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Medical Marijuana Program Updates

The Department of Health is dedicated to protecting access for patients with qualifying conditions and ensuring products are safe, quality tested and accurately labeled. Below we highlight programmatic updates relating to legislation, rules, and policies.

2020 Highlights

Posted September 26, 2020

Addressing the impact COVID-19 response measures are having on new and renewing medical marijuana certified consultants to obtain an in-person Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training program containing a skills demonstration test.

Medical Marijuana CPR Training Policy Statement filed as WSR 20-19-098 (PDF) to support emergency rule filed as WSR 20-18-027.

Posted March 3, 2020

Medical marijuana consultant rules are open for amendment.

The Department of Health (department) has opened chapter 246-72 WAC - Medical Marijuana Consultant Certification rules to consider amendments. Learn more....

 

2019 Highlights

Posted November 15, 2019

The Washington Provider Education: Medical Use of Marijuana 1.0 course is now available for registration. This course was developed in collaboration with the Washington State Boards and Commissions to offer healthcare practitioners another option for obtaining CME/CE credits.

The course covers an overview of Washington state laws and rules, healthcare provider authorization requirements and guidelines, medical marijuana authorization amounts, the endocannabinoid system and the pharmacology of cannabis, therapeutic rationale and dosing best practices, and more. Learn more...

Posted October 25, 2019

Effective July 28, 2019, House Bill 1094 established compassionate care renewals which allows a healthcare practitioner to renew a qualifying patient’s medical marijuana authorization form via telemedicine, if requiring an in-person physical examination to renew would likely result in a severe hardship to the patient because of their physical or emotional condition. Additionally, a compassionate care renewal eligible patient is exempt from having to be physically present to obtain a new photo to renew their recognition card, instead, allowing the qualifying patient’s designated provider renew on their behalf. 

To implement the new law, the Department of Health:

  • modified system functionality of the medical marijuana authorization database;
  • revised the medical marijuana authorization form to provide a way for the healthcare practitioner to indicate eligibility; and,
  • amended existing rules under chapter 246-71 WAC to align with the new law.