MEDICAL
CANNABIS
Authorized Medical Cannabis Patients Take 20% OFF Every Day At Higher Leaf
Higher Leaf has been a long time supporter and advocate of Medical Cannabis. While we are no longer able to facilitate medical cannabis card authorization in our stores, we proudly offer 20% OFF to customers who have their full medical cannabis authorization.
For information on medical cannabis in Washington State check out our FAQ below. Full details on how and where to get your medical authorization can be found at the Washington Department of Health.
Medical Cannabis FAQ
How do I become a medical cannabis patient?
To be a medical cannabis patient in the state of Washington, you must get a filled out and signed Medical Cannabis Authorization from a healthcare practitioner allowed to authorize cannabis for medical purposes.
Can I have a medical card made if I am under 21 years old?
Unfortunately, while the state recognizes patients 18 years old and over, we are still mostly a recreational store and are only accepting patients 21+ right now, so as not to conflict with WSLCB regulations.
What is medical weed?
Before you visit a medical cannabis dispensary in search of cannabis products, you need to understand why medical cannabis can only be purchased by Washington residents with a valid medical cannabis card. In truth, medical cannabis is largely the same as recreational products, except that some medical users may prefer higher CBD and minimal or no THC content, in order to avoid psychoactive effects.
The main difference lies in the fact that medical cannabis is recommended by a licensed physician as a therapeutic treatment for one of several approved qualifying conditions, including:
● Anorexia
● Appetite loss
● Cachexia
● Cancer
● Chronic renal failure requiring hemodialysis
● Crohn’s disease
● Epilepsy (or other seizure disorders)
● Glaucoma
● Hepatitis C
● HIV/AIDS
● Intractable pain
● MS
● Nausea
● PTSD
● Spasticity disorders
● Traumatic brain injury
A licensed medical professional must evaluate you to diagnose a qualifying condition and approve a Medical Cannabis Authorization, after which patients can register to join the database and receive a medical cannabis card.
Who can consume Washington medical cannabis?
In the state of Washington, any consumer age 21 or older can purchase cannabis for recreational use. Adults over the age of 18 are eligible to apply for a medical cannabis card, which is necessary to purchase medical cannabis. For medical patients under the age of 18, a parent or guardian must also be registered with the medical cannabis authorization database, and both the minor and parent/guardian must have a card.
Where is the consumption of medical cannabis allowed in Washington?
Currently, it is illegal to consume cannabis of any type in a public setting in the state of Washington, even in areas where tobacco consumption may be allowed. While there is no penalty for possessing cannabis (in approved amounts), public consumption is strictly prohibited and subject to fine. This includes vehicles.
Not only is it illegal to consume cannabis in a vehicle, but driving under the influence of cannabis is illegal. Transportation, as between a medical cannabis dispensary and your home, or between private spaces, is allowed so long as the cannabis is in a sealed container, or it’s in the trunk of the car.
Do all purchases for medical cannabis need to be made from a medical cannabis dispensary?
With more and more states enacting legislation to legalize cannabis for medical and/or recreational purposes, plenty of new businesses have sprung up, promising safe and potent products. Unfortunately, not all sellers are reputable and reliable.
If you’re going to purchase medical cannabis, you should only do so from licensed dispensaries that are recognized and regulated by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB). In fact, all adult-use cannabis (both medical and recreational) can only be purchased legally from state-licensed dispensaries. This is not just a way to ensure safe and reliable products, but also to comply with state law.
What are the medical cannabis possession laws in Washington?
Once you have your medical cannabis card, you need to know the rules about how much product you can legally possess at any given time, and this is where you’ll see a big difference between medical and recreational cannabis. While recreational consumers may only possess 1 ounce of usable cannabis or alternately, 16 ounces of edibles, 72 ounces of cannabis-infused liquid, or 7 grams of concentrate, patients with a medical cannabis card may possess:
● 3 ounces of cannabis
● 48 ounces of edibles
● 1.69 gallons of cannabis-infused liquid
● Or 21 grams of concentrate
In other words, as an authorized and registered medical consumer, you can legally possess three times as much product as a recreational consumer. What about growing your own? Growing recreational, or adult-use cannabis in the home is illegal in Washington, but medical patients are allowed to grow small amounts.
With a valid medical cannabis card, you can legally cultivate up to six plants and possess up to eight ounces of usable cannabis in your home. Medical patients may grow up to 15 plants and possess up to 16 ounces of usable cannabis in the home with authorization from a healthcare provider.
For most patients, it’s easier to simply visit a medical cannabis dispensary to purchase needed products, but there may be cases in which patients (especially terminally ill patients or those with chronic pain conditions) require additional products, and a healthcare provider may authorize the possession and use of additional cannabis through growing at home.
Are medical and recreational cannabis the same?
For all intents and purposes, medical and recreational cannabis are the same. However, medical patients tend to have different needs and goals than recreational users, and this can impact the products they prefer to purchase.
For example, many medical consumers are interested in the benefits offered by the entourage effect, or the increased efficacy related to the combination of dozens of naturally-occurring cannabinoids found in cannabis plants. However, some would rather avoid the psychoactive effects produced by THC, so they might seek out high-CBD products with low or no THC. Recreational consumers, on the other hand, frequently seek the “high” THC provides, and may, therefore, prefer different products.
Another key difference between medical and recreational cannabis is the cost. All things being equal, products for medical and recreational use are ostensibly priced the same, but recreational products are subject to state sales tax, as well as a 37% excise tax. Luckily, medical patients with a valid medical cannabis card are exempt from both the sales tax and the excise tax when purchasing medical cannabis and cannabis products. A medical cannabis card must be renewed regularly (usually annually) in order to retain added benefits for medical consumers.
Is my medical cannabis dispensary experience any different from the recreational experience?
Often, dispensaries will sell both medical and recreational cannabis, so the purchasing experience is much the same, except that medical consumers have added benefits. In some cases, a specific medical cannabis dispensary will offer added privacy consideration, such as private waiting areas for patient discretion.
What are the benefits of having a medical card?
In the state of Washington, you don’t necessarily need a medical cannabis card to purchase cannabis and cannabis products, but you will gain several advantages by taking the time to obtain a card. Not only will you have access to potent products designed to alleviate pain, often without the psychoactive side effects of THC, but you’ll enjoy discounted pricing and the option to possess and consume greater quantities of cannabis.
Are you a designated provider?
If you are a designated provider for someone else the process for attaining your card is a little bit different. You can find all the info you need on that process here: https://www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/Marijuana/MedicalMarijuana/PatientInformation/DesignatedProvider