North Dakota Medical Marijuana Card

Is Medical Marijuana Legal In North Dakota?

Yes, marijuana is legal for medical purposes, but recreational cannabis is illegal in North Dakota. In 2016, North Dakota residents voted in favor of Measure 5, also known as the North Dakota Compassionate Care Act, to legalize medical marijuana. Although patients cannot grow cannabis at home for personal uses, Measure 5 allows them to purchase up to 7.5 ounces of cannabis-infused products and concentrates from dispensaries for a period of 30 days. It also permits them to possess up to 3 ounces of herbal marijuana.

The North Dakota Compassionate Care Act was designed to permit medical cannabis treatment for patients with certain debilitating medical conditions. It also created the North Dakota Medical Marijuana Program.

How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in North Dakota in 2024

Qualifying Conditions for Medical Card in North Dakota

Only registered qualifying medical patients and caregivers can get medical marijuana in North Dakota in 2024. Per Measure 5, patients with one or more of the following debilitating medical conditions qualify for and can legally buy medical marijuana in North Dakota:

• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• Cancer
• A brain injury
• Anorexia nervosa
• HIV/AIDS
• Crohn's disease
• Neuropathy
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Bulimia nervosa
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Chronic back pain
• Anxiety disorder
• Interstitial cystitis
• Tourette syndrome
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Migraine
• Alzheimer's disease or related dementia
• Endometriosis
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• A terminal illness

In North Dakota, medical marijuana patients may get medical cannabis as topicals, capsules, solutions, dried leaves or flowers, and concentrates. Qualifying patients with cancer can get a special medical marijuana card in the state to allow them to buy up to 6 ounces of cannabis flower. Generally, patients and caregivers can legally purchase up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana flower and no more than 4 grams of total THC in other cannabis products within 30 days.

Can I Apply For A Medical Marijuana Card In North Dakota Online?

Yes, you can apply for a medical marijuana card online via the state's BioTrackTHC system. A medical marijuana certification, required to complete a registry ID card on the BioTrackTHC system, can also be obtained via telemedicine.

How Do I Register With the North Dakota Medical Marijuana Program?

If you are a legal resident of the state and have a qualifying condition, you can register with the North Dakota medical marijuana program by obtaining a medical marijuana certification from a provider with whom you have a bona-fide physician-patient relationship. Also, you must complete an online application via the North Dakota medical marijuana program website to participate in the program.

Do I Need To Be A North Dakota Resident To Get A Medical Marijuana Card?

Yes, medical marijuana cards in North Dakota are only issued to legal state residents.

What Is The Cost Of A North Dakota Medical Marijuana Card?

Effective October 1, 2022, qualifying patients now pay $25 against the former $50 fee for obtaining a North Dakota medical marijuana identification card. Medical marijuana card renewal also costs $25. The application and renewal fees are non-refundable. Designated caregivers are not required to pay any application fees to get medical marijuana identification cards in North Dakota.

North Dakota medical marijuana card applicants can pay their application fee online using debit/credit cards or electronic checks using the pay now button on the online registration portal. Alternatively, they can make their cashier's checks, checks, or money order for $25, payable to the state's Department of Health and Human Services. If paying by money order, check, or cashier's check, pen the application barcode number (a 10-digit alphanumeric number) on the payment and drop it in the payment box provided at the office location of the Division of Medical Marijuana of the HHS. Applicants can also mail it to:

North Dakota HHS, Division of Medical Marijuana

600 East Blvd Ave, Dept 325

Bismarck, ND 58505

What Do You Need When Visiting A Medical Marijuana Dispensary In North Dakota?

A registered qualifying marijuana patient or caregiver needs a valid medical marijuana identification card when visiting a North Dakota-licensed dispensary. Licensed dispensaries can only dispense usable marijuana to registered qualifying patients and registered qualifying patients' designated caregivers. Per Section 19-24.1-21 of Measure 5, a cannabis dispensary may not dispense usable marijuana to anyone unless it first confirms the validity of their medical marijuana ID card using the HHS verification system.

Who Can Prescribe Medical Marijuana In North Dakota?

A person applying for a North Dakota medical marijuana card needs to see a state-licensed healthcare provider and obtain a medical marijuana certificate. The health care provider may be a physician (doctor), an advanced practice registered nurse, or a physician assistant. However, the relationship between the physician and the qualifying patient must not be solely for obtaining written certification for medical cannabis use. The doctor must review the patient's current medical condition and relevant medical records.

After getting a medical marijuana card in North Dakota, a patient must stay under their certifying physician's continued care for the medical condition that makes them eligible for medical marijuana. North Dakota does not maintain a registry for approved physicians for the state's medical marijuana program.

Can A Minor Get A Medical Marijuana Card In North Dakota?

Yes. Under the North Dakota Compassionate Act, a minor is an individual under 19 years. Besides their parent's or legal guardian's consent, a North Dakota medical marijuana card applicant who is a minor must provide a certified copy of their birth record or a photographic copy of the state's identification. The patient's healthcare provider must also provide the HHS with a written certification. The written consent of the minor patient's legal guardian must include the following:

• Permission to allow the minor to use pediatric medical marijuana to manage or treat severe medical conditions
• Agreement to control the minor's acquisition of usable cannabis, marijuana dosage, and frequency of use
• Agreement to serve as the minor's caregiver or appointment of a registered caregiver for the minor
• Agreement to store usable cannabis in an enclosed, locked facility to prevent the minor's access to it

Can You Get A Medical Marijuana Card At 18 In North Dakota?

Yes. Upon turning 18, participants in the North Dakota medical marijuana program are still regarded as minors and would be issued cards intended for minor applicants. North Dakota defines a minor as anyone under the age of 19. Only after turning 19, can applicants get medical marijuana cards as adults in North Dakota.

How To Renew Your North Dakota Medical Marijuana Card

A medical marijuana identification card holder in New Dakota is advised to begin their card's renewal application process at least 45 days before the current valid card expires. The following steps are required to renew a North Dakota medical marijuana card:

• Log on to the online registration portal provided by the HHS
• After logging in, click on the renewal button option, which will open up another application
• While most of the information from the original card application will auto-populate into the renewal application, an applicant may change or modify any details if required
• After reviewing the auto-populated information and/or making the necessary changes or modifications, check the "yes" in the field "Do you currently possess a North Dakota Registry ID Card"
• Click on the "submit" button after completing all required fields

Generally, a North Dakota medical marijuana card renewal has the same requirements as the original application, including the card application fee ($25). A patient with a designated caregiver must also have their caregiver renew their medical marijuana registry card while renewing theirs. Also, a patient's healthcare provider must fill out a new written certification for every renewal.

Can You Grow Medical Marijuana In North Dakota?

No. The North Dakota Compassionate Care Act prohibits patients from cultivating medical marijuana at home. Only a person or entity authorized by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as a compassionate center can legally produce (grow), process, or sell medical marijuana in the state. A compassionate center's activities are limited to producing and processing usable marijuana if authorized as a marijuana manufacturer, and they can only sell to licensed marijuana dispensaries. According to Measure 5, a cannabis manufacturing facility shall cultivate an amount of marijuana adequate to meet the demands of North Dakota's qualifying patients' population.

Does North Dakota Allow Medical Marijuana Patients To Designate Caregivers?

Yes, medical marijuana patients in North Dakota can designate caregivers. According to Measure 5, a designated caregiver is someone who agrees to manage the well-being of a registered qualifying medical marijuana patient regarding the medical use of cannabis. In North Dakota, a designated caregiver must be at least 21 years old and hold a medical marijuana card. The state does not assign caregivers to qualifying patients.

Per Section 19-24.1-04 of Measure 5, a designated caregiver in North Dakota does not qualify to buy or possess usable marijuana on behalf of a qualifying patient without holding a valid medical marijuana registry identification card. Also, they are not eligible to administer medical cannabis to a patient under the state's medical marijuana program without a valid registry identification card. A caregiver is required to undergo a criminal background check as part of the application process to obtain a caregiver's registry card.

In North Dakota, a registered designated caregiver can assist up to five qualifying registered qualifying patients. Any person convicted of a drug-related misdemeanor offense within five years before the application date for a caregiver cannot serve as a caregiver. North Dakota also prohibits individuals convicted of felony offenses from serving as caregivers under the state's medical marijuana program.

North Dakota Medical Marijuana Reciprocity

No. The State of North Dakota does not recognize medical marijuana cards issued in other states. Individuals moving to North Dakota who want to obtain a North Dakota medical marijuana card must complete the patient application under the state's medical marijuana program. The applicant is required to have a state-issued ID from North Dakota. Without a valid North Dakota medical marijuana card, an individual possessing marijuana has no protections under the North Dakota medical marijuana laws.

Are My Medical Marijuana Records Private?

Medical marijuana records are private in North Dakota. Medical marijuana information maintained by the Department of Health under the North Dakota medical marijuana program is not subject to public record laws and is held confidential. Hence, employers do not have access to medical marijuana records as such information is not available via background checks. However, in specific circumstances, such as during an investigation into a marijuana-related crime committed by a medical marijuana patient registered with the NDDoH, some information may be made available to law enforcement agencies.

Does Insurance Cover Medical Marijuana In North Dakota?

No. Insurance plans in North Dakota do not cover medical marijuana costs. Medical marijuana patients are required to pay the full worth of their purchases out of pocket.

What Is The Medical Card Limit In North Dakota?

With a North Dakota medical marijuana card, you can purchase up to 2.5 ounces of dried cannabis flower or possess up to 3 ounces of dried cannabis flower during any 30-day period. Also, you may possess up to 6,000 milligrams of cannabinoid concentrate, medical cannabinoid product, or a cumulative total of both in a 30-day period.

Can You Go To A Dispensary Without A Medical Card In North Dakota?

You must have a medical marijuana card to purchase cannabis in North Dakota. With recreational cannabis illegal statewide, only authorized patients validated with active North Dakota medical marijuana cards can buy medical marijuana in the state.