Cannabis in Washington

Medical cannabis was legalized in Washington in 1998, and adult-use marijuana was legalized in 2012. Legal adult-use sales began in 2014. There are no longer medical cannabis dispensaries, processors, manufacturers, producers, and so on in Washington. Instead, all commercial activity is conducted through recreational licenses. The state has decriminalized cannabis under certain limits.

Overview of Key Washington Cannabis Laws

Is medical cannabis allowed? Yes

Is adult-use cannabis allowed? Yes

Personal Laws

Cannabis has been decriminalized in Washington within certain limits. Adults age 21 years of age or older may possess small amounts of cannabis. Possession of 1 oz. of cannabis or less in private is allowed without any kind of penalty. Possession of 1 oz. or less with public consumption is a civil penalty with no jail time and a fine of up to $100.

Individuals from other states who visit Washington cannot make medical cannabis purchases within the state. Instead, they must buy from Washington-licensed adult-use dispensaries during their visits.

Personal Possession

Registered Medical Patient or Caregiver Possession: Patients in the state’s voluntary patient database may possess up to 3 oz. of usable cannabis, 48 oz. of marijuana-infused product in solid form, 216 oz. of marijuana-infused product in liquid form, or 21 grams of marijuana concentrates.

Adult-Use Possession: Up to 1 oz. of usable cannabis (private possession/consumption) and/or up to 16 oz. of marijuana-infused products in solid form, or 72 oz. of marijuana-infused product in liquid form for personal use in private

Non-Washington Resident Possession: Same as adult-use possession

Personal Growing

Qualified medical cannabis patients age 21 or older can grow cannabis in Washington under certain limitations. Those limitations are higher for residents who register in the state’s voluntary patient database. Qualified medical marijuana patients and designated providers (i.e., caregivers) are allowed to buy immature plants, clones, or seeds from licensed producers in the state. However, to purchase plants and clones, patients and providers must possess a recognition card and be entered into the state’s medical marijuana authorization database. Patients may have one designated provider, and designated providers may only have one patient each.

Registered Medical Patient Growing (in the state’s voluntary patient database): No more than 6 plants for personal use (may possess up to 8 oz. of useable marijuana produced from those plants). If the healthcare provider determines the patient needs more, he or she may recommend on the authorization form that the patient be allowed to grow up to 15 plants with a maximum yield of 16 oz. of usable cannabis for personal medical use.

Registered Medical Patient Growing (not in the state’s voluntary patient database): No more than 4 plants for personal use (may possess up to 6 oz. of useable marijuana produced from those plants) grown in their own residence for personal use.

Recreational User Growing: None

Medical Cannabis Patient Qualification and Registry

Patients with qualifying conditions who receive medical marijuana authorizations from their healthcare providers may buy, grow, and possess limited amounts of cannabis.

Qualifying medical conditions include:

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

Business Laws

Washington’s medical cannabis business licenses and the medical cannabis program have been merged into the state’s recreational cannabis program. Therefore, there are no medical marijuana business licenses and there is no distinction between growing and processing cannabis for medical or recreational use.

Registered medical marijuana patients may purchase cannabis products at higher amounts (up to 3x the current sales limit) and sales-tax free at licensed retailers that have obtained a medical marijuana endorsement. There is no fee to the retailer license holder for this endorsement.

Vertical integration is allowed, which means a company can manage multiple parts of the Washington marijuana supply chain. Residency is required to apply for a cannabis business license in Washington. There is currently no limit on the number of producer, processor or retailer licenses that Washington will issue.

License Types

Producer (Tier 1: 2,000 sq. ft. or less of dedicated plant canopy, Tier 2: 2,000-10,000 sq. ft. or dedicated plant canopy, Tier 3: 10,000-30,000 sq. ft. of dedicated plant canopy)
Processor
Retailer
Transportation

License Fees

Producer License: $250 application fee and $1,381 annual license renewal fee

Processor License: $250 application fee and $1,381 annual license renewal fee

Retailer License: $250 application fee and $1,381 annual license renewal fee

Transportation License: $250 application fee and $1,000 endorsement fee

License Timeline

Washington is not accepting producer, processor, or retailer license applications at the time of this writing and has not indicated when an application period will open again in the future.

Testing

Cannabis testing is not required in Washington.

Training

Cannabis industry workers and licensees are not required to complete specific training.

Learn More about Cannabis in Washington and How to Work or Start a Business in the Washington Cannabis Industry

Leafy Green Agency offers a variety of certification seminars for people who want to start businesses, find jobs, get promotions, or invest in the cannabis industry in Washington and across the country. Follow the link to learn more about our educational seminars.

Sources and More Information

Data current as of 2/16/20.