If you're a weed smoker in Washington you have the option of going to a recreational or medical dispensary. If you're 21 or older, you can walk into a recreational dispensary and purchase weed without any special requirements. Medical cannabis patients must be 18 and have qualifying conditions that cannabis could help treat. Becoming a medical cannabis patient is a great choice to make if you're suffering from a condition that you believe cannabis could help treat.&nbsp;
The scientific evidence behind the amazing benefits of cannabis is substantial. More than half a million Americans turn to cannabis for relief from chronic aches and pains. Getting a medical cannabis card is one way to get access to cannabis before the age of 21. You can be 18 and get into dispensaries by using a medical marijuana card. Obtaining a medical cannabis card is not too difficult as long as you meet one of the qualifying conditions. If you buy weed a lot, having a medical card can help a lot, as you won't pay recreational sales tax on your purchases. If you buy weed often the savings can definitely add up.
<h2 id="0">What Are The Qualifying Conditions for a Washington Medical Cannabis Card?</h2>
Washington has a wide range of conditions that could be treated by medical cannabis. Patients with terminal or debilitating medical conditions may benefit from the medical use of cannabis. If you have one of these conditions, you can visit your healthcare practitioner and obtain a medical cannabis authorization to get the process started. Terminal or debilitating medical condition means a condition severe enough to significantly interfere with the patient's activities of daily living and ability to function, which can be objectively assessed and evaluated and limited to the following:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Cancer, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), multiple sclerosis, epilepsy or other seizure disorder, or spasticity disorders.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Intractable pain, limited for the purpose of this chapter to mean pain unrelieved by standard medical treatments and medications.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Glaucoma, either acute or chronic, is limited for the purpose of this chapter to mean increased intraocular pressure unrelieved by standard treatments and medications.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Crohn's disease with debilitating symptoms unrelieved by standard treatments or medications.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hepatitis C with debilitating nausea or intractable pain unrelieved by standard treatments or medications.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">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.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chronic renal failure requiring hemodialysis.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Posttraumatic stress disorder.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Traumatic brain injury.</li>
</ul>
Humanitarian compassion necessitates that the decision to use cannabis by patients with terminal or debilitating medical conditions is a personal, individual decision, based upon their healthcare practitioner's professional medical judgment and discretion. If you have any of these conditions, you're eligible for a medical cannabis card in Washington. We'll go over how you can go about getting one. <img title="https://res.cloudinary.com/timj111/image/upload/v1675373271/articles/agjuu1yrbtiypenvr47h.jpg" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/timj111/image/upload/v1675373271/articles/agjuu1yrbtiypenvr47h.jpg" alt="Jar of medical cannabis" width="250" height="250" /> 
<h3 id="1">Applying For a Medical Marijuana Card in Washington</h3>
Those who wish to become a medical marijuana patient in Washington must meet a few requirements. First, the patient must be a resident of Washington. The patient must also have a qualifying medical condition and must obtain a Medical Marijuana Authorization Form from a healthcare practitioner to verify that condition. The following healthcare practitioners would be able to provide an authorization:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Medical doctor (MD) &ndash; licensed under <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.71">chapter 18.71 RCW</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Physician assistant (PA) &ndash; licensed under <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.71A">chapter 18.71A RCW</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Osteopathic physician (DO) &ndash; licensed under <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.57">chapter 18.57 RCW</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Osteopathic physician assistant (DOA) &ndash; licensed under <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.57A">chapter 18.57A RCW</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Naturopathic physician &ndash; licensed under <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.36A">chapter 18.36A RCW</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP)&ndash; licensed under <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.79">chapter 18.79 RCW</a></li>
</ul>
It's recommended that patients discuss the idea of medical cannabis usage with the medical professional whom they are seeing constantly.
<h3 id="2">The Steps On How To Apply</h3>
The process of becoming a medical cannabis patient in Washington State is pretty simple. We'll go over the steps below.
Step 1: Look at the list of<a href="https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/cannabis/medical-cannabis/patient-information/qualifying-conditions"> qualifying conditions</a> and verify the condition that applies to you.&nbsp;
Step 2: Contact your healthcare practitioner to discuss and obtain a Medical Cannabis Authorization Form from your practitioner.
Step 3: Once you've obtained that form, you need to schedule an appointment or visit a medical cannabis dispensary. A medical marijuana consultant will help you complete the medical patient registration process. When you go to the dispensary to meet with the consultant, make sure to bring:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The Medical Cannabis Authorization Form</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">One form of government ID</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Proof of residency in Washington&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
The card registration fee is usually around $10, but may vary depending on what dispensary you visit. Once you complete this step and have your medical card, you're done! You can plan ahead to buy weed at the dispensary you're at or you can use your card to visit any medical cannabis dispensary in the state of Washington.
<h3 id="3">How To Renew a Medical Marijuana Card In Washington?</h3>
When you look at a card, you'll see an expiration date listed on there. The steps to renew your medical card are the exact same ones you took to sign up for the program initially. You must have a qualifying condition and schedule a visit with a practitioner to get a Medical Cannabis Authorization Form.&nbsp;
After you have the form you must meet with a medical marijuana consultant at a medical dispensary so that they can help complete your renewal. The process for renewing a card is the exact same one patients did when first signing up for the med program.
<h3 id="4">Can I Get a Replacement Card If I Lost Mine?</h3>
Getting a replacement for your stolen or lost medical card is easy. All the patient has to do is call the doctor that gave the health authorization form and ask for a replacement. Washington is a state that offers compassionate care renewal, which is to help patients who may not be able to travel due to poor health. The practitioner could choose to perform the renewal health check through telemedicine.
<h3 id="5">Can Someone Get A Medical Marijuana Card Without Being 18?</h3>
Those who are under the age of 18 who have a qualifying medical condition still can get access to cannabis. Being a minor doesn't mean that you can't get access to medical cannabis. A patient who is under the age of 18 must choose someone to be their designated provider, also referred to as caregiver. A caregiver is a person who has been designated in writing by a patient to serve as their designated provider. A caregiver must be at least 21 years old. A caregiver and patient may both only have a 1:1 ratio, meaning that caregivers could only take care of one patient, and patients could only have one caregiver.
If you're someone who smokes a lot of weed, getting a medical card can be an easy way to cut costs at the dispensary. Signing up and renewing the card every year may seem bothersome, but ~40% on every dispensary purchase can make the savings add up quick.&nbsp;