Source: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=69.51A&full=true
Timestamp: 2017-12-14 10:03:36
Document Index: 522019604

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 17', '§ 2', '§ 3', '§ 6', '§ 18', '§ 301', '§ 3', '§ 4', '§ 4', '§ 24', '§ 401', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 12', '§ 25', '§ 402', '§ 29', '§ 405', '§ 7', '§ 30', '§ 1105', '§ 31', '§ 501', '§ 4', '§ 6', '§ 8', '§ 34', '§ 404', '§ 408', '§ 409', '§ 1101', '§ 19', '§ 20', '§ 21', '§ 21', '§ 51', '§ 23', '§ 8', '§ 2', '§ 1001', '§ 26', '§ 27', '§ 28', '§ 35', '§ 37', '§ 38', '§ 11', '§ 1106', '§ 1']

RCWs > Title 69 > Chapter 69.51A
(Formerly: Medical marijuana)
69.51A.005
69.51A.030
Acts not constituting crimes or unprofessional conduct—Health care professionals not subject to penalties or liabilities.
69.51A.040
Compliance with chapter—Qualifying patients and designated providers not subject to penalties—Law enforcement not subject to liability.
69.51A.043
Failure to enter into the medical marijuana authorization database—Affirmative defense.
69.51A.045
Possession of plants, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused products exceeding lawful amount—Affirmative defense.
69.51A.050
Medical marijuana, lawful possession—State not liable.
69.51A.055
Limitations of chapter—Persons under supervision.
Crimes—Limitations of chapter.
69.51A.100
Qualifying patient's designation of a specific designated provider—Provider's service as designated provider—Termination—Department may adopt rules.
69.51A.110
Suitability for organ transplant.
69.51A.120
Parental rights or residential time—Not to be restricted.
69.51A.130
State and municipalities—Not subject to liability.
69.51A.210
Qualifying patients or designated providers—Authorization—Health care professional may include recommendations on amount of marijuana.
69.51A.220
Health care professionals may authorize medical use of marijuana—Qualifying patients under age eighteen.
69.51A.230
Medical marijuana authorization database—Recognition cards.
69.51A.240
Unlawful actions—Criminal penalty.
69.51A.250
Cooperatives—Qualifying patients or designated providers may form—Requirements—Restrictions on locations—State liquor and cannabis board may adopt rules.
69.51A.260
Housing unit—No more than fifteen plants may be grown or located—Exception—Civil penalties.
69.51A.270
Extracting or separating marijuana resin, producing or processing any form of marijuana concentrates or marijuana-infused products—State liquor and cannabis board to adopt rules.
69.51A.280
Topical, ingestible products—THC concentration.
69.51A.290
Medical marijuana consultant certificate.
69.51A.300
Continuing education programs for health care providers.
69.51A.310
Immature plants and clones, marijuana seeds—Qualifying patients and designated providers may purchase.
69.51A.900
Short title—1999 c 2.
(1)(a) Until July 1, 2016, "authorization" means:
(i) A statement signed and dated by a qualifying patient's health care professional written on tamper-resistant paper, which states that, in the health care professional's professional opinion, the patient may benefit from the medical use of marijuana; and
(ii) Proof of identity such as a Washington state driver's license or identicard, as defined in RCW 46.20.035.
(b) Beginning July 1, 2016, "authorization" means a form developed by the department that is completed and signed by a qualifying patient's health care professional and printed on tamper-resistant paper.
(c) An authorization is not a prescription as defined in RCW 69.50.101.
(2) "CBD concentration" means the percent of cannabidiol content per dry weight of any part of the plant Cannabis, or per volume or weight of marijuana product.
(4) "Designated provider" means a person who is twenty-one years of age or older and:
(a)(i) Is the parent or guardian of a qualifying patient who is under the age of eighteen and beginning July 1, 2016, holds a recognition card; or
(ii) Has been designated in writing by a qualifying patient to serve as the designated provider for that patient;
(b)(i) Has an authorization from the qualifying patient's health care professional; or
(ii) Beginning July 1, 2016:
(A) Has been entered into the medical marijuana authorization database as being the designated provider to a qualifying patient; and
(B) Has been provided a recognition card;
(c) Is prohibited from consuming marijuana obtained for the personal, medical use of the qualifying patient for whom the individual is acting as designated provider;
(d) Provides marijuana to only the qualifying patient that has designated him or her;
(e) Is in compliance with the terms and conditions of this chapter; and
(f) Is the designated provider to only one patient at any one time.
(5) "Health care professional," for purposes of this chapter only, means a physician licensed under chapter 18.71 RCW, a physician assistant licensed under chapter 18.71A RCW, an osteopathic physician licensed under chapter 18.57 RCW, an osteopathic physicians' assistant licensed under chapter 18.57A RCW, a naturopath licensed under chapter 18.36A RCW, or an advanced registered nurse practitioner licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW.
(6) "Housing unit" means a house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of rooms, or a single room that is occupied as separate living quarters, in which the occupants live and eat separately from any other persons in the building, and which have direct access from the outside of the building or through a common hall.
(7) "Low THC, high CBD" means products determined by the department to have a low THC, high CBD ratio under RCW 69.50.375. Low THC, high CBD products must be inhalable, ingestible, or absorbable.
(8) "Marijuana" has the meaning provided in RCW 69.50.101.
(9) "Marijuana concentrates" has the meaning provided in RCW 69.50.101.
(10) "Marijuana processor" has the meaning provided in RCW 69.50.101.
(11) "Marijuana producer" has the meaning provided in RCW 69.50.101.
(12) "Marijuana retailer" has the meaning provided in RCW 69.50.101.
(13) "Marijuana retailer with a medical marijuana endorsement" means a marijuana retailer that has been issued a medical marijuana endorsement by the state liquor and cannabis board pursuant to RCW 69.50.375.
(14) "Marijuana-infused products" has the meaning provided in RCW 69.50.101.
(15) "Medical marijuana authorization database" means the secure and confidential database established in RCW 69.51A.230.
(16) "Medical use of marijuana" means the manufacture, production, possession, transportation, delivery, ingestion, application, or administration of marijuana for the exclusive benefit of a qualifying patient in the treatment of his or her terminal or debilitating medical condition.
(17) "Plant" means a marijuana plant having at least three distinguishable and distinct leaves, each leaf being at least three centimeters in diameter, and a readily observable root formation consisting of at least two separate and distinct roots, each being at least two centimeters in length. Multiple stalks emanating from the same root ball or root system is considered part of the same single plant.
(18) "Public place" has the meaning provided in RCW 70.160.020.
(19) "Qualifying patient" means a person who:
(a)(i) Is a patient of a health care professional;
(ii) Has been diagnosed by that health care professional as having a terminal or debilitating medical condition;
(iii) Is a resident of the state of Washington at the time of such diagnosis;
(iv) Has been advised by that health care professional about the risks and benefits of the medical use of marijuana;
(v) Has been advised by that health care professional that they may benefit from the medical use of marijuana;
(vi)(A) Has an authorization from his or her health care professional; or
(B) Beginning July 1, 2016, has been entered into the medical marijuana authorization database and has been provided a recognition card; and
(vii) Is otherwise in compliance with the terms and conditions established in this chapter.
(b) "Qualifying patient" does not include a person who is actively being supervised for a criminal conviction by a corrections agency or department that has determined that the terms of this chapter are inconsistent with and contrary to his or her supervision and all related processes and procedures related to that supervision.
(20) "Recognition card" means a card issued to qualifying patients and designated providers by a marijuana retailer with a medical marijuana endorsement that has entered them into the medical marijuana authorization database.
(21) "Retail outlet" has the meaning provided in RCW 69.50.101.
(22) "Secretary" means the secretary of the department of health.
(23) "Tamper-resistant paper" means paper that meets one or more of the following industry-recognized features:
(c) One or more features designed to prevent the use of counterfeit authorization.
(24) "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:
(a) Cancer, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), multiple sclerosis, epilepsy or other seizure disorder, or spasticity disorders;
(b) Intractable pain, limited for the purpose of this chapter to mean pain unrelieved by standard medical treatments and medications;
(c) Glaucoma, either acute or chronic, limited for the purpose of this chapter to mean increased intraocular pressure unrelieved by standard treatments and medications;
(d) Crohn's disease with debilitating symptoms unrelieved by standard treatments or medications;
(e) Hepatitis C with debilitating nausea or intractable pain unrelieved by standard treatments or medications;
(f) 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;
(g) Posttraumatic stress disorder; or
(h) Traumatic brain injury.
(25) "THC concentration" has the meaning provided in RCW 69.50.101.
(26) "Useable marijuana" has the meaning provided in RCW 69.50.101.
[ 2015 c 70 § 17; 2010 c 284 § 2; 2007 c 371 § 3; 1999 c 2 § 6 (Initiative Measure No. 692, approved November 3, 1998).]
Intent—2007 c 371: See note following RCW 69.51A.005.
[ 2015 c 70 § 18; 2011 c 181 § 301; 2010 c 284 § 3; 2007 c 371 § 4; 1999 c 2 § 4 (Initiative Measure No. 692, approved November 3, 1998).]
(1)(a) The qualifying patient or designated provider has been entered into the medical marijuana authorization database and holds a valid recognition card and possesses no more than the amount of marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, plants, or marijuana-infused products authorized under RCW 69.51A.210.
If a person is both a qualifying patient and a designated provider for another qualifying patient, the person may possess no more than twice the amounts described in RCW 69.51A.210 for the qualifying patient and designated provider, whether the plants, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused products are possessed individually or in combination between the qualifying patient and his or her designated provider;
(c) The qualifying patient or designated provider keeps a copy of his or her recognition card and the qualifying patient or designated provider's contact information posted prominently next to any plants, marijuana concentrates, marijuana-infused products, or useable marijuana located at his or her residence;
[ 2015 c 70 § 24; 2011 c 181 § 401; 2007 c 371 § 5; 1999 c 2 § 5 (Initiative Measure No. 692, approved November 3, 1998).]
Effective date—2015 c 70 §§ 12, 19, 20, 23-26, 31, 35, 40, and 49: See note following RCW 69.50.357.
(1) A qualifying patient or designated provider who has a valid authorization from his or her health care professional, but is not entered in the medical marijuana authorization database and does not have a recognition card may raise the affirmative defense set forth in subsection (2) of this section, if:
(a) The qualifying patient or designated provider presents his or her authorization to any law enforcement officer who questions the patient or provider regarding his or her medical use of marijuana;
(b) The qualifying patient or designated provider possesses no more marijuana than the limits set forth in RCW 69.51A.210(3);
(c) The qualifying patient or designated provider is in compliance with all other terms and conditions of this chapter;
(d) The investigating law enforcement officer does not have probable cause to believe that the qualifying patient or designated provider has committed a felony, or is committing a misdemeanor in the officer's presence, that does not relate to the medical use of marijuana; and
(e) No outstanding warrant for arrest exists for the qualifying patient or designated provider.
(2) A qualifying patient or designated provider who is not entered in the medical marijuana authorization database and does not have a recognition card, but who presents his or her authorization to any law enforcement officer who questions the patient or provider regarding his or her medical use of marijuana, may assert an affirmative defense to charges of violations of state law relating to marijuana through proof at trial, by a preponderance of the evidence, that he or she otherwise meets the requirements of RCW 69.51A.040. A qualifying patient or designated provider meeting the conditions of this subsection but possessing more marijuana than the limits set forth in RCW 69.51A.210(3) may, in the investigating law enforcement officer's discretion, be taken into custody and booked into jail in connection with the investigation of the incident.
[ 2015 c 70 § 25; 2011 c 181 § 402.]
(1) A qualifying patient or designated provider in possession of plants, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused products exceeding the limits set forth in this chapter but otherwise in compliance with all other terms and conditions of this chapter may establish an affirmative defense to charges of violations of state law relating to marijuana through proof at trial, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the qualifying patient's necessary medical use exceeds the amounts set forth in RCW 69.51A.040.
(2) An investigating law enforcement officer may seize plants, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused products exceeding the amounts set forth in this chapter. In the case of plants, the qualifying patient or designated provider shall be allowed to select the plants that will remain at the location. The officer and his or her law enforcement agency may not be held civilly liable for failure to seize marijuana in this circumstance.
[ 2015 c 70 § 29; 2011 c 181 § 405.]
(1) The lawful possession or manufacture of medical marijuana as authorized by this chapter shall not result in the forfeiture or seizure of any property.
(2) No person shall be prosecuted for constructive possession, conspiracy, or any other criminal offense solely for being in the presence or vicinity of medical marijuana or its use as authorized by this chapter.
(3) The state shall not be held liable for any deleterious outcomes from the medical use of marijuana by any qualifying patient.
[1999 c 2 § 7 (Initiative Measure No. 692, approved November 3, 1998).]
(1)(a) The arrest and prosecution protections established in RCW 69.51A.040 may not be asserted in a supervision revocation or violation hearing by a person who is supervised by a corrections agency or department, including local governments or jails, that has determined that the terms of this section are inconsistent with and contrary to his or her supervision.
(b) The affirmative defenses established in RCW 69.51A.043 and 69.51A.045 may not be asserted in a supervision revocation or violation hearing by a person who is supervised by a corrections agency or department, including local governments or jails, that has determined that the terms of this section are inconsistent with and contrary to his or her supervision.
(2) RCW 69.51A.040 does not apply to a person who is supervised for a criminal conviction by a corrections agency or department, including local governments or jails, that has determined that the terms of this chapter are inconsistent with and contrary to his or her supervision.
[ 2015 c 70 § 30; 2011 c 181 § 1105.]
(5) Nothing in this chapter authorizes the possession or use of marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused products on federal property.
[ 2015 c 70 § 31; 2011 c 181 § 501; 2010 c 284 § 4; 2007 c 371 § 6; 1999 c 2 § 8 (Initiative Measure No. 692, approved November 3, 1998).]
(1) A qualifying patient may revoke his or her designation of a specific designated provider and designate a different designated provider at any time. A revocation of designation must be in writing, signed and dated, and provided to the designated provider and, if applicable, the medical marijuana authorization database administrator. The protections of this chapter cease to apply to a person who has served as a designated provider to a qualifying patient seventy-two hours after receipt of that patient's revocation of his or her designation.
(2) A person may stop serving as a designated provider to a given qualifying patient at any time by revoking that designation in writing, signed and dated, and provided to the qualifying patient and, if applicable, the medical marijuana authorization database administrator. However, that person may not begin serving as a designated provider to a different qualifying patient until fifteen days have elapsed from the date the last qualifying patient designated him or her to serve as a [designated] provider.
(3) The department may adopt rules to implement this section, including a procedure to remove the name of the designated provider from the medical marijuana authorization database upon receipt of a revocation under this section.
[ 2015 c 70 § 34; 2011 c 181 § 404.]
A qualifying patient's medical use of cannabis as authorized by a health care professional may not be a sole disqualifying factor in determining the patient's suitability for an organ transplant, unless it is shown that this use poses a significant risk of rejection or organ failure. This section does not preclude a health care professional from requiring that a patient abstain from the medical use of cannabis, for a period of time determined by the health care professional, while waiting for a transplant organ or before the patient undergoes an organ transplant.
[ 2011 c 181 § 408.]
A qualifying patient or designated provider may not have his or her parental rights or residential time with a child restricted solely due to his or her medical use of cannabis in compliance with the terms of this chapter absent written findings supported by evidence that such use has resulted in a long-term impairment that interferes with the performance of parenting functions as defined under RCW 26.09.004.
[ 2011 c 181 § 409.]
(1) No civil or criminal liability may be imposed by any court on the state or its officers and employees for actions taken in good faith under this chapter and within the scope of their assigned duties.
(2) No civil or criminal liability may be imposed by any court on cities, towns, and counties or other municipalities and their officers and employees for actions taken in good faith under this chapter and within the scope of their assigned duties.
[ 2011 c 181 § 1101.]
(1) If the health care professional does not include recommendations on the qualifying patient's or designated provider's authorization, the marijuana retailer with a medical marijuana endorsement, when adding the qualifying patient or designated provider to the medical marijuana authorization database, shall enter into the database that the qualifying patient or designated provider may purchase or obtain at a retail outlet holding a medical marijuana endorsement a combination of the following: Forty-eight ounces of marijuana-infused product in solid form; three ounces of useable marijuana; two hundred sixteen ounces of marijuana-infused product in liquid form; or twenty-one grams of marijuana concentrates. The qualifying patient or designated provider may also grow, in his or her domicile, up to six plants for the personal medical use of the qualifying patient and possess up to eight ounces of useable marijuana produced from his or her plants. These amounts shall be specified on the recognition card that is issued to the qualifying patient or designated provider.
(3) If a qualifying patient or designated provider with an authorization from a health care professional has not been entered into the medical marijuana authorization database, he or she may not receive a recognition card and may only purchase at a retail outlet, whether it holds a medical marijuana endorsement or not, the amounts established in RCW 69.50.360. In addition the qualifying patient or the designated provider may grow, in his or her domicile, up to four plants for the personal medical use of the qualifying patient and possess up to six ounces of useable marijuana in his or her domicile.
[ 2015 c 70 § 19.]
(2) The minor may not grow plants or purchase marijuana-infused products, useable marijuana, or marijuana concentrates from a marijuana retailer with a medical marijuana endorsement.
[ 2015 c 70 § 20.]
(b) Information contained in the medical marijuana authorization database may be released in aggregate form, with all personally identifying [identifiable] information redacted, for the purpose of statistical analysis and oversight of agency performance and actions.
(c) Information contained in the medical marijuana authorization database shall not be shared with the federal government or its agents unless the particular [qualifying] patient or designated provider is convicted in state court for violating this chapter or chapter 69.50 RCW.
(b) By November 1, 2016, the department shall report to the governor and the fiscal committees of both the house of representatives and the senate regarding the cost of implementation and administration of the medical marijuana authorization database. The report must specify amounts from the health professions account used to finance the establishment and administration of the medical marijuana authorization database as well as estimates of the continuing costs associated with operating the medical marijuana [authorization] database. The report must also provide initial enrollment figures in the medical marijuana authorization database and estimates of expected future enrollment.
[ 2015 c 70 § 21.]
Effective date—2015 c 70 §§ 21, 22, 32, and 33: "Sections 21, 22, 32, and 33 of this act are necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and take effect immediately [April 24, 2015]." [ 2015 c 70 § 51.]
(1) It is unlawful for a person to knowingly or intentionally:
(a) Access the medical marijuana authorization database for any reason not authorized under RCW 69.51A.230;
(b) Disclose any information received from the medical marijuana authorization database in violation of RCW 69.51A.230 including, but not limited to, qualifying patient or designated provider names, addresses, or amount of marijuana for which they are authorized;
(c) Produce a recognition card or to tamper with a recognition card for the purpose of having it accepted by a marijuana retailer holding a medical marijuana endorsement in order to purchase marijuana as a qualifying patient or designated provider or to grow marijuana plants in accordance with this chapter;
(d) If a person is a designated provider to a qualifying patient, sell, donate, or supply marijuana produced or obtained for the qualifying patient to another person, or use the marijuana produced or obtained for the qualifying patient for the designated provider's own personal use or benefit; or
(e) If the person is a qualifying patient, sell, donate, or otherwise supply marijuana produced or obtained by the qualifying patient to another person.
(2) A person who violates this section is guilty of a class C felony.
[ 2015 c 70 § 23.]
(1) Qualifying patients or designated providers may form a cooperative and share responsibility for acquiring and supplying the resources needed to produce and process marijuana only for the medical use of members of the cooperative. No more than four qualifying patients or designated providers may become members of a cooperative under this section and all members must hold valid recognition cards. All members of the cooperative must be at least twenty-one years old. The designated provider of a qualifying patient who is under twenty-one years old may be a member of a cooperative on the qualifying patient's behalf. All plants grown in the cooperative must be from an immature plant or clone purchased from a licensed marijuana producer as defined in RCW 69.50.101. Cooperatives may also purchase marijuana seeds from a licensed marijuana producer.
(a) May grow up to the total amount of plants for which each participating member is authorized on their recognition cards, up to a maximum of sixty plants. At the location, the qualifying patients or designated providers may possess the amount of useable marijuana that can be produced with the number of plants permitted under this subsection, but no more than seventy-two ounces;
(e) May not sell, donate, or otherwise provide marijuana, marijuana concentrates, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused products to a person who is not participating under this section.
[ 2017 c 317 § 8; 2016 c 170 § 2; 2015 2nd sp.s. c 4 § 1001; 2015 c 70 § 26.]
Effective date—2016 c 170: See note following RCW 69.50.325.
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter and even if multiple qualifying patients or designated providers reside in the same housing unit, no more than fifteen plants may be grown or located in any one housing unit other than a cooperative established pursuant to RCW 69.51A.250.
(2) Neither the production nor processing of marijuana or marijuana-infused products pursuant to this section nor the storage or growing of plants may occur if any portion of such activity can be readily seen by normal unaided vision or readily smelled from a public place or the private property of another housing unit.
(3) Cities, towns, counties, and other municipalities may create and enforce civil penalties, including abatement procedures, for the growing or processing of marijuana and for keeping marijuana plants beyond or otherwise not in compliance with this section.
[ 2015 c 70 § 27.]
(1) Once the state liquor and cannabis board adopts rules under subsection (2) of this section, qualifying patients or designated providers may only extract or separate the resin from marijuana or produce or process any form of marijuana concentrates or marijuana-infused products in accordance with those standards.
(2) The state liquor and cannabis board must adopt rules permitting qualifying patients and designated providers to extract or separate the resin from marijuana using noncombustable methods. The rules must provide the noncombustible methods permitted and any restrictions on this practice.
[ 2015 c 70 § 28.]
Neither this chapter nor chapter 69.50 RCW prohibits a health care professional from selling or donating topical, noningestible products that have a THC concentration of less than .3 percent to qualifying patients.
[ 2015 c 70 § 35.]
(e) Safe handling and storage of useable marijuana, marijuana-infused products, and marijuana concentrates, including strategies to reduce access by minors;
(d) Advising a customer about the safe handling and storage of useable marijuana, marijuana-infused products, and marijuana concentrates, including strategies to reduce access by minors; and
(e) Providing instruction and demonstrations to customers about proper use and application of useable marijuana, marijuana-infused products, and marijuana concentrates.
[ 2015 c 70 § 37.]
The board of naturopathy, the board of osteopathic medicine and surgery, the medical quality assurance commission, and the nursing care quality assurance commission shall develop and approve continuing education programs related to the use of marijuana for medical purposes for the health care providers that they each regulate that are based upon practice guidelines that have been adopted by each entity.
[ 2015 c 70 § 38.]
Qualifying patients and designated providers, who hold a recognition card and have been entered into the medical marijuana authorization database, may purchase immature plants or clones from a licensed marijuana producer as defined in RCW 69.50.101. Qualifying patients and designated providers may also purchase marijuana seeds from a licensed marijuana producer.
[ 2017 c 317 § 11.]
This chapter may be known and cited as the Washington state medical use of cannabis act.
[ 2011 c 181 § 1106; 1999 c 2 § 1 (Initiative Measure No. 692, approved November 3, 1998).]