On November 3, 1998, 59% of Washington voters approved Measure 692, which removes state-level criminal penalties on the use, possession and cultivation of medical marijuana (also referred to as medical weed, mmj, medical pot or medical cannabis ) by patients who possess "valid documentation" from their physician affirming that he or she suffers from a debilitating condition and that the "potential benefits of the medical use of marijuana would likely outweigh the health risks."  Patients who possess larger quantities of cannabis than those approved by the Department will continue to receive legal protection under Washington's medical marijuana law if they present evidence indicating that they require such amounts to adequately treat their qualifying medical condition.

Read the full text of the Washington State Medical Marijuana Act here. (Coming Soon)

•  Must be a resident of Washington with a valid Washington I.D. as proof of residency.  

•  Must be a patient of from a Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) currently licensed to practice medicine in Washington. Find a Medical Marijuana Doctor in Washington here.

•  Have a formal statement signed by the Washington-licensed physician or a copy of medical records, in which you are diagnosed with a qualifying condition.

•  Have been advised by your physician of the risks and benefits of the medical use of marijuana, with that physician determining that the benefits would likely outweigh the risks.  

Patients in Washington diagnosed with the following illnesses are afforded legal protection under the Washington Medical Marijuana law :

AIDS/HIV - Arthritis – Asthma - Cachexia – Cancer – Chronic Muscle Spasms – Chronic Nausea – Chronic Severe Pain – Crohn's Disease – GERD – Glaucoma – Hepatitis C – IBS – Multiple Sclerosis - Parkinson's Disease – Seizure Disorders

Some medical marijuana patients will claim they have a doctor's prescription for medical marijuana, but marijuana prescriptions are in fact illegal. The federal government classifies marijuana as a schedule I drug. Therefore doctors are unable to prescribe marijuana to their patients, and medical marijuana patients cannot go to a pharmacy to fill a prescription for medical marijuana. Instead, medical marijuana physicians will supply patients with a Medical Marijuana "Recommendation" in compliance with state law.

According to Washington medical marijuana laws , patients and their caregivers may grow medical marijuana for the patient's private use and may possess a “sixty-day supply.” Washington's medical marijuana laws do not include provisions for the selling or distributing of medical cannabis.