Oregon Medical Marijuana Card

Is Medical Marijuana Legal In Oregon?

Yes, medical marijuana is legal in Oregon. Oregon voters passed Ballot Measure 67 to legalize medical marijuana in 1998. The Oregon Medical Marijuana Act (Oregon Revised Statutes 475C.770) was enacted to permit the cultivation, production, sales, and use of marijuana for medical purposes. The Act established the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP), under the Oregon Health Authority, to manage the medical marijuana program in the state.

How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Oregon in 2024

Qualifying Conditions for Medical Card in Oregon

The Oregon Medical Marijuana Act permits medical marijuana patients and their caregivers to buy medical marijuana from dispensaries. Medical marijuana patients are persons registered with the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program and authorized to legally receive medical marijuana treatments. They must have been diagnosed with certain qualifying medical conditions and recommended by attending healthcare providers for medical marijuana therapies. The qualifying medical conditions for marijuana treatment in Oregon in 2024 are:

• Cancer
• HIV/AIDS
• A degenerative neurological condition
• Glaucoma
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Cachexia
• Severe pain
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Persistent muscle spasm

Can I Apply For A Medical Marijuana Card In Oregon Online?

Yes, the Oregon medical marijuana program allows patients to apply for medical marijuana cards via its online application system. Patients can also obtain authorizing provider statements certifying medical marijuana use via telemedicine.

How Do I Register With the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program?

An Oregon patient with a qualifying medical condition who has obtained an authorizing provider statement from a state-licensed physician with whom there exists a physician-patient relationship can apply for inclusion in the Oregon medical marijuana program. Applications may be submitted by mail or online via the OMMP portal. You must pay the application fee and submit supporting documentation for your application to be successful.

Do I Need To Be An Oregon Resident To Get A Medical Marijuana Card?

Yes. Only legal Oregon residents are allowed to participate in the Oregon medical marijuana card.

What Is The Cost Of An Oregon Medical Marijuana Card?

The application fee for a medical marijuana card in Oregon is $200. The OMMP provides for reduced fees for the following categories of patients:

• Oregon Health Plan (OHP) patients fee - $50
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) patients fee - $60
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) patients fee - $20
• Veterans fee - $20
• Veterans with total disability ratings of at least 50% provided their disability occurred or was aggravated during active military services - fee waived

What Do You Need When Visiting A Medical Marijuana Dispensary In Oregon?

Medical marijuana patients or caregivers must present their medical marijuana cards and valid photo identification cards when purchasing medical marijuana at dispensaries in Oregon. Applicants that are yet to receive their medical marijuana cards can present their receipt letters. The receipt letter is valid for 30 days from the date it was sent.

The Oregon Medical Marijuana Act limits the amount of medical marijuana a patient can purchase from a dispensary in a day to the following:

• 24 ounces of usable marijuana
• 4 immature plants
• 50 seeds
• 16 ounces of a medical cannabinoid product in solid form
• 16 ounces of cannabinoid concentrate
• 5 grams of a cannabinoid extract
• 72 ounces of a medical cannabinoid product in liquid form

Who Can Prescribe Medical Marijuana In Oregon?

You must be recommended for medical marijuana treatment by an attending provider before you can access medical marijuana in Oregon. Per the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act, an attending provider can be a:

• Medical doctor
• Naturopathic physician
• Clinical nurse specialist
• Registered nurse anesthetist
• Physician assistant
• Nursing practitioner

Attending providers must have in-person consultations with patients before recommending them for medical marijuana treatment. The Oregon Medical Marijuana Program does not certify or register attending providers. It also does not provide a registry of attending providers to patients.

Can A Minor Get A Medical Marijuana Card In Oregon?

Yes, a minor can get a medical marijuana card in Oregon. The Act permits an applicant under the age of 18 (minor) to be registered with the OMMP, provided their custodial parent or legal guardian consents in writing to the medical use of marijuana. The custodial parent or guardian must be made aware of the possible risks and potential benefits of the medical use of marijuana to the minor by the attending provider. They are also required to serve as the minor's designated primary caregiver. They must accept to bear responsibility for controlling the acquisition, dosage, and use of medical marijuana by the minor. A minor is prohibited from growing medical marijuana by the Act.

Can You Get A Medical Marijuana Card At 18 In Oregon?

Yes. Minors turning 18 can look forward to applying for new medical marijuana cards in Oregon as adults. As adults, they no longer need the consents of custodial parents or legal guardians to apply for medical cannabis access.

How To Renew Your Oregon Medical Marijuana Card

An Oregon Medical Marijuana Program identification card is valid for a year and must be renewed annually. You can renew it within 90 days of its expiration date. The OMMP sends renewal notices to patients between 90 and 60 days before their current registration expires. The steps required to renew OMMP cards are the same as those for new applications. Renewal can be done online or via mail.

Can You Grow Medical Marijuana In Oregon?

Medical marijuana patients can grow medical marijuana by themselves or designate growers to cultivate them on their behalf. According to the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act, medical marijuana patients can grow up to six mature marijuana plants and 12 non-flowering plants in their homes.

In Oregon, designated growers can grow up to six mature marijuana plants, 12 immature plants that are 24 inches or more in height, and 36 immature plants below 24 inches in height for each patient under them. However, a designated grower must obtain a marijuana grow site registration card for each patient. Section 475C.792 of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act prohibits a person convicted of a Class A or Class B felony multiple times from growing marijuana in Oregon.

Oregon: Benefits Of Having A Medical Marijuana Card In A Recreational Marijuana-Legal State

An Oregon medical marijuana card allows patients to purchase and possess higher cannabis limits. With the card, you can buy up to 24 ounces of cannabis flower, while recreational buyers are only allowed to buy 1 ounce of cannabis flower. The Oregon medical marijuana card also allows you to purchase cannabis at cheaper rates. Recreational cannabis product prices include a 17% state tax and a 3% local tax, making the tax on adult-use cannabis products a total of 20%. With an Oregon medical marijuana card, you do not have to pay taxes on marijuana purchases.

Furthermore, possessing an Oregon medical marijuana card allows you to use cannabis at 18, while non-cardholders must wait to reach 21 before consuming weed. The Oregon medical marijuana card also authorizes the cultivation of up to 6 mature and 12 immature marijuana plants. Without an Oregon medical marijuana card, you cannot legally cultivate more than 4 mature marijuana plants at home.

Does Oregon Allow Medical Marijuana Patients To Designate Caregivers?

Yes, medical marijuana patients can designate primary caregivers in Oregon. Per the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act, designated primary caregivers must be 18 years or older and cannot be the patients' attending providers. They are responsible for managing the well-being of medical marijuana patients under their care. In Oregon, a custodial parent or legal guardian must be the primary caregiver for a minor medical marijuana patient.

Oregon does not allow a medical marijuana patient to have more than one caregiver. However, the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act did not specify how many patients a caregiver can manage. Caregivers do not need to apply for medical marijuana ID cards; they are sent OMMP cards alongside their patients. Medical marijuana ID cards expire simultaneously for both patients and their caregivers.

Oregon Medical Marijuana Reciprocity

Oregon makes no provisions for medical marijuana reciprocity under its medical marijuana program. Therefore, you cannot purchase medical marijuana if you are a visiting patient in the state.

Are My Medical Marijuana Records Private?

Per OAR 333-008-3000, medical marijuana records maintained under the OMMP are confidential and not subject to open record laws. Employers and members of the public are not permitted to access such records. However, employees of law enforcement agencies may be able to access medical marijuana records in certain situations related to the investigation of marijuana-related offenses.

Does Insurance Cover Medical Marijuana In Oregon?

No. Federal and state insurance businesses or plans do not cover medical marijuana expenses in Oregon.

What Is The Medical Card Limit In Oregon?

An Oregon medical marijuana card allows the cardholder to possess:

• 24 ounces of usable marijuana
• 16 ounces of medical marijuana in solid form
• 72 ounces of medical marijuana in liquid form
• 16 ounces of a concentrate, sold alone or contained in an inhalant delivery system
• 5 grams of a cannabinoid extract sold alone or contained in an inhalant delivery system
• 5 immature marijuana plants
• 50 marijuana seeds

Can You Go To A Dispensary Without A Medical Card In Oregon?

No. Provided you have a valid government ID to prove you are 21 or older, you can enter a cannabis dispensary in the state to purchase weed. Only patients approved under the OMMP are required to bring their medical marijuana cards to the dispensary to buy medical marijuana.