four plants for personal use and possess six ounces of usable marijuana from their plants.

Unfortunately, they can’t grow more than the limit even if their physician indicates a higher amount on the authorization.

The maximum growable plant in one housing unit is 15 plants, even if it houses multiple patients or designated providers.

Cooperatives: Up to four medical marijuana patients or their designated provider can form a cooperative for growing marijuana. However, you must register in the medical marijuana database before becoming a member of a cooperative. A cooperative can grow up to sixty plants.

For more information on cooperatives, click here.

Washington Dispensary Laws

The Liquor and Cannabis Board regulate all marijuana retailers in Washington. Consequently, the board is in charge of Washington state dispensary laws and regulations.

Medical marijuana products are available at medically-approved stores, the equivalent of Washington medical dispensaries. You can find a list of approved medically-approved stores and their locations here.

Marijuana retailers in Washington have to abide by the following regulations and conditions of their license:

  • A licensed marijuana retail store cannot employ persons under 21 years. Also, they cannot enter or remain on the premises.
  • Qualifying patients between 18 and 21 with a Washington medical marijuana card can enter a marijuana store if it is medically endorsed.
  • Visitors cannot open or consume marijuana products on the premises of retail stores.
  • Retail outlets can only sell marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, marijuana-infused products, or paraphernalia.

For a comprehensive list of the Washington dispensary laws, click here.

You Can Trust Elevate Holistics

As we said at the beginning, you need reliable information to make the most of medical marijuana. Thankfully, we have all the information you need.

Here at Elevate Holistics, we believe in the therapeutic properties of marijuana, and we believe lack of access should not be a barrier. That’s why we set up this one-stop telemedicine platform to cater to all your marijuana needs.

We can help you get an appointment with a qualified physician, find a licensed dispensary, and answer whatever questions and inquiries you may have. Are you wondering how to get your Washington medical marijuanas card online? Contact us today, and let’s get started.

Even though medical marijuana is legal in Washington, we don’t operate there — yet! For now, click here to sign up for our mailing list to stay up to date on all things Elevate and all things cannabis. You can also head over to our blog to read more.

Table of Contents

Frequently
Asked Questions

Yes, cannabis is legal in Washington state, both medicinally and recreationally. 

To become a medical marijuana patient in Washington, you must meet with a licensed physician who can certify that you have at least one of the state’s qualifying medical conditions.

The qualifying conditions for a medical marijuana card in Washington are:

  • 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

The application for the certificate itself costs $95. 

An approved physician will provide you with the proper authorization form after an evaluation. This form demonstrates that you do have a qualifying medical condition and will benefit from cannabis. 

How long your form is valid is going to depend on both your age and treatment plan. For most minors, this authorization form will be valid for up to six months, while many adults’ forms are good for up to a year.

As soon as you’ve met with a qualified professional who has given you the authorization form, you need to contact a medically-endorsed store. Here, you will schedule an appointment with a Certified Consultant who will:

 

  • Review the authorization for completeness and accuracy
  • Compare the information to your state identification
  • Take a photo of your face and designated provider (if any)
  • Enter your patient information and upload the photo into the medical marijuana authorization database
  • Generate, print, and laminate the medical marijuana card
  • Return the authorization, identification, and medical marijuana card to you

Before your current medical card expires, you will need to receive another authorization form from a licensed medical practitioner. Then, you will schedule an appointment at a medically-endorsed store just as you did when you first got your card. 

Yes, though it depends on the cannabis shop itself. Medically-endorsed storefronts can provide cannabis at a reduced charge or no charge depending on the specific programs they have in place. Always contact the shop first and see how they can help.

Medical patients can purchase cannabis at any state-licensed retailer found across the state. 

In Washington state, you cannot consume cannabis in any public space or within public view. All consumption must occur in your own private residence or space. Consumption within vehicles is also prohibited. 

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