Guides

How Much Weed Can You Get With A Medical Card?

March 6, 2024 01:38 pm ET Estimated Read Time: 7 Minutes

Fact checked by Kymberly Drapcho

How Much Weed Can You Get With A Medical Card?

Since cannabis is still a federally illegal substance, the hodgepodge of marijuana laws across different states can be confusing to navigate. Nobody wants to break the law and risk hefty fines or jail time, so many people often wonder exactly how much weed you can get with a medical card. Knowing the answers to this question is vital to avoid accidentally having too much cannabis on you at one time.

By following these guidelines to the letter, you can ensure that you safely and legally consume cannabis for your medical needs without the risk of legal troubles. On average, purchase limits range between one and six ounces per state. However, some are much lower, and others go significantly higher.

How Much Weed Can You Get With a Medical Card?

The exact amounts of cannabis a medical marijuana cardholder can purchase vary from one state to another. These purchase limits may change, so stay updated with rules and regulations regularly. Additionally, each state has specific laws on how much weed you can carry and possess with a medical card.

Not only do states have differing laws on how much you can buy at a time, but many states also have rules regarding how often you can purchase the legal limit of cannabis. Other states may not have purchase limits but instead focus on THC percentages, such as Texas, where cannabis products must have less than 1% THC.

Check out the comprehensive list below to see how much you can legally purchase and possess at a time under current laws:

Alabama: .5-.75 grams per day
Alaska: 1 ounce of flower, 7 grams of concentrate, or 5,600 milligrams of combined products per day
Arkansas: 2.5 ounces every 14 days
California: medical patients can have no more than eight ounces of cannabis at a time
Colorado: 2 ounces of flower or 8 grams of concentrate per day
Connecticut: medical card holders can possess up to 5 ounces
Delaware: 3 ounces every 14 days
Florida: 2.5 ounces every 35 days. Patients can possess no more than 4 ounces at a time
Georgia: Up to 20 fluid ounces of select low-THC products that contain a maximum of 5% THC
Guam: 2.5 ounces
Hawaii: 4 ounces per week
Illinois: 2.5 ounces every 14 days
Iowa: 4.5 grams every 90 days
Louisiana: patients can possess up to 2.5 ounces at a time
Maine: both recreational and medicinal users can have up to 2.5 ounces
Maryland: up to 1.5 ounces of flower and 12 grams of concentrates
Massachusetts: up to 28 grams of flower or a combined total of flower and concentrates (with no more than 5 grams of concentrates) per day. Patients can possess up to ten ounces at a time
Michigan: up to 2.5 ounces per day and no more than 10 ounces per month
Mississippi: no more than 21 grams per week
Missouri: up to 4 ounces every 30 days
Montana: up to 1 ounce per day and 5 ounces per month
Nevada: patients can possess up to 2.5 ounces, with one-quarter ounce of concentrates
New Hampshire: 2 ounces
New Jersey: 3 ounces every 30 days
New Mexico: patients can possess a 90-day supply at a time, which amounts to 8 ounces
New York: 60-day supply. Patients can possess up to 3 ounces or 24 grams of concentrates at a time
North Dakota: up to 3 ounces every 30 days
Ohio: 2.83 grams (1/10 of an ounce) of flower, 295 milligrams of THC in patch, lotion, cream, or ointment form, 110 milligrams of THC in oil, tincture, capsule, or edible for oral administration, and 590 milligrams of THC in oil for vaporization every 45 days
Oklahoma: patients can purchase up to 3 ounces at once with their med card but can possess up to 8 ounces of flower, 1 ounce of concentrates, or 72 ounces of edibles at a time
Oregon: 24 ounces
Pennsylvania: 30-day supply, or up to 21 grams of flower per day
Puerto Rico: patients can purchase and possess up to a 30-day supply amounting to 1 ounce of flower or 8 grams of concentrates per day
Rhode Island: 2.5 ounces every 30 days
South Dakota: 3 ounces every 14 days
Texas: no defined purchase limits, but patients are only allowed low-THC cannabis oil
U.S. Virgin Islands: patients can possess up to 4 ounces
Utah: 30-day supply as recommended by a physician
Vermont: up to 1 ounce per day
Virginia: patients can possess up to 4 ounces at a time
Washington: a combination of 38 ounces of solid infused products, 21 grams of concentrates, 216 ounces of liquid, or 3 ounces of flower
Washington D.C.: patients can possess up to 2 ounces

Does a Medical Marijuana Card Get You a Discount?

There are a number of benefits associated with getting a medical marijuana card, even in states where adult-use (recreational) cannabis is legalized.

First, and most importantly, medical card limits for purchasing are often much higher than recreational limits. For example, patients in California can possess up to 8 ounces, while recreational users can only have 1 ounce at a time. This means fewer trips to dispensaries to stock up and replenish your supply.

Not only can you have more cannabis in your possession, but it’s often cheaper to buy as well. Recreational customers can pay taxes ranging anywhere from 15-37% depending on the state, but only standard taxes apply to medical marijuana products. These savings can add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars a year, depending on how much cannabis you consume and purchase. In some states, medical marijuana patients also can grow more plants than recreational users. Additionally, medical cannabis products often have access to products with higher THC percentages.

While it’s fairly obvious that only medical patients are allowed to visit dispensaries in medicinal-only states, did you know that recreational states also tend to have dispensaries designated solely for medical cardholders? Having a medical card gives you access to more dispensaries, which can make getting your products much easier.

Finally, there’s reciprocity, which allows medical cardholders to purchase cannabis in states that they don’t live in. Not every state allows reciprocity, so be sure to check before you go. However, this makes traveling hassle-free and ensures that you’ll still have access to your medicinal products even when you’re not at home. The following states allow out-of-state medical cards to be used at their dispensaries:

Arizona (allows possession only)
Arkansas (patients from out-of-state may apply for a temporary in-state license)
California
Hawaii (patients from out-of-state may apply for a temporary in-state license)
Illinois
Maine
Maryland (visitors may register for an MMJ card if they are visiting the state for medical treatment)
Massachusetts
Michigan
Missouri (allows possession only)
Nevada
New Hampshire (allows possession only)
Oklahoma (patients from out-of-state may apply for a temporary in-state license)
Oregon
Rhode Island
Washington
Washington D.C.

It’s important to note, though, that traveling across state lines with cannabis products is illegal due to weed’s current status as a federally banned substance.

Get Your Medical Marijuana Card Today

Now that you know how much weed you can get as a cannabis patient, it’s time for the next step: getting a medical marijuana card for yourself. Our quick, easy, and professional service streamlines the process so you can have your card and make purchases within days.

After setting up your appointment, you’ll see a doctor to confirm you have a qualifying medical condition in your state. Next, they’ll help you apply for your card through your state’s process. After that, you simply have to wait for your application to be approved and for your card to come in–sometimes, this happens in as little as 24 hours.

Once you receive your card, you’re all set to start making purchases at your local dispensary. Relief is only a few steps away!

Author, Share & Comments

Emily is a Denver-based transplant from Virginia who is passionate about substance use harm reduction, yoga, and music. She writes and edits to support the extravagant lifestyles of her pug and cat. When she's not writing, she can be found doing flow and aerial arts or browsing flights to faraway places.