Legal Information About Medical Marijuana in Washington
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The Washington State Medical Marijuana Act, Chapter 6951A, provides qualified patients a legal defense in state court against marijuana charges. To be eligible for medical marijuana, a patient must be diagnosed with a specific condition and must also have a physician's recommendation. Some of the qualifying conditions can be found here: medical marijuana conditions list.
Once a patient qualifies for medical marijuana treatment and receives a physician's recommendation, there are many restrictions he/she should be aware of:
- There are no prescriptions for medical marijuana. It is the responsibility of the patient to obtain marijuana.
- No medical insurer can be held liable for the reimbursement of the cost of medical marijuana treatment.
- While possession and growing of marijuana are legal for medical marijuana patients, selling it is not.
- One can cultivate marijuana for personal use, but the law does not explain how one should proceed in obtaining the seeds or the seedlings.
- Smoking or displaying marijuana in public is prohibited.
- A physician's recommendation for medical marijuana treatment is only valid as long as the patient remains under the physician's care and only as long as the physician feels that marijuana treatment is appropriate for the patient.
- The protections that come with a physician's medical marijuana recommendation only apply for state and local jurisdictions, but not federal.
