Get a Marijuana Card in North Dakota | A Step-by-Step Guide
- If you live in North Dakota, you are probably aware that the state will likely be voting on a ballot initiative to legalize marijuana in the state for all adults over 21.
- Who Qualifies For Medical Marijuana in North Dakota?
- Qualifying Conditions For Medical Marijuana
- How to get a Medical Marijuana Card In North Dakota
- Q & A
- Getting Started
Who Qualifies For Medical Marijuana in North Dakota?
Any North Dakota resident over the age of 19 who suffers from one of the qualifying medical conditions may apply after certification from a registered medical provider. The qualifying conditions are listed below.
Patients under the age of 19 will require a parent or guardian to apply for the program, as well as to purchase and administer the medicine.
Caregivers are also permitted for patients that are incapable of purchasing and administering their own medicine.
Get Started: Get Certified for Medical Cannabis In North Dakota:
Sign Up for Medical Cannabis Today!
For potential patients, if you’re ready, we make it easy to connect with a medical marijuana doctor nearby or online. If you are interested in getting certified, please fill out the MMJ patient registration form below and press submit to get started. See if you qualify today!
MedCard Registration Form
North Dakota Qualifying Conditions for Legal Medical Marijuana
In order to qualify for the program, North Dakota residents must be diagnosed with any of the qualifying medical conditions:
- Any terminal illness
- AIDS/HIV
- Agitation of Alzheimer’s Disease or related dementia
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Anorexia nervosa
- Anxiety disorders
- Autism diso’rders
- Brain injury
- Bulimia nervosa
- Cancer
- Crohn’s Disease
- Decompensated cirrhosis caused by hepatitis C
- Ehlers-danlos syndrome
- Endometriosis
- Epilepsy
- Fibromyalgia
- Glaucoma
- Interstitial cystitis
- Migraine
- Neuropathy
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Spinal stenosis or chronic back pain, including neuropathy or damage to the nervous tissue of spinal cord with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity
- Tourette Syndrome
- A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or treatment for such disease or medical condition that produces one or more of the following:
- Cachexia or wasting syndrome
- Severe debilitating pain that has not responded to previously prescribed medication or surgical measures for more than three months or for which other treatment options produced serious side effects
- Intractable nausea
- Seizures
- Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristic of multiple sclerosis.
What marijuana products are legally available in North Dakota?
The following medical marijuana products are available to certified patients in North Dakota:
- Smokable flowers (only with doctors approval)
- Cannabis concentrates or extracts
- Solutions
- Capsules
- Transdermal patches
- Topical skin creams and ointments
There are some exceptions for patients under the age of 19. They are not permitted smokable marijuana products nor any products containing more than six percent THC.
Brief History Of Marijuana In North Dakota
If you live in North Dakota, you are probably aware that the state will likely be voting on a ballot initiative to legalize marijuana in the state for all adults over 21. For anyone that wants to be treated like an adult, this is good news.
However, don’t count on the measure passing.
A poll conducted in late-2014 by the University of North Dakota found that although North Dakotans favored medical marijuana 47 to 41, they were largely against legalizing recreational marijuana by a more than 2 to 1 margin.
A more recent poll conducted in 2018 is more promising. Although it showed North Dakotans are in favor of recreational marijuana by a margin of 46-39, there were still 15 percent undecided. If that 15 percent breaks against legalization, the measure could be dead in the water.
If that happens, the only option for legally buying marijuana in North Dakota will be through state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries. And in order to purchase medical marijuana, you’ll need to qualify and get approved by a doctor.
And there’s more not-so-good news for anyone who wants to have their bud and smoke it too. The attending physician gets to decide whether or not you qualify for the purchase of smokable marijuana.
That means, unless your qualifying condition requires instant onset of effects — such as with PTSD or panic attacks — your physician is likely to prohibit the use of smokables in your case. You might be limited to other products such as edibles, tinctures, and capsules.
Do North Dakota residents really need a medical marijuana card?
First, a lot of cannabis fans might be thinking, “yeah, but do I really need a medical marijuana card when I’ve been using marijuana for years with no problems?”
How to get a medical marijuana card in North Dakota
In order to become a medical marijuana patient in North Dakota, you are required to get approval from a certified medical professional and submit an online application.
Aside from the usual personal information, you’ll need to upload a photo. If you can’t create a clear photo yourself then you can get it done at most stores that offer photo printing services.
You’ll also need to upload a scan of your state-issued driver’s license or non-driver identification card.
You’ll also need the name and email address of your health care provider who will be completing the application. He or she will provide a written Certification if you are approved for a North Dakota medical marijuana card.
Now here’s where it gets sticky: According to the state, in order to “prevent delays in the application process, it may be beneficial for an applicant to also complete a release of information from their health care facility that will allow the Division of Medical Marijuana access to medical information related to a patient’s qualifying medical condition.”
There is a $50 non-refundable application fee. The fee must be paid via check and mailed to the NDDoH Medical Marijuana Program.
Mail payment to:
NDDoH, Division of Medical Marijuana
600 East Blvd Ave, Dept 301
Bismarck, ND 58505
How much does a Recommending Marijuana Doctor in North Dakota Cost?
The Average Cost to visit a Certified Ordering Doctor is $100 – $200 for the initial visit and $75 – $150 for the follow up visit.
Doctors are actually not permitted to prescribe medical marijuana to their patients. However, if they are registered by the state, a doctor can recommend medical marijuana and approve their patients for access to the drug.
Telemedicine/Telehealth
Currently, under North Dakota medical marijuana laws, patients may not be examined and certified via a telemedicine appointment — that is by phone or video conference. An in-person consultation is required.
Where can I find a marijuana doctor near me in ND?
North Dakota Marijuana FAQ's
Can I Smoke Weed in North Dakota Once Qualified?
Yes, if your Doctor approves you for smokable flower.
Can I Grow My Own Marijuana
No
Where Can I Buy Marijuana In North Dakota Once I have My MedCard?
North Dakota medical marijuana laws call for up to eight medical marijuana dispensaries in the state.
How Much Medical Marijuana Can I Possess?
Card-carrying medical marijuana patients may legally purchase up to three ounces of smokable dried flower at a state-licensed dispensary. Your health care provider can authorize an increased quantity of up to six ounces of smokable marijuana.
The maximum permitted concentration of THC in a cannabinoid concentrate or medical cannabinoid product in a thirty-day period is 2,000 milligrams.
Your possession limits will be listed on your ID card.
North Dakota medical marijuana patients are not permitted to grow their own marijuana.
How Much Should I consume?
You should always consult with a North Dakota marijuana doctor before using and that doctor will set the course of treatment.
How Much Is Medical Marijuana in North Dakota?
The price range for medical cannabis in ND is around $10 per gram and $125-$225 per ounce.
Can I use Medical Marijuana Anywhere?
Similar to all states North Dakota medical cannabis card holders have to be responsible. It is important to remember that when smoking in public, it may be assumed that you are using it for recreational use, which is illegal on a Federal Level. North Dakota medical marijuana card holders are advised to consume their medicine responsibly, in the safety of their home or in a private residence.
Can I Take My Medical Marijuana to a Different State?
No. According to current laws patients who obtain a medical card should use medical marijuana in North Dakota only. Medical marijuana patients may face federal and local charges of transporting marijuana if they cross state lines with the drug. This is true even if the states between which they are traveling allow medical marijuana. Should you need to travel with your marijuana it would be best to contact the state’s Bureau of health to understand the exact laws of the state you are traveling to in order to not risk breaking the law.
Medical Marijuana Links:
Additional Resources
- North Dakota Division of Medical Marijuana
- North Dakota – ND Medical Marijuana Patient Information
- AUDIO: WZFG – North Dakota’s Medical Marijuana Program Sees Increase In Enrollment Mar. 10, 2020
- KFGO – North Dakota’s medical marijuana program is growing faster than expected Feb. 19, 2020
- Marijuana Policy Project – North Dakota News
