To use medical marijuana in Oregon, the patient must be suffering from a qualifying debilitating health condition. OAR 333-008: Medical Marijuana section 18 defines debilitating health conditions to include:
A medical marijuana card in Oregon permits the patient or caregiver to possess up to:
Patients and caregivers are also allowed to possess up to 6 mature plants and 18 immature seedlings. Patients in Oregon may designate growers to grow their medical marijuana and all plants and seedlings must be grown at a registered grow site.
An Oregon medical marijuana card is valid for 12 months from the date of approval of the patient's application. Within this period, the patient is able to legally purchase medical marijuana anywhere in the state and is protected from any civil and criminal penalties.
Oregon does not operate a medical marijuana reciprocity program wherein out-of-state patients can use their cards to purchase medical marijuana while in the state. Only Oregon residents with valid medical marijuana cards are able to purchase medical marijuana from dispensaries in the state. However, recreational marijuana is legal in Oregon and available for purchase by non-residents, who are 21 years and above, from local dispensaries. Out-of-state patients with valid cards will be exempted from civil and criminal penalties in the state, for the possession of medical marijuana. This is provided the patients are within the limits of the medical marijuana laws in the state.
An Oregon medical marijuana card may be valid in states that operate medical marijuana reciprocity programs. The extent of the card's validity will depend on what the individual state's laws allow. Some states will allow Oregon patients, with valid cards, to purchase medical marijuana from local dispensaries, but not all states. Some states require out-of-state patients to register in the state's medical-marijuana program to gain access to their medication while in the state. In all states that operate a reciprocity program, an Oregon medical marijuana cardholder will not be liable for civil and criminal penalties for possessing marijuana. This is provided the cardholder is within the legal limits established by the state's medical marijuana laws.
An Oregon medical marijuana card is issued by the state-run medical marijuana program (OMMP) through the state health authority (OHA). Consequently, a medical marijuana card is valid in any county in Oregon, so long as the expiration date of the card has not elapsed. As such, an Oregon resident, with a valid medical marijuana card, can legally purchase, possess, and use medical marijuana in any county in the state.
No. Oregon medical marijuana laws do not enable out-of-state patients to purchase medical marijuana from local dispensaries, even with a valid out-of-state card. However recreational marijuana is available to adults 21 years and over in the state. Also, Oregonian authorities will recognize valid out-of-state cards if patients are found in possession of medical marijuana. As such, so long as the patients are within the limits prescribed by the law, there will be no civil or criminal repercussions.
No. Federal law explicitly prohibits the possession, distribution, and consumption of cannabis, unless under specific conditions. Consequently, an Oregon medical marijuana card will not protect the cardholder from arrest and prosecution under federal law for marijuana-related offenses.