New York is the most populous state on the East Coast, but a complicated medical marijuana program limited the number of patients to a little over 123,000 medical cannabis patients. The state used to make doctors prescribe cannabis like a regular drug, with specific brands, types, and methods of consumption. The patients had to follow the exact dosage and use special vape pens.

Thankfully, the state’s medical program improved substantially after recreational legalization in 2021. But that doesn’t mean New York’s recreational program has gone smoothly. With adult-use sales being marred by gray market shops and a slow approval process for new dispensaries, many NY residents have found the surest way to find safe, lab-tested, legal weed is with a NY medical card.

Is Weed Legal in New York?

YES. Anyone 21 or older can use marijuana for medical or recreational purposes in New York.

How Did Weed Become Legal in New York?

New York’s medical marijuana program started in 2014, when Governor Cuomo signed the Compassionate Care Act (S7923). The law allowed medical marijuana patients to register with the state, though the process was more complicated than other states, limiting patient interest.

In recent years, and thanks to The Marihuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA), New York’s medical marijuana program has become more relaxed. The state now lets any registered medical professional (including nurse practitioners, midwives, and dentists) certify patients for medical marijuana, and the patients don’t need to have a specific condition.

New York legalized cannabis for adult use in 2021. But New York’s recreational dispensaries are not doing well. A slow approval process and an influx of unlicensed shops have left recreational consumers with few options to buy safe, legal cannabis in New York.

Thankfully, residents with a NY medical marijuana card have access to far more dispensaries, making it easier and cheaper to find licensed shops and lab tested products.

Do You Need a Medical Card to Buy from a Dispensary?

If you are a patient with a qualifying condition and a certification from a qualified NY medical marijuana doctor, you can buy cannabis from any medical dispensary licensed by the state.

Adult consumers can buy cannabis from any adult-use dispensary. Unfortunately, the number of unlicensed shops far outnumber legal adult-use shops, making it essential for many consumers to get or renew their NY medical marijuana card to maintain access to safe, tested products.

The price of adult-use cannabis includes a 9% state excise tax and 4% local excise tax. New York medical card holders save on every purchase and are only charged a 7% excise tax.

Is Cannabis Delivery Available in New York?

New York allows delivery services for both medical and adult-use cannabis.

Where Can Consumers Legally Use Recreational or Medical Marijuana in NY?

You can enjoy cannabis legally in New York in these places:
‍
🗹 Your home or someone else’s private property
🗹 Businesses that have a license to allow cannabis consumption on their premises

You cannot use cannabis legally in New York in these places:
‍
X Any public space
X Businesses that do not have a license to allow cannabis consumption on their premises
X Cars, trucks, buses, or any other moving vehicle (whether you are driving or riding)
X Federal land, such as national parks
X Anywhere where tobacco smoking is banned

What are the Restrictions on Possessing Medical Marijuana in NYS?

New York medical cannabis patients can possess up to a 60-day supply, according to their prescribed dosage. They can refill their supply 7 days before it runs out, just like a regular prescription. 

Adult consumers without a NY medical card can buy and possess up to3 ounces of flower or 24 grams of concentrate.

Consumers are allowed to give away or gift the same amounts to another adult, as long as they don’t charge any money for it. Recreational consumers are NOT allowed to grow their own cannabis plants. However, NY medical marijuana patients with a doctor’s certification or designated caregiver can grow up to 6 plants (3 mature and 3 immature) at a time. 

When you are transporting cannabis in a vehicle, it must be either in a sealed container, or stored in the trunk of the vehicle.