The Louisiana Medical Marijuana Program
Medical content reviewed by Dr. Shatha Atiya on March 9, 2024
Welcome to the best guide on the Louisiana Medical Marijuana Program!
By the end of this page, you will have the answers to these questions:
- How do I apply for a medical marijuana card in Louisiana?
- What should I know about the Louisiana medical marijuana program?
- Which Louisiana marijuana laws are necessary to know?
All the information on this page comes from the official Louisiana Department of Health: Medical Marijuana Regulation website. So, you can trust you are reading an accurate and up-to-date resource. Let’s proceed.
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How do I Get Medical Marijuana in Louisiana?
Getting medical cannabis in the state is easy if you meet the Louisiana medical marijuana eligibility requirements. It is even easier with Quick Med Cards since you can get your medical marijuana recommendation online without having to leave the comfort of your home.
1. To begin, book an appointment with one of our medical marijuana doctors in Louisiana, licensed by and in good standing with the State Board of Medical Examiners.
2. Next, attend your online medical marijuana evaluation via video call.
3. If you are approved, our physician will provide a recommendation and add you to the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy’s Cannabis Registry.
4. Finally, buy medical marijuana from any Louisiana dispensary.
Find out more about who qualifies for medical marijuana in Louisiana.
Which documents do I need to submit to the Louisiana Medical Marijuana Program?
When scheduling an appointment with one of our doctors in Louisiana, you should upload the following documents with us (Quick Med Cards is HIPAA compliant, so your information is secure with us):
1. Proof of identity. For example:
- Louisiana driver’s license
- Louisiana ID
2. Proof of Louisiana residency. For instance:
- Louisiana driver’s license
- Louisiana ID
3. Medical records. (Not mandatory, but helps for a faster evaluation process) Find out how to get your medical records.
Get your cannabis recommendation from one of our Louisiana medical marijuana doctors near you.
When did the Louisiana Medical Marijuana Program Start?
The Louisiana Medical Marijuana Program has evolved since the state first enacted its first therapeutic legislation in 1978. Louisiana’s medical marijuana program may seem restrictive, owing to its ten (10) medical marijuana dispensary limit. Still, access to medical marijuana has grown.
The Louisiana Department of Health is in charge of the state’s medical marijuana program after legislative changes transferred regulation and oversight authority from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF).
Louisiana’s Medical Marijuana Program differs from most programs nationwide. To begin with, patients don’t interact directly with the medical marijuana program to gain access to cannabis treatment. Also, eligible patients don’t get a medical card to prove their participation in the program, and they do not need to undergo a registration process.
The qualifying medical conditions for medical marijuana in Louisiana have also increased over the years. Besides the extensive Louisiana medical marijuana 2024 list of illnesses, cannabis doctors in the state can recommend medicinal marijuana for any medical condition that they believe, in their professional opinion, could benefit from cannabis treatment.
Most recently, Louisiana loosened its medical marijuana regulations by legalizing the use of raw or smokable cannabis. As a result, patients aged 21 or older (unless stated otherwise by the recommending physician) can obtain a maximum of 2.5 ounces of cannabis every 14 days. Even so, the act legalizing smokable cannabis expires on January 1, 2025, unless re-enacted.
Looking forward, the growth and expansion of Louisiana’s medical marijuana program are inevitable owing to continuing positive legislative milestones.
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Louisiana Marijuana Laws
Even with a medical marijuana recommendation secured, patients must be aware of the following Louisiana marijuana laws to be on the safe side of the law:
- The limit for crude or raw cannabis is 2.5 ounces every fourteen days for any individual patient.
- Crude or raw marijuana is only available to patients above 21 years of age unless the recommending physician states otherwise.
- Growing marijuana for personal use, even with a valid recommendation, is illegal in Louisiana. Patients must obtain their medicine from licensed marijuana dispensaries in the state.
- Vaping medical marijuana is illegal in Louisiana. However, patients can take their medicine via a metered-dose inhaler.
Smokable, crude, or raw cannabis was illegal until January 1, 2022, when House Bill No. 319 approved its use for patients above 21 years old.
Where to get medical marijuana in Louisiana – Louisiana dispensaries
There are 10 pharmacies (dispensaries) in Louisiana approved to distribute medical marijuana in the state by the Board of Pharmacy. They include:
- Capitol Wellness Solutions
- Delta MedMar
- Green Leaf Dispensary
- H & W Drug Store
- High Ground Dispensary
- Hope Pharmacy
- Lake Charles Medical Marijuana Pharmacy (Medicis Pharmacy)
- The Apothecary Shoppe
- The Medicine Cabinet Pharmacy
- Willow Pharmacy
What type of medical marijuana is available in Louisiana?
Patients with a medical marijuana recommendation can access medicinal cannabis in different forms. For instance, tinctures, concentrates, extracts, oils, creams, lotions, inhalants, edibles, sprays, capsules, pills, liquefied oral cannabis products, transdermal patches, suppositories, and raw cannabis flower. Smokable cannabis was made available from January 1, 2022, after the legislature and governor approved administration via smoking.
Key Highlights
- The Louisiana Department of Health oversees the state’s medical cannabis program.
- A Louisiana medical marijuana doctor must recommend cannabis to you before you can access MMJ in the state.
- There’s no state fee for accessing medical marijuana in Louisiana.
- Your Louisiana medical marijuana card allows you to buy up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana every 14 days.
Common Questions About the Louisiana Medical Marijuana Program
Below are the answers to common questions about the Louisiana Medical Marijuana Program.
Can you buy medical marijuana in Louisiana?
Yes, there are 10 medical marijuana dispensaries where patients with a recommendation can get their medicine.
Patients have access to many different forms of medical marijuana. For instance, tinctures, concentrates, extracts, oils, topicals, inhalants, edibles, and raw cannabis. It is worth noting that smokable marijuana is only available to patients over 21 years old unless the recommending physician states otherwise. Additionally, vaping medical marijuana is illegal, but patients can use a metered-dose inhaler.
How does medical marijuana work in Louisiana?
Access to medical marijuana is easy in Louisiana since patients do not need to apply for a medical card like in most states.
Instead, all a patient needs is a medical marijuana recommendation from a cannabis doctor licensed by and in good standing with the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners. Once secured, patients can pick up their medicine from the 10 dispensaries operating within the state.
Will I be able to grow medical marijuana at home?
No. Growing medical marijuana at home is illegal, even for patients with a recommendation.
Patients should obtain their medicine from licensed medical marijuana dispensaries in Louisiana.
Can you smoke or vape medical marijuana in Louisiana?
Yes, smokable marijuana is legal in Louisiana after the passing of HB 391.
On the other hand, vaping medical marijuana is still illegal in Louisiana, but patients can use metered-dose inhalers.
What is a metered-dose inhaler?
A metered-dose inhaler is a device that delivers a specific amount of medication to the lungs (think a regular inhaler).
Patients can self-administer their medicine via inhalation in the form of short bursts.