Short answer
Medical marijuana dispensaries sell only to patients who hold a state-issued card or a physician certification. The requirement depends on the state. Get the card or certification first. Then use your state health department's licensed dispensary list to find a shop. A shop that is not on that list cannot sell medical cannabis legally.
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Step 1: Confirm your state runs a medical program
State law controls this, not federal law. Most US states and the District of Columbia run a medical cannabis program. A smaller group also allows adult-use sales. Rules differ on qualifying conditions, possession limits, and where dispensaries may operate. The National Conference of State Legislatures publishes a state-by-state table of cannabis laws.
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Step 2: Get a patient card or certification
You need a diagnosis that appears on your state's qualifying condition list. A physician licensed in your state signs the certification form. Common conditions on state lists include cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy, glaucoma, and post-traumatic stress disorder. State lists vary, so check your own.
- Book a visit with a physician who certifies patients in your state.
- Submit the certification and an application fee to the state health department.
- Wait for the card. Processing times run from same-day to several weeks.
- Renew before the expiration date. Most cards last one year.
Step 3: Use the state license registry
State health departments publish lists of licensed dispensaries. These lists show the business name, address, and license number. Search engines and maps also list dispensaries, but they do not verify license status. Start with the state list, then check the map for directions.
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Step 4: Verify the license at the door
A legal dispensary displays its state license. You can match the number against the registry. Ask the staff three questions:
- Which state license number do you hold?
- Do you sell medical products to cardholders and recreational products to adults, or medical only?
- Do you test products for potency, pesticides, and mold?
Step 5: Bring the right documents
Most dispensaries ask for your state patient card, a government photo ID, and payment in cash or debit. Federal law blocks most credit card processors from cannabis transactions. Some shops run cashless ATMs instead. Call ahead to confirm payment methods and hours.
Step 6: Check delivery and storefront rules
Some states allow dispensary delivery to a patient's home address. Others allow storefront sales only. Delivery zones follow city and county lines, so a shop near the border may not serve your address.
Federal status
Cannabis remains a Schedule I substance under federal law. The FDA has not approved cannabis as a medical treatment, though it has approved a small number of prescription drugs that contain cannabis-derived compounds. A state card protects you under state law. It does not change federal law.