Is Weed Legal In Washington YES
Washington state's laws regarding marijuana:
- Recreational marijuana is legal in Washington for adults 21 and over. Possession limits are 1 ounce for flower, 16 ounces of marijuana-infused edibles, 72 ounces of liquid infused products, and 7 grams of concentrates.
- Retail marijuana shops are licensed and regulated by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. Sales are subject to additional taxes.
- Adults 21+ can purchase and use marijuana recreationally from licensed retail stores. Public use and open containers in vehicles are prohibited.
- Home cultivation is allowed for personal use. Adults can grow up to 6 plants at a private residence, with no more than 3 being mature/flowering.
- Medical marijuana is also legal in Washington. Patients must obtain an authorization form from a healthcare provider and can possess up to 8 ounces of usable marijuana along with cultivation rights.
- Employers in Washington reserve the right to maintain drug-free workplaces and can prohibit marijuana use by employees. Driving under the influence also remains illegal.
- It is illegal to transport marijuana across state borders from Washington, even to other states where it is legal. Marijuana cannot be taken through federally regulated ports like airports.
- Only licensed recreational and medical dispensaries can legally sell marijuana. Purchases from unlicensed sources remain illegal under state law.
- While legal under state law, marijuana remains illegal federally. Washington's laws conflict with U.S. federal laws banning marijuana.
Washington Medical Marijuana Laws Approved Nov 2012
In Washington, adults over 21 can buy and possess up to an ounce of marijuana, 16 ounces of marijuana-infused edibles in solid form, 72 ounces of marijuana-infused liquid products, and 7 grams of marijuana concentrates. It's illegal to consume marijuana in public, and recreational users can't grow the plants at home.
Retail sales are legal at licensed dispensaries and there is a 37% excise tax on those sales.
The state also allows for the medical use of marijuana for approved patients. Those who are eligible for the program may possess up to 24 ounces of useable marijuana and may grow up to 15 plants.
Washington Recreational Marijuana Laws
Consumers must be 21 and older in order to purchase up to one ounce of marijuana. The law does not allow for the personal cultivation of marijuana, however.
Chapter 69.51A RCW
(4KB) Ballot Initiative I-692 -- Approved by 59% of voters on Nov. 3, 1998
Effective: Nov. 3, 1998
Removed
state-level criminal penalties on the use.
Amended: Senate Bill 6032
(29 KB)
Effective: 2007 (rules being defined by Legislature with a July 1, 2008 due date)
Amended: Final Rule
(123 KB) based on Significant Analysis
(370 KB)
Effective: Nov. 2, 2008
Possession/Cultivation: A
qualifying patient and designated provider may possess a total of no
more than twenty-four ounces of usable marijuana, and no more than
fifteen plants. This quantity became the state's official "60-day
supply" on Nov. 2, 2008.
Amended: SB 5073
(375 KB)
Effective: July 22, 2011
Gov. Christine Gregoire signed sections of the bill and partially vetoed others, as explained in the Apr. 29, 2011 veto notice.
(50 KB) Gov. Gregoire struck down sections related to creating state-licensed
medical marijuana dispensaries and a voluntary patient registry.
SB 5052
(840 KB) passed the House by a vote of 60-36 on Apr. 10, 2015 and the Senate by a
vote of 41-8 on Apr. 14, 2015. Gov. Jay Inslee signed the bill into law
with partial vetoes on Apr. 24, 2015.
The law creates a voluntary registry and allows registered patients
to possess three times as much marijuana as allowed by the recreational
marijuana law. Patients will be allowed to purchase medical-grade
products at some stores that sell legal recreational marijuana.
Department of Health
PO Box 47866
Olympia, WA 98504-7866
Phone: 360-236-4700
Fax: 360-236-4768
MedicalMarijuana@doh.wa.gov
Website:
Medical Marijuana (Cannabis)
The main provisions of Washington's marijuana laws are listed below.
| Code Section |
69.50.101, et seq. |
| Possession |
No penalty for private possession and consumption of 1 oz. or less, but a maximum fine of $100 for public consumption of less than 1 oz. Possession of 1 oz. to 40 g is a misdemeanor (up to 90 days incarceration); more than 40 g is a felony (up to 5 years incarceration) |
| Sale |
Less than 40 g.: misdemeanor, up to 5 yrs. in correctional facility and $10,000; Subsequent offense: up to double penalties; Unlawful delivery of controlled substance used by person delivered to and resulting in user's death: deliverer guilty of controlled substance homicide: Class B felony; the law unclear on how to legally obtain small amounts of marijuana for personal use. |
| Trafficking |
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