Updated on June 15, 2020. Medical content reviewed by Dr. Joseph Rosado, MD, M.B.A, Chief Medical Officer
West Virginia Medical Marijuana Facts
On Wednesday, April 19, 2017, history was made in West Virginia as Gov. Jim Justice signed into a law a bill that legalizes the use of medical marijuana to treat certain medical conditions. This makes West Virginia the 29th state to permit its residents to use medical cannabis and the 6th state to legalize marijuana for medical use in the last 12 months.
The State Senate has been proactive in introducing legislation to sensibly expand West Virginia’s medical cannabis program, and it’s paid off for patients suffering from conditions that can be treated with medicinal marijuana. The new West Virginia Medical Cannabis Act allows patients who are suffering from sixteen medical conditions to register for and secure a legal ID card after being certified by a qualified physician.
Medical Marijuana Facts for West Virginia
Doctors who recommend patients use medical marijuana for their conditions must have up-to-date credentials from the Bureau of Public Health.
West Virginia’s Medical Cannabis Act specifies terminal illnesses and fifteen other ailments as qualifying conditions for the use of medical marijuana, including HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, intractable pain, ALS, sickle cell anemia and multiple sclerosis.
Here are some other critical facts about medical pot in West Virginia:
- Doctors must have a legitimate physician-patient relationship before the patient can register to use medical cannabis.
- Registration ID cards for medical marijuana will be issued by the WV medical cannabis Commission beginning July 1, 2019.
- Patients will be allowed to obtain their recommended dose of medical marijuana from licensed dispensaries.
- The dispensaries are not permitted to sell marijuana buds for smoking or edibles for consumption.
- The new legislation will create a new standard for people who are driving under the influence of marijuana. 3 ng/ml in the bloodstream is considered an “impairment.” This is even lower than the 5 ng/ml adopted by Washington and Colorado, where recreational pot is legal.
- Unfortunately, many people who take medical marijuana in WV may not be able to drive because the THC levels in the blood could remain higher than 3 ng/ml for many hours after taking cannabis.
- By July 1, 2020, provisions will be made to license up to sixty marijuana dispensaries that will be responsible for acquiring, processing, transferring, transporting, distributing, selling and dispensing cannabis products.
- The state’s medical cannabis commission will offer at least 10% of its grower licenses to people participating the veterans’ agriculture program.
- The new law will encourage applications for dispensaries and grower licenses for applicants who run a minority-owned business.
To stay abreast of the medical marijuana facts for West Virginia as well as the rest of the United States, make sure to visit MarijuanaDoctors.com regularly. We’ll keep you updated on any new developments as they arise. We want to be your source for information as it pertains to medical marijuana so you can be as well-informed as possible on this critically important issue.
If you’re a patient with a qualifying condition, browse our directory to connect with certified doctors and dispensaries today. We’ll keep it updated with fully-vetted physicians and providers.
