Washington DC lets tourists self-certify for medicinal cannabis

Interested in participating in the Washington, DC Medical Cannabis Program but are not a District Resident? No problem, thanks to a new law that allows out-of-state patients to self-certify.

This week Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) signed a bill, the Medical Marijuana Patient Access Extension Second Emergency Amendment Act of 2022, further amending DC’s medical marijuana program to allow tourists and non-residents to self-certify for temporary medical referrals . A quick online application, valid ID, and a $30 fee gives visitors a 30-day digital referral to patronize licensed medical marijuana facilities. This includes reciprocity for out-of-state patients.

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Adults and eligible patients 21 years and older from other states can access an immediate medical referral request through the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration website. It mirrors legislation passed by Bowser over the summer that allowed Washington DC residents as young as 21 to self-certify, effectively removing bureaucratic barriers for adults to access medical cannabis in the nation’s capital.

The emergency law expires in 90 days, but a longer-term measure is under consideration and Bowser has until October 25 to pass it. The current bill also raises patient purchase limits to 8 ounces, allows 2-year referrals for patients and caregivers, and eases the paperwork for patients setting up residence.

This is the latest attempt by local DC officials to rein in the capital’s notorious cannabis gift economy. The municipal council had already rejected a corresponding bill in April. Gifting of cannabis occurs thanks to a loophole in the law that was passed in 2014, and most of these businesses operate outside of DC medical marijuana regulations. But while council members have admonished the practice, they have backed down on measures to investigate the businesses and people doing it.

So they settled on the next best thing: making medical cannabis as accessible as possible. With Biden’s recent promise to “investigate” cannabis and its proposed status, that could change. Considering he ran for president with a promise to do so, it’s about time. In the meantime, a win is a win.

Amelie Williams

New York-based freelance cannabis journalist Amelia Williams is a graduate of San Francisco State University’s journalism program and a former budtender. Williams has contributed to GreenState, MG Magazine, Culture Magazine and Cannabis Now, Kirkus Reviews and The Bold Italic of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Check out Amelia Williams’ articles

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