Medical Marijuana Laws by State

Patients must show registry ID cards. Dispensaries are allowed for specific conditions but not for patients of other states.

Alabama SB46 – now Act 2021-450

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Cancer-related cachexia
• Weight loss
• Chronic pain
• Crohn’s disease
• Depression
• Epilepsy or a condition causing seizures
• HIV/AIDS-related nausea or weight loss
• Panic disorder
• Parkinson’s disease
• Persistent nausea
• Cyclical vomiting syndrome
• Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Sickle Cell Anemia
• Spasticity associated with Multiple Sclerosis or spinal cord injury
• Multiple Sclerosis or a spinal cord injury
• Terminal illness
• Tourette’s Syndrome
• Any condition causing chronic or intractable pain

• Possession: 70 daily doses of medical cannabis under 75 mg THC
• Cultivation: Up to 12 cultivator licenses are allowed in the state
• Caregivers: The amount must not exceed the 60-day daily dosage purchasing limit
• Prohibited Products: Raw plant material, products that cannot be smoked or vaped, and food products such as cookies or candies

Ballot Measure #8 was passed in 1998 and enacted in 1999. Patients with written medical approval may use, possess, and cultivate marijuana for personal use.

After securing a physician’s recommendation, patients must apply for a Registry Identification Card for Medical Use of Marijuana in order to be considered compliant.

Alaska Stat. 17.37.10, et seq.

• Cancer
• Glaucoma
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
• Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
• Cachexia
• Severe pain
• Severe nausea
• Seizures, including those caused by epilepsy
• Persistent muscle spasms, including those presenting with Multiple Sclerosis

• Possession: 1 ounce of usable marijuana
• Cultivation: Six marijuana plants, only three of which may be mature
• Caregivers: Must be 21 or older, free from conviction of a felony controlled substance offense, permanent Alaskan resident, only caregiving for one person unless related to the patient, and listed by the patient as either the primary or alternate caregiver

Proposition 207 passed in 2010, allowing the use and possession of marijuana for patients with "written certification" from their physician.

The law recognizes "visiting qualifying patients," those with valid doctor’s recommendations from other medical marijuana states.

Arizona Rev. Statutes 36-2801, et seq.

• Cancer
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Hepatitis C
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease)
• Crohn’s disease
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Any medical condition producing cachexia or wasting syndrome
• Severe or chronic pain
• Nausea
• Seizures
• Any debilitating medical condition approved by the Arizona Department of Health Services

• Possession: Purchase 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana every 14 days
• Cultivation: You can grow up to 12 marijuana plants if you do not live within 25 miles of a licensed dispensary. Must be grown in an enclosure
• Caregivers: Must be 21 years old and sign a statement promising not to deliver to anyone but the patient to whom you have been designated. Can be assigned to up to 5 patients

Voters approved passage of the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment, known on the ballot as Issue 6, on Nov. 8, 2016. The measure removes criminal sanctions against those who use medical marijuana under doctor’s orders, although cultivation centers have yet to be developed.

Patients who want access to medical marijuana must apply with the state, including a written certification from a physician licensed in the state within the last thirty days.

Arkansas Constitution of 1874: Amendment 98, section 1, et seq.

• Cancer
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Hepatitis C
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
• Tourette’s Syndrome
• Crohn’s Disease Ulcerative Colitis
• PTSD
• Severe Arthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Cachexia or wasting syndrome
• Peripheral Neuropathy
• Intractable pain
• Severe nausea
• Seizures, including but not limited to epilepsy
• Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including Multiple Sclerosis
• Any other medical condition or its treatment approved by the Arkansas Department of Health

• Possession: Up to 2.5 oz. of usable cannabis
• Cultivation: Patients and caregivers cannot grow medical marijuana
• Dispensaries: The Arkansas Department of Health issues licenses to distribute medical marijuana
• Caregivers: Must be 21 years old. Patient must be a minor or have been declared physically disabled and a resident of the state. Parents of children under 21 years old do not need to have a background check, but other potential caregivers do. State law prohibits Arkansas National Guard or military members from being a caregiver

Proposition 215, passed in 1996, was the nation’s first medical marijuana law (California Bureau of Medical Cannabis). Eligible patients must present a "written or oral recommendation" from their physician.

Guidelines passed in 2003 set limits for the possession and cultivation of marijuana by eligible patients and their caregivers.

California Health and Safety Code: Section 11362.5, et seq.

Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act

• Anorexia
• Arthritis
• Cachexia
• Cancer
• Chronic pain
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Migraine
• Multiple sclerosis

• Possession: 8 ounces of usable marijuana or 60 grams of cannabis concentrate. However, a doctor can recommend more under the Compassionate Use Act
• Cultivation: Six mature or 12 immature marijuana plants. Some counties allow a growing space of up to 100 square feet
• Dispensaries: State-licensed dispensaries must not be within 600 feet of a school and cannot operate for a profit. Otherwise, dispensaries are regulated at the local level
• Caregivers: A primary caregiver must be 18 years old unless the primary caregiver is an emancipated minor or the parent of a minor child who is a qualified patient. Caregiver may be an individual or the owner, operator, or employee of an appropriately licensed clinic, facility, hospice, or home health agency

Amendment 20 passed in 2000 and took effect the following year, exempting patients with written documentation from their physicians from criminal sanctions.

While the state maintains a confidential registry and issues identification cards, patients who do not join the registry and are arrested for possession or cultivation of marijuana may argue an "affirmative defense of medical necessity."

Colorado Constitution Article XVIII 14; Colorado Revised Statutes 18-18-406.3, et seq.

• Cachexia
• Cancer
• Chronic pain
• Chronic nervous system disorders
• Epilepsy and other conditions characterized by seizures
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Multiple sclerosis and other muscle spasticity disorders
• Persistent muscle spasms
• Nausea
• Severe pain
• Other conditions subject to approval by the state

• Possession: 2 ounces of usable marijuana
• Cultivation: 6 marijuana plants, but only three can be mature at one time
• Dispensaries: Must be at least 1,000 feet from a school or daycare center; local municipalities have the authority to prohibit dispensaries in their community
• Caregivers: Must be 18 years old, listed on the medical marijuana registry, and have a maximum of five patients

Public Act 12-55 was signed into law by the governor on June 1, 2012. Patients with a qualifying "debilitating medical condition" who have obtained a written certification from a physician may possess cannabis but may not cultivate the plant.

Medical marijuana patients must register with Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection (DCP). As of July 2023, online applicants do not pay a fee.

Connecticut Gen. Statutes: Title 21A, Section 21a-408, et seq.

• Cachexia
• Cancer
• Crohn’s disease
• Certain spinal cord injuries
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson’s disease
• PTSD
• Wasting Syndrome
• Any other medical condition, medical treatment, or disease approved by the DCP

• Possession: Cannot have more than 5 ounces in one month
• Cultivation: Personal cultivation of up to 12 plants per household. There is a limit of three immature plants and three mature plants per person
• Dispensaries: There are currently 18 state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries that operate throughout Connecticut
• Caregivers: Patients’ primary caregivers may possess up to a one-month supply. Caregivers have the same legal protection from state prosecution as patients

Delaware’s governor signed Senate Bill No. 17 into law in May 2011. It permits the medical use of marijuana with a doctor’s recommendation by those 18 and older.

Qualifying patients must have written documentation from their physician, which is then sent to the state Department of Health and Social Services for the issuance of a mandatory I.D. card. The statute also recognizes qualifying patients from other states. Qualifying patients who do not have an I.D. card may raise an affirmative defense motion to dismiss marijuana possession charges.

Delaware Code: Title 16, Section 4901A, et seq.

• ALS
• Alzheimer’s
• AIDS
• Autism with aggressive behavior
• Cachexia
• Cancer
• Chronic debilitating migraines
• Glaucoma
• Intractable nausea
• HIV
• Decompensated cirrhosis
• PTSD
• Severe debilitating pain that has not responded to other treatments for three months or if other treatment options produce serious side effects
• Other conditions producing severe nausea, seizures, or severe muscle spasms
• Terminal illness

• Possession: Six (6) ounces of usable marijuana
• Cultivation: Only licensed compassion center agents may cultivate medical marijuana for qualified patients in a locked area
• Dispensaries: Patients must register with a state-licensed, not-for-profit compassion center, which may not dispense more than three ounces of marijuana per patient in any 14-day period
• Caregivers: Must be 21 years of age or older, have not been convicted of a felony offense (limited to violent crime or a violation of state or federal drug laws), and assist no more than five medical marijuana patients at a time

Ballot Initiative 59 was passed by a wide margin of voters in 1998 (69%) but was blocked by city lawmakers citing a congressional ban.

The ban was lifted in 2010, followed by the passage of legislation authorizing the establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries. Patients may register online. Residents 21 years old or older can self-certify their needs, but residents 18-20 years old need a physician’s recommendation.

D.C. Code Ann. 7-1671.01, et seq. Medical Cannabis Amendment Act was passed in 2023.

• Possession: Eight (8) ounces of usable medical marijuana
• Cultivation: Not allowed under current law
• Dispensaries: Limited to growing 500 plants on-site at a time
• Caregivers: Must be 18, registered with the District of Columbia, and may only help one patient at a time obtain medical marijuana

Florida voters approved the Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative (on the ballot as Amendment 2) on Nov. 8, 2016, with a 71 percent "yes" vote.

The amendment to Florida’s Constitution allows patients with a doctor’s recommendation to use marijuana to alleviate symptoms of certain illnesses and medical conditions.

Florida Statutes: Title XXIX, Section 381.986, et seq. As of 2023, doctors must examine the patient in person before a medical cannabis license will be issued.

• ALS
• Cancer
• Chronic nonmalignant pain
• Chron’s disease
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson’s disease
• Seizures
• Terminal illness (less than twelve months to live)
• Other conditions that may be eased by medical marijuana (as determined by the physician)

• Possession: Three 70-day supplies. 70-day supplies shall not exceed 2.5 ounces. Detailed limitations can be found here
• Cultivation: Not allowed
• Dispensaries: Licensed by the Florida Department of Health
• Caregivers: 21 years old Florida resident; non-physician; have a Medical Marijuana Use Registry Caregiver identification card on them when in possession of marijuana. Background check is only required for non-close relatives (must pass a level 2 background check)

Senate Bill 862 was signed into law in 2000 and took effect later that year. Eligible patients must obtain a signed physician’s statement that medical marijuana would help their "debilitating condition" and that the "potential benefits… would likely outweigh the health risks" of medical marijuana.

The state-run patient registry is mandatory for eligible patients.

Hawaii Revised Statutes: Section 329-121, et seq.

• ALS
• Cachexia
• Cancer
• Chronic pain
• Crohn’s disease
• Epilepsy and other conditions characterized by seizures
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Lupus
• Multiple sclerosis and other muscle spasticity disorders
• Nausea
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Seizures
• Other conditions subject to state approval

• Possession: 4 ounces of usable medical marijuana stored in packages of one ounce or less. House Bill 2097 authorized edibles in 2020
• Cultivation: Ten marijuana plants, no more than three of which are mature. Users can also have up to three immature plants
• Dispensaries: State-licensed dispensaries opened beginning in 2017
• Caregivers: Must be 18 years old, a Hawaii resident, and not a caregiver for another individual

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed House Bill 1 into law on Aug. 1, 2013. The Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act instituted a 4-year pilot program for the supply and use of medical marijuana by eligible patients. It is now a permanent program.

The Opioid Alternative Pilot Program began in 2018. It allows individuals who have or could receive a prescription for opioids access to medical marijuana.

Patients with a doctor’s recommendation must register with the state to participate in the programs.

Illinois Statutes: Chapter 410, Section 130/1, et seq.

• Agitation due to Alzheimer’s
• Anorexia
• Autism
• Cancer
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Hepatitis C
• Muscular dystrophy
• Crohn’s disease
• Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Multiple sclerosis
• Neuro-Bechet’s autoimmune disease
• Neuropathy
• Osteoarthritis
• Chronic pancreatitis
• Polycystic kidney disease
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Spinal cord injury or disease
• Terminal illness
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Other illnesses/conditions that may be treated with cannabis

• Possession: An "adequate supply". The standard limit is 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana. However, doctors can submit a waiver if that is not an adequate supply for their patients
• Cultivation: Up to 5 plants for personal use
• Dispensaries: Patients must select a designated dispensary from the list of state-licensed facilities
• Caregivers: Must be 21 years old, reside in the state during the application process and caregiver duties, and have never been convicted of a violent crime or felony

Louisiana law allowed physicians licensed in the state to recommend the use of medical marijuana for certain seriously ill patients for decades. It wasn’t until 2017 that legislation was signed into law to establish a legal framework for medical cannabis.

The new law provides protection for patients, caregivers, and physicians, in addition to licensing protocols and other regulatory controls.

Louisiana Revised Statutes: Title 40, Section 1046, et seq.

• Any condition for which a patient is receiving hospice care or palliative care
• Autism with aggression, self-injuring behavior, avoidance of others, or inability to communicate their health needs
• Alzheimer’s;
• ALS
• Cachexia/wasting syndrome
• Cancer
• Concussion
• Crohn’s disease
• Epilepsy
• Fibromyalgia chronic pain
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Huntington’s disease
• Intractable pain;
• Lewy body dementia
• Motor neuron disease
• Muscular dystrophy
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Seizures
• Sickle cell disease
• Chronic pain
• Spasticity
• Spinal muscular atrophy
• Other conditions that may benefit from medical marijuana (as determined by the physician)

• Possession: 2.5 ounces every 14 days of non-smokable marijuana preparations (i.e., edibles, tinctures)
• Cultivation: Not permitted
• Dispensaries: Current law allows for two state-licensed supply sources. These sources are distributed to up to 30 licensed pharmacies in the state
• Caregivers: No laws provide for caregivers except in the case of minor children

Question 2 was passed by voters in 1999 and took effect later that year, allowing patients to possess and cultivate medical marijuana with an oral or written "professional opinion" from their physician. Patients arrested for having more than the allowed amount of marijuana may use a "simple defense" against the charges.

Amendments established a confidential registry and identification program (required for eligible patients). Maine allows qualifying medical marijuana patients with valid medical marijuana identification to purchase medical marijuana when visiting the state.

Maine Revised Statutes: Title 22, Section 2421, et seq.

• Alzheimer’s disease
• ALS
• Cachexia
• Cancer
• Chronic pain
• Crohn’s disease
• Epilepsy and other conditions characterized by seizures
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C
• HIV/AIDS
• Huntington’s disease
• Multiple Sclerosis and other muscle spasticity disorders
• Nausea
• Nail-Patella syndrome
• Parkinson’s disease
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Other conditions, as determined by a doctor

• Possession: 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana
• Cultivation: 12 marijuana plants, no more than 6 of which are mature
• Dispensaries: Up to 57 dispensaries are allowed under state law
• Caregivers: Must be 21 years of age or older and can never have been convicted of a drug offense

Maryland lawmakers passed legislation in 2013 legalizing the medical use of marijuana by eligible patients. The state allows physicians, nurse practitioners, dentists, podiatrists, and nurse midwives to recommend it to their patients.

The program became operational on Dec. 1, 2017. Patients must register with the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission in order to access their medicine.

Code of Maryland Regulations: Chapter 10, Section 62.01, et seq.

• Anorexia
• Cachexia or wasting syndrome
• Chronic pain
• Glaucoma
• Nausea
• Seizures
• Severe or persistent muscle spasms
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Any severe condition for which other medical treatments have been ineffective

• Possession: Up to 1.5 grams of cannabis flower (unless a physician recommends more)
• Cultivation: Up to 4 plants for medical marijuana patients. Landlords and property owners can prohibit growing cannabis on their properties
• Dispensaries: 101 dispensaries have been approved by the state
• Caregivers: Must be 21 years old. Patients must have a caregiver and can have up to 4

Question 3 (An Act for the Humanitarian Medical Use of Marijuana) passed with the support of 63 percent of voters in 2012. This legalized the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes and took effect on January 1, 2013. The law mandates a state-run patient registry and allows up to 35 state-licensed (and nonprofit) medical marijuana dispensaries.

Code of Massachusetts Regulations: 935 CMR 501.00, et seq.

• ALS
• Cancer
• Crohn’s Disease
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C
• HIV/AIDS
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson’s disease

• Possession: A 60-day supply, up to ten ounces. Doctors can request an increased amount for their patients if necessary for managing their condition
• Cultivation: Up to 12 flowering and 12 vegetative cannabis plants. Patients can submit a hardship
• Dispensaries: State-licensed dispensaries and medical marijuana treatment centers
• Caregivers: Must be 21 years old and can have up to 5 patients. Patients can designate up to 2 caregivers

Voters approved Proposal 1 in 2008. Upon implementation, it allowed possession and cultivation of marijuana by patients who obtained written documentation from their physician. Recreational marijuana was legalized through a ballot initiative on Nov. 6, 2018.

The state operates a confidential patient registry and issues identification cards. Michigan allows visiting qualifying medical marijuana patients with valid medical marijuana identification to medicate within the state.

Michigan Compiled Laws: Chapter 333, Section 26421, et seq.

• Agitation of Alzheimer’s
• ALS
• Arthritis
• Autism
• Cancer
• Cerebral Palsy
• Colitis
• Crohn’s disease
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Hepatitis C
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Lou Gehrig’s disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Nail patella
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Spinal cord injury
• Tourette’s syndrome
• Ulcerative colitis
• Cachexia
• Wasting syndrome
• Severe and chronic pain
• Severe nausea
• Seizures
• Severe muscle spasms

• Possession: 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana
• Cultivation: 12 marijuana plants
• Dispensaries: Dispensaries may be operated legally within the state in accordance with rules enacted on Dec. 20, 2016
• Caregivers: Must be 21 years old, residents of the state, and lack felony convictions. Each caregiver can have up to 5 patients

The Minnesota legislature passed a bill that was signed into law in 2014 authorizing the medical use of cannabis by eligible patients. The Minnesota Department of Health has a 3-step process for patients to register, including an online registration.

Minnesota Statutes: Chapter 152, Section 22, et seq.

• Autism spectrum disorder (as defined in the DSM-5)
• ALS
• Cancer
• Cachexia
• Crohn’s disease
• Chronic motor or vocal tic disorder
• Chronic pain
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Intractable pain
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Multiple sclerosis
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Seizures
• Severe and persistent muscle spasms
• Sickle cell disease
• Terminal illness with a life expectancy of less than one year
• Tourette’s Syndrome

• Possession: 2 ounces on their person in public or up to 2 pounds of cannabis flower in their home
• Cultivation: Up to 8 plants, with only four being mature per household
• Dispensaries: There are 15 licensed dispensaries throughout the state

• Autism
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Cancer
• Crohn’s disease
• Diabetic/peripheral neuropathy
• Dementia agitation
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Hepatitis
• Huntington’s disease
• Muscular dystrophy
• Pain refractory to appropriate opioid management
• Parkinson’s disease
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Sickle cell anemia
• Spastic quadriplegia
• Spinal cord disease or severe injury
• Ulcerative Colitis

• Possession: One MCEU is 3.5 grams of cannabis flower. 28 MCEUs. No possession limit on non-consumable medical cannabis, including, but not limited to, suppositories, ointments, soaps, lotions, or other topical agents
• Cultivation: Not allowed
• Dispensaries: Medical cannabis is bought from state-licensed dispensaries

Missouri voters approved Amendment 2 on Nov. 6, 2018, changing the state constitution to allow for the medical use of marijuana by eligible patients with a physician’s approval.

The law went into effect on Dec. 6, 2018. Only Missouri-licensed medical doctors, doctors of osteopathic medicine, or nurse practitioners can qualify patients.

• AIDS/HIV
• ALS
• Alzheimer’s agitation
• Any terminal illness
• Autism
• Cachexia
• Cancer
• Crohn’s disease
• Debilitating psychiatric disorders
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• Huntington’s Disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Intractable migraines resistant to other forms of treatment
• Neuropathies
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Sickle cell anemia
• Wasting syndrome
• Any chronic medical condition causing severe, persistent pain or muscle spasms, such as multiple sclerosis, seizures, Parkinson’s disease, and Tourette’s syndrome
• Any chronic medical condition treated with prescription medications that may lead to physical or psychological dependence if a physician determines that medical marijuana could be a safer, effective alternative
• Any chronic, debilitating, or other medical condition, such as Hepatitis C, that can benefit from medical cannabis use in the professional opinion of a physician

• Possession: 6 ounces of dried, processed marijuana or its equivalent within a 30-day period unless a physician or nurse practitioner certifies the patient for a greater amount. A patient ID card holder, or caregiver ID card holder on behalf of a licensed patient, may be in possession of up to a 60-day supply (12 ounces, unless the patient has a physician or nurse practitioner certification authorizing more than 6 ounces in 30 days
• Cultivation: Six flowering marijuana plants, six nonflowering plants under 14 inches tall or more, and six nonflowering plants under 14 inches tall in a single enclosed locked facility. You must apply and receive a patient or caregiver cultivation card
• Dispensaries: State-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries
• Caregivers: 21 years old; Missouri resident; and has a valid state-issued ID or unrestricted driver’s license

Initiative 148 took effect in 2004 as the Montana Marijuana Act. It was later amended in 2011 (SB 423) and 2016 (I-182). It is now known as the Montana Medical Marijuana Act.

Patients must submit written medical certification by a licensed physician, pay an application fee, and fill out an application form in order to become registered with the state. They then get a valid medical marijuana identification card. Current patients must renew their application each year.

Minor applications need two physicians to approve their request unless the minor’s treating physician or referral physician is an oncologist, neurologist, or epileptologist.

Montana allows visiting qualifying medical marijuana patients with valid medical marijuana identification to medicate in the state.

Montana Code Annotated: Title 50, Section 46-301, et seq.

Adult-use marijuana is legal in some Montana counties after I-190 was passed in 2022.

• AIDS/HIV
• Cachexia
• Cancer
• Severe or chronic pain
• Crohn’s disease
• Epilepsy and other conditions characterized by seizures
• Severe nausea
• Hospice care admittance
• Multiple Sclerosis and other muscle
• Spasticity disorders
• Painful peripheral neuropathy
• PTSD

• Possession: 1 ounce of usable marijuana. Can have up to five (5) ounces a month and no more than one (1) ounce a day
• Cultivation: Four flowering marijuana plants and four seedling plants. Home cultivators can also purchase from dispensaries
• Dispensaries: Licensed medical marijuana dispensaries
• Caregivers: Montana law refers to caregivers as "designated purchasers." Must be at least 18 years old and registered with the state

Question 9 was approved by voters in 2000 and took effect the following year. Patients with "written documentation" from their physician may qualify and are encouraged to register (confidentially) with the state, which issues identification cards.

Title 56 Nevada Revised Statutes 678A‐678C and Nevada Administrative Code 453A.

• AIDS/HIV
• Anxiety
• Anorexia Nervosa
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Autoimmune Disease
• Cachexia
• Cancer
• Glaucoma
• Opioid dependence
• Neuropathic condition
• Persistent muscle spasms or seizures (including multiple sclerosis and epilepsy)
• Severe nausea or chronic pain

• Possession: 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana
• Cultivation: Only allowed under certain conditions. Where allowed, individuals can grow up to 6 marijuana plants, no more than 12 plants in a household
• Dispensaries: State-licensed dispensaries
• Caregivers: Must be 18 years old, approved by a physician, have a state-issued ID or driver’s license, and have a medical marijuana card on behalf of the patient

House Bill 573, legalizing medical use of marijuana, was signed into law on July 23, 2013. Patients must obtain a recommendation from a physician they’ve had a medical relationship with for more than three months. Visit the Therapeutic Cannabis Program site to learn more.

Out-of-state and Canadian patients with valid documentation can be served at state dispensaries.

New Hampshire Revised Statutes: Title X, Chapter 126-X, et seq.

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (21 years or older)
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (under 21 years old) after required consultation
• Opioid use disorder, with associated symptoms of cravings or withdrawal (requires a provider who is actively treating the patient for opioid use disorder and who is board-certified in Addiction Medicine or Addiction Psychiatry); PTSD; pain that is chronic; and pain that is severe

• AIDS/HIV
• ALS
• Cancer
• Chronic Pancreatitis
• Crohn’s disease
• Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C
• Lupus
• Muscular Dystrophy
• Multiple Sclerosis
• One or more injuries or conditions that have resulted in one or more qualifying symptoms

• Parkinson’s disease
• Spinal cord injury or disease
• Traumatic brain injury
• Ulcerative colitis

• Agitation of Alzheimer’s disease
• Cachexia
• Chemotherapy-induced anorexia
• Constant or severe nausea
• Elevated intraocular pressure
• Moderate to severe insomnia
• Moderate to severe vomiting
• Seizures
• Severe pain
• Severe, persistent muscle spasms
• Wasting syndrome

• Possession: Up to 2 ounces every ten days
• Cultivation: Not permitted
• Dispensaries: Cannabis is produced and distributed through 7 state-sanctioned facilities known as alternative treatment centers
• Caregivers: Not sanctioned

Senate Bill 119 was signed into law in 2010, legalizing medical marijuana in New Jersey through the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act (CUMMA).

Eligible patients with a physician’s recommendation must submit an application to the state, which issues identification cards. Rules for New Jersey’s medical marijuana program were posted in early 2011.

The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement, Assistance and Marketplace Modernization Act legalized recreational cannabis in 2021.

New Jersey Statutes: Title 24, Section 6I-1, et seq.

• AIDS/HIV
• ALS
• Anxiety
• Cancer
• Crohn’s disease and other forms of inflammatory bowel disease
• Dysmenorrhea
• Epilepsy and other conditions characterized by seizures
• Glaucoma
• Lou Gehrig’s Disease
• Migraine
• Multiple Sclerosis and other muscle spasticity disorders
• Muscular Dystrophy
• Any terminal illness, if the physician has determined that the patient will die within one year

• Possession: 3 ounces of usable marijuana per 30 days. Physicians determine the dosage amount for each patient
• Cultivation: Not allowed under current law
• Dispensaries: 9 state-licensed "alternative treatment centers"
• Caregivers: Must be 18 or older and not the patient’s physician; a non-family member caregiver must undergo a background check; can only have one qualifying patient at a time. A patient can have up to two caregivers

Senate Bill 523, called the "Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act," was signed into law in 2007 and took effect later that year. New Mexico maintains a confidential state registry and issues identification cards to qualified patients.

Patients who are under the age of 18 may qualify for the medical marijuana program with written consent from a parent or guardian, in addition to a physician’s recommendation (doctor of medicine, doctor of osteopathy, and nurse practitioner only). As of April 2023, only electronic applications are accepted.

New Mexico Statutes: Chapter 26, Section 2B-1, et seq.

Current New Mexico Medical Marijuana Rules and Regulations after a 2022 amendment.

• Alzheimer’s Disease
• ALS
• Anxiety Disorder
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Cancer
• Crohn’s Disease
• Damage to the Nervous Tissue of the Spinal Cord resulting in intractable spasticity
• Epilepsy/Seizure Disorder
• Friedreich’s Ataxia
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C Infection currently being treated with antiviral medications
• Hospice care patient
• Huntington’s disease
• Inclusion Body Myositis
• Inflammatory Autoimmune-mediated Arthritis
• Insomnia
• Intractable Nausea/Vomiting
• Lewy Body Disease
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea
• Opioid Use Disorder
• Painful Peripheral Neuropathy
• Parkinson’s disease
• PTSD
• Severe Anorexia/Cachexia
• Severe Chronic Pain
• Spasmodic Torticollis (Cervical Dystonia)
• Spinal Muscular Atrophy
• Ulcerative Colitis

• Possession: 2 ounces on the person, but can purchase supplies up to 15 ounces for a three-month supply
• Cultivation: 12 seedlings and 4 mature marijuana plants (16 total); licensed producers may grow up to 150 mature plants at a time
• Dispensaries: State-licensed dispensaries available

Governor Andrew Cuomo and the legislature enacted the Compassionate Care Act in 2014. This legalized the medical use of prepared cannabis products by eligible patients.

Only New York licensed physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, dentists, podiatrists, and midwives who complete a two-hour course can issue certifications for patients to access medical marijuana. New York medical marijuana law requires patients (and caregivers, if applicable) to register with the state in order to access medicine.

The state legalized adult-use cannabis in 2021 with the Marihuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA).

New York Consolidated Laws: PBH Section 3360, et seq.

• Possession: Up to 5 pounds of useable cannabis in a 60-day supply
• Cultivation: Only allowed for patients or caregivers 21 years or older. Patients can be caregivers for others or have a caregiver for themself Caregivers can cultivate up to 12 plants (6 mature and 6 immature), and patients can cultivate up to 6 plants (3 mature and 3 immature)
• Dispensaries: Up to 5 producers and up to 20 dispensaries licensed by the state
• Caregivers: Patients can have up to 5 designated caregivers. Must be at least 21 years old and registered with the state

The North Dakota Compassionate Care Act, or Statutory Measure 5 on the ballot, was approved by voters by a wide margin (64 percent) on Nov. 8, 2016.

The law requires eligible patients with a doctor’s recommendation (terminally ill hospice patients can self-certify) to apply for a state I.D. card in order to lawfully obtain their medicine. Must be 19 years old or have guardian permission.

North Dakota does not recognize other states’ medical marijuana cards.

North Dakota Century Code: Title 19, Section 24.1-01, et seq. Changes to the law in 2023 can be found here.

• AIDS/HIV
• Agitation of Alzheimer’s Disease or related Dementia
• ALS
• Anorexia Nervosa
• Anxiety Disorder
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Brain Injury
• Bulimia Nervosa
• Cancer
• Crohn’s Disease
• Decompensated Cirrhosis caused by Hepatitis C
• Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
• Endometriosis
• Epilepsy
• Fibromyalgia
• Glaucoma
• Interstitial Cystitis
• Migraine
• Neuropathy
• PTSD
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Spinal Stenosis or chronic back pain, including neuropathy or damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity
• Terminal Illness
• Tourette Syndrome.
• A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or treatment for such disease or medical condition that produces one or more of the following:
  • Cachexia or wasting syndrome
  • Severe debilitating pain that has not responded to previously prescribed medication or surgical measures for more than three months or for which other treatment options produced serious side effects
  • Intractable nausea;
  • Seizures and severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristic of multiple sclerosis

• Possession: Up to 3 ounces of dried cannabis and 6000 mg of THC. Edibles are not legal, even for patients
• Cultivation: No
• Dispensaries: No more than 2 producers and 8 dispensaries in the state

Ohio Governor John Kasich signed HB 523 into law in June 2016. This allows for the medicinal use of marijuana by those who have an Ohio doctor’s recommendation. Recommendations must be renewed yearly.

Ohio Revised Code: Title XXXVII, Section 3796.01, et seq.

• AIDS/HIV
• ALS
• Cancer
• Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy
• Crohn’s disease
• Epilepsy or another seizure disorder
• Fibromyalgia
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Pain that is either chronic and severe or intractable
• Parkinson’s disease
• PTSD
• Sickle Cell Anemia
• Spinal cord disease or injury
• Tourette’s syndrome
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Ulcerative colitis

• Arthritis
• Chronic migraines
• Complex regional pain syndrome
• Degenerative disc disease
• Lupus

• Possession: Shall not exceed 90-day supply (exact amount based on doctor recommendations). Recreational use is limited to 2.5 ounces
• Cultivation: 6 plants per person or 12 plants per household
• Dispensaries: The Ohio Board of Pharmacy has 120 licensed dispensaries and 13 provisionally licensed dispensaries in the state
• Caregivers: No

Patients under 18 years old who have:

• Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome
• Dravet Syndrome
• Other forms of severe epilepsy that are not adequately treated by traditional medical therapies

All conditions subject to physician approval for 21 years and older:

• Anoxerica
• Anxiety
• Bulimia
• Cachexia
• Cancer
• Chronic pain
• Crohn’s Disease
• Epilepsy and other seizure disorders
• Glaucoma
• Inflammation
• Insomnia
• Muscle Spasms
• Neuropathic pain disorders
• Severe nausea
• Spasticity related to medical conditions
• Terminal illness
• Wasting Syndrome

• Possession: up to 8 ounces of marijuana in the residence and up to 3 ounces of marijuana on the person
• Cultivation: Commercial grower licenses are available. 6 mature and 6 immature plants in the home
• Dispensaries: No additional business licenses will be given until 2026. Employees must be credentialed as of 2024
• Caregivers: Must be licensed to assist with the purchase, application, and administration of medical marijuana for the patient

Measure 67 was passed by voters in 1998, taking effect later that same year. Eligible patients must obtain a signed recommendation from their physician saying medical marijuana "may mitigate" a given medical condition. The physician must be licensed in the state as a medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse, certified registered nurse anesthetist, or naturopathic physician.

A confidential, state-run registry issues identification cards to qualifying patients.

Oregon Revised Statutes: Section 475B.400.

• AIDS/HIV
• Cancer
• Degenerative or pervasive neurological condition
• Glaucoma
• PTSD

• Cachexia (a weight-loss disease that can be caused by HIV or cancer)
• Persistent muscle spasms, including but not limited to spasms caused by multiple sclerosis
• Severe nausea
• Severe pain
• Seizures, including but not limited to seizures caused by epilepsy

• Possession: Must be 21 years old. 24 ounces of usable marijuana
• Cultivation: 50 seedlings, 6 mature plant, and 12 immature marijuana plants if over 24 inches or 36 if under 24 inches tall
• Dispensaries: State-licensed dispensaries allowed
• Caregivers: Must be 18 years old and Oregon resident. However, the caregiver must be 21 to be a "grower" for the plants on site

• AIDS/HIV
• ALS
• Anxiety disorders
• Autism
• Cancer, including remission therapy
• Chronic Hepatitis C
• Crohn’s disease
• Damage to the nervous tissue of the central nervous system (brain-spinal cord) with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity and other associated neuropathies
• Dyskinetic and spastic movement disorders
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• Huntington’s Disease
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Intractable seizures
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Neurodegenerative diseases
• Neuropathies
• Opioid use disorder for which conventional therapeutic interventions are contraindicated or ineffective, or for which adjunctive therapy is indicated in combination with primary therapeutic interventions
• Parkinson’s disease
• PTSD
• Severe chronic or intractable pain of neuropathic origin or severe chronic or intractable pain
• Sickle cell anemia
• Terminal illness
• Tourette Syndrome

• Possession: 90-day supply
• Dispensaries: May only sell to adults over age 21. Only 50 dispensaries operating up to 3 locations are allowed in the state
• Cultivation: Not allowed
• Caregivers: Patients can have up to two caregivers. Caregivers must be at least 21 years old and pass a criminal background check. They can provide services to as many patients as they want

House Bill 6052 took effect immediately after its passage in 2006. Patients who possess a written certification form their physician recommending the use of medical marijuana are required to sign up with the state’s confidential registry, which issues identification cards.

Rhode Island allows visiting qualifying medical marijuana patients with valid medical marijuana identification to medicate within the state.

Rhode Island General Laws: Title 21, Chapter 28.6-1, et seq.

• AIDS/HIV
• Cancer
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C

• Agitation related to Alzheimer’s Disease
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (requires a specific certification form)
• Cachexia or wasting syndrome
• Severe, debilitating, chronic pain
• Severe nausea
• Seizures, including but not limited to epilepsy
• Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including but not limited to those characteristic of Multiple Sclerosis or Crohn’s disease

• Possession: 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana
• Cultivation: Requires a Plant Tag Certificate. Patients can have up to 12 mature plants and up to 12 immature plants. Caregivers who are also patients can have up to 24 marijuana plants (12 plant tags allowed per year. One plant tag is for one mature plant and one immature plant)
• Dispensaries: The state oversees the licensing and regulation of not-for-profit "compassion centers." Currently, there are seven in the state
• Cultivation: Allowed
• Caregivers: Rhode Island residents over 21 years old. Allowed to care for up to five patients. Must pass a background check and not have a felony drug conviction

• AIDS/HIV
• ALS
• Cancer or its treatment, if associated with severe or chronic pain, nausea or severe vomiting, or cachexia or severe wasting
• Crohn’s Disease
• Epilepsy and seizures
• Multiple Sclerosis
• PTSD
• A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its treatment that produces one or more of the following:
  • Cachexia or wasting syndrome
  • Severe, debilitating pain
  • Severe nausea
  • Seizures
  • Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristic of multiple sclerosis

• Possession: Up to 3 ounces
• Cultivation: 2 mature marijuana plants and 2 immature marijuana plants with registry identification card allowing cultivation
• Dispensaries: There are state licensed dispensaries available for medical marijuana purchases
• Caregivers: 21 years old without felonies

Utah voters passed Proposition 2 on Nov. 6, 2018, which allows eligible patients with a physician’s recommendation (and a state-issued ID card) to purchase cannabis from state-licensed medical pharmacies.

Patients aren’t allowed to smoke cannabis under the law (which leaves vaporizing, ingestion, etc.). It also prohibits candies, cookies, brownies, and other edible products.

Out-of-state medical marijuana patients must get a 21-day nonresident card in order to purchase. Limit to two a year.

Utah Code Chapter 26-61A; administrative codes and legislative summaries.

• Acute pain that is expected to last for 2 weeks or longer for an acute condition, including a surgical procedure, for which a medical professional may generally prescribe opioids for a limited duration
• AIDS/HIV
• Alzheimer’s disease
• ALS
• Autism
• Cancer
• Cachexia
• Condition resulting in the individual receiving hospice care
• Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
• Rare condition or disease that affects less than 200,000 individuals in the U.S., as defined in federal law, and that is not adequately managed despite treatment attempts using conventional medications (other than opioids or opiates) or physical interventions
• Epilepsy or debilitating seizures
• Multiple Sclerosis or persistent and debilitating muscle spasms
• PTSD that is being treated and monitored by a licensed health therapist and that has been diagnosed by a healthcare provider by the Veterans Administration and documented in the patient’s record or has been diagnosed or confirmed by evaluation from a psychiatrist, masters prepared psychologist, a masters prepared licensed clinical social worker, or a psychiatric APRN
• Persistent nausea that is not significantly responsive to traditional treatment, except for nausea related to pregnancy, cannabis-induced cyclical vomiting syndrome, and cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome
• Terminal illness when the patient’s life expectancy is less than six months

• Possession: Up to 113 grams of cannabis flower and up to 20 grams THC in a 30 day period
• Cultivation: Home cultivation is not allowed, but cultivation licenses are permitted
• Dispensaries: 15 medical cannabis pharmacies in the state
• Caregivers: Must be 21 years old and Utah resident

Senate Bill 76 became law in the absence of the governor’s signature in 2004 and took effect later that year.

Eligible physicians must sign up with Vermont’s mandatory, confidential registry, which also issues identification cards.

Physicians, osteopathic physicians, naturopathic physicians, PAs (physician assistants), and nurse practitioners can recommend medical marijuana as a treatment. Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, or New York medical professionals can recommend it.

Vermont Statutes: Title 18, Section 4471, et seq.

• AIDS/HIV
• Cancer
• Crohn’s disease
• Glaucoma
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Parkinson’s disease
• PTSD
• Any disease or medical condition that produces severe cachexia, chronic pain, nausea, or seizures

• Possession: 2 ounces of usable marijuana
• Cultivation: 2 mature and/or 7 immature marijuana plants (no more than 9 total)
• Dispensaries: There are 5 medical dispensaries in Vermont

Any state-licensed medical professional can recommend medical marijuana for a patient with a debilitating medical condition.

• Possession: 1 ounce (28 grams)
• Dispensaries: Only 5 allowed in the state at a time
• Cultivation: up to four plants per household for adults 21 and older. Landlords and homeowners can limit use. You must have a plant tag attached to each plant
• Caregivers: Known as "registered agents" in Virginia. Limited to two patients at a time

Measure 692 (Medical Use of Marijuana Act) was approved by voters in 1998. The Cannabis Patient Protection Act (SB 5052) went into effect in 2016.

Patients at least 21 years old (or under 21 with an agent) who obtain "valid documentation" from their physician, osteopath, naturopath, physician’s assistant, or advanced registered nurse practitioner are eligible to use medical marijuana.

Washington Revised Code: Title 69, Section 51A.005, et seq.

• Cancer
• Chronic Renal Failure Requiring Hemodialysis
• Crohn’s Disease; Epilepsy/Other Seizure Disorder
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C
• HIV
• Intractable Pain
• Multiple Sclerosis
• PTSD
• Spasticity Disorder
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• A disease that results in nausea, vomiting, wasting, appetite loss, cramping, seizures, muscle spasms or spasticity

• Possession: 3 ounces of usable marijuana (6 ounces from their plants if not in the registration database). Registrants in the database can possess up to 8 ounces from their plants. Healthcare practitioners can recommend their patients grow between 6 to 15 plants
• Cultivation: Based on the recommendation of a patient for medical marijuana treatment, a person can grow up to 4 plants. However, if they register with the medical marijuana database, the amount is increased to 6. The healthcare provider can recommend up to 15 marijuana plants
• Dispensaries: The state provides a list of approved stores
• Caregivers: Must be at least 21 years old, Washington resident, and be listed in the medical marijuana database

Governor Jim Justice signed the West Virginia Medical Cannabis Act into law on April 19, 2017. It allows patients with serious medical conditions to use medical marijuana.

Qualifying patients with a written certification from their physician may register with the state to legally use medical marijuana. Must use a provider on the registered physician list. These physicians must complete a four hour course educational course and register with the Office of Medical Cannabis.

West Virginia §16A-3-2, et seq.

• AIDS/HIV
• ALS
• Cancer
• Crohn’s disease
• Damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity
• Epilepsy
• Huntington’s disease
• Intractable seizures
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Neuropathies
• Parkinson’s disease
• PTSD
• Severe chronic or intractable pain of neuropathic origin or severe chronic or intractable pain
• Sickle cell anemia
• Terminal illness, defined as a medical prognosis of life expectancy of approximately one year or less if the illness runs its normal course. Applications for additional qualifying medical conditions allowed

• Possession: Up to a 30-day supply at any given time
• Cultivation: Not allowed
• Dispensaries: Up to 30 dispensaries are licensed by the state
• Caregivers: 21 years old who pass a criminal background check