Massachusetts

A Legal Medical Cannabis Patient:

• Is a Massachusetts resident.
• Has a qualifying debilitating medical condition as determined by a Certifying Healthcare Provider registered with the program. Massachusetts has no fixed list of qualifying conditions. Certifying Healthcare Providers may certify patients for any condition they deem debilitating. Commonly certified conditions include:
  • Cancer
  • Glaucoma
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Crohn’s disease
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
  • Any other condition causing cachexia, wasting syndrome, severe nausea, severe pain, seizures, severe muscle spasms, or symptoms that substantially limit a patient’s major life activities
  This list is not exhaustive. For program information, visit masscannabiscontrol.com.
• Has a written certification from a CCC-registered Certifying Healthcare Provider.
• Is registered with the Medical Use of Marijuana Program. Registration and patient ID cards are free.

ENROLLMENT PROCESS

Step 1: Obtain a written certification from a CCC-registered Certifying Healthcare Provider.

Your provider must have an established bona fide physician-patient relationship with you. Telehealth appointments are permitted.

Step 2: Receive your registration PIN.

After your certification is issued, you will receive an email from your provider with a 4-digit PIN registration number and instructions for completing your application.

Step 3: Register online or by mail.

Register through the Medical Use of Marijuana Program Online System at masscannabiscontrol.com/new-patients/register-as-a-new-patient/, or by mail using the downloadable patient registration form.

Step 4: Submit proof of residency.

Submit a copy of a valid Massachusetts driver’s license or other acceptable government-issued ID confirming Massachusetts residency. If applying by mail, include a passport-style photo.

PATIENT RENEWAL

1. Renew Early 
   You may renew your registration up to 60 days before expiration. Your Program registration card expires each year on the Anniversary of your Program registration. The date is stated on your Program registration card. You can renew your registration up to 60 days before the expiration date. You will receive an email reminder to the email address we have on file.
2. Verify Your Patient Certification
   If your Patient certification has expired, you must visit your Certifying Health Care Provider to renew your certification.

    You can check the status of your certification by accessing the Online System or by contacting us at (833) 869-6820 prompt 1.

   If your medical certification has expired, you must call your Certifying Health Care Provider to get re-certified prior to renewing your registration. Certifying Health Care Providers may include physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants that are registered in the Program.

3. Log into Your Account

   You will need your username and password. Visit the Medical Use of Marijuana Online System (Online System) and choose the fourth option down, I am an existing patient and I would like to login to the Medical Use of Marijuana Online System
4. Update Information
   Make changes to your name, address, or other vital information.

ENROLLING MINOR PATIENTS

Minor patients under 18 must be certified by two Massachusetts-licensed Certifying Physicians. At least one must be a board-certified pediatrician, pediatric subspecialist, oncologist, neurologist, or family physician.

The certifying physicians must discuss potential negative impacts on neurological development with the parent or legal guardian, and written parental consent is required. A parent, legal guardian, or designated caregiver must register with the program on behalf of the minor.

Personal caregivers and institutional caregivers may register at no charge through the Medical Use of Marijuana Program Online System.

1. A Personal Caregiver assists with a Registered Qualifying Patient’s (Patient’s) medical use of marijuana.

This may include any or all of the following duties:

• Transporting a Patient to and from a Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MTC).
• Obtaining and transporting marijuana from an MTC on behalf of a Patient.
• Cultivating marijuana on behalf of a Patient who has obtained a Hardship Cultivation Registration.
• Preparing marijuana for consumption by a Patient.
• Administering marijuana to a Patient.

Please note: The Commission has not yet implemented the Hardship Cultivation Registration program. The Commission is committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure this program upholds patients’ rights and maintains public health and safety. Please continue to check our website and public meetings for updates.

2. Caregivers must be 21 years or older.

A personal caregiver must be 21 years of age or older, and cannot have been convicted of a drug crime.

3. A Patient may designate up to two personal caregivers.

4. Caregivers may possess up to 10 ounces of medical marijuana.

Personal caregivers are allowed to possess and obtain marijuana for a Patient in their care, so long as the caregiver possesses no more than a 60-day supply—up to 10 ounces of cannabis or cannabis-infused products.

5. A healthcare provider cannot serve as caregiver to their Patients.

A healthcare provider may not serve as a Patient’s personal caregiver if he or she has issued a written certification to the Patient for marijuana for medical use.

6. Caregivers may not receive compensation from the Patient.

A personal caregiver may not receive payment or other compensation from the Patient for services related to medical marijuana. Caregivers who are employees of a healthcare facility or service may not receive payment or compensation beyond their regular wages for duties as a medical marijuana caregiver.

7. Caregivers may not consume the Patient’s marijuana products.

A personal caregiver may not use or consume cannabis or cannabis-infused products that are designated for the Patient.

8. Caregivers cannot sell a Patient’s marijuana.

A personal caregiver may not sell or divert marijuana designated for a Patient.

9. Register Online.

The fastest and easiest way to register as a personal caregiver is through the Medical Use of Marijuana Online System (Online System).

Caregivers can also register via paper application, however, please note that the processing times for paper applications are considerably longer.

• Medical Use of Marijuana Program: Personal Caregiver Registration Form
• Programa de Uso Medicinal de la Marihuana: formulario de registro de cuidadores personales (Medical Use of Marijuana Program: Personal Caregiver Registration Form, Spanish Translation)
• Programa de Uso Medicinal da Maconha: Formulário de Cadastro de Cuidador Pessoal (Medical Use of Marijuana Program: Personal Caregiver Registration Form, Portuguese Translation)

10. Carry the registration card.

Upon successful registration, a personal caregiver will receive a Medical Use of Marijuana Program registration card. The caregiver must carry the card at all times while in possession of marijuana.

Dispensaries (Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers):

After enrollment is approved, you may purchase medical cannabis at a licensed Medical Marijuana Treatment Center in Massachusetts. Find a licensed dispensary at masscannabiscontrol.com.

What to Bring:

• Your valid Massachusetts medical cannabis patient ID card
• Government-issued photo ID
• A list of your current medications (recommended for your first visit)
• Payment for your medicine. Insurance does not cover the cost of medical cannabis

Possession Limits:

A qualifying patient may possess a 60-day supply of cannabis as determined by the Certifying Healthcare Provider. The written certification specifies the qualifying patient’s supply.

Home Cultivation:

Massachusetts law allows registered medical marijuana patients to grow up to twelve flowering and twelve vegetative cannabis plants in your home for personal use.  Adult-use consumers may grow no more than 6 cannabis plants or up to 12 plants for two or more adults. You may also apply for a Hardship Cultivation, which allows Registered Qualifying Patients to grow enough marijuana to yield a 60-day supply for personal medical use.

Learn more about Home Cultivation.  

Learn more about Hardship Cultivation.

Need tips on home cultivation?

Cannabis Product Safety:

Cannabis, in its natural form, is inherently safe for most patients, but it is especially susceptible to contaminants during cultivation, manufacturing, handling & even storing. Whether you are purchasing cannabis from regulated, grey, or illicit markets or cultivating your own cannabis, you should be aware of the contaminants commonly found in cannabis and the symptoms that accompany their presence.

Products sold in Massachusetts’ dispensaries and adult-use retail locations must be tested for contaminants, pesticides, and adulterants based on these thresholds set by state regulators.  For more information about cannabis safety, download ASA's "What’s in Your Cannabis? A Patient & Consumer Guide to Navigating Cannabis Safety."

It can be challenging for patients to determine which businesses offering cannabis products are licensed and approved by the state. Review this list of medical cannabis retailers to find out where to purchase regulated cannabis in Massachusetts.

Registered patients may use medical cannabis in permitted private locations.

Patients may NOT use or possess medical cannabis in:

• Any public place
• Any school bus or the grounds of any preschool, primary, or secondary school
• Any correctional facility
• Any motor vehicle (as operator or passenger)
• Any private residence used for licensed childcare, foster care, or similar social service care
• You cannot use medical cannabis in any form—including smoking, vaping, or eating—in public places or on federal land.

These are some – and not all – of the violations and penalties established by the Commonwealth’s Controlled Substances Act. These violations and penalties are not provided under the Commission’s authorizing laws, and therefore are not enforced by the Commission. For more information and additional penalties and violations, please see the Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Legislature Chapter 94C: Controlled Substances Act.

Massachusetts has an adult-use cannabis program, but registering as a medical cannabis patient still offers important benefits. While the medical program may require additional steps, registration can provide patients and caregivers with added support, stronger protections, and access to medical guidance.

Federal Protections Apply Only to Registered Patients

Some federal protections are now available, but only to patients who are officially registered in their state’s medical cannabis program.

A federal order issued April 28th,2026,  AG Order No. 6754-2026, treats a state medical cannabis certification or registration as similar to a prescription under federal law.  This means that being registered is not just a state requirement; it may also affect whether a patient qualifies for federal protections.

To receive these protections, a patient’s registration must stay active, current, and in good standing. Learn more here.

Legal Protections:

Protection From State Prosecution and Penalties for Qualifying Patients and Personal Caregivers
Any person meeting the requirements under this law shall not be penalized under Massachusetts law in any manner, or denied any right or privilege, for such actions.
A qualifying patient or a personal caregiver shall not be subject to arrest or prosecution, or civil penalty, for the medical use of marijuana provided he or she:
(a) Possesses no more marijuana than is necessary for the patient's personal, medical use, not exceeding the amount necessary for a sixty-day supply; and
(b) Presents his or her registration card to any law enforcement official who questions the patient or caregiver regarding use of marijuana.

Protection From State Prosecution and Penalties for Dispensary Agents.
A dispensary agent shall not be subject to arrest, prosecution, or civil penalty, under Massachusetts law, for actions taken under the authority of a medical marijuana treatment center, provided he or she:
(a) Presents his or her registration card to any law enforcement official who questions the agent concerning their marijuana related activities; and
(b) Is acting in accordance with all the requirements of this law.

Protection Against Forfeiture and Arrest
(A) The lawful possession, cultivation, transfer, transport, distribution, or manufacture of medical marijuana as authorized by this law shall not result in the forfeiture or seizure of any property.
(B) No person shall be arrested or prosecuted for any criminal offense solely for being in the presence of medical marijuana or its use as authorized by this law.

Privacy Protections:

The department shall maintain a confidential list of the persons issued medical marijuana registration cards. Individual names and other identifying information on the list shall be exempt from the provisions of Massachusetts Public Records Law, M.G.L. Chapter 66, section 10, and not subject to disclosure, except to employees of the department in the course of their official duties and to Massachusetts law enforcement officials when verifying a card holder's registration.

Civil Protections:

• Employers, landlords, cities, and towns may have their own policies governing the use of cannabis. 
• Patients are legally protected from discrimination for cannabis use in child custody hearings.
• Patients are also protected where organ transplants may be denied for recreational cannabis users.

Tax Benefits:

Registered qualifying patients who present a valid patient ID card at the time of purchase may be exempt from the Massachusetts cannabis excise tax.

Keeping the Medical Program Strong:

Enrollment helps demonstrate continued patient need for Massachusetts’ medical cannabis program. A strong registry helps protect and sustain the program, supports continued access for patients with serious health needs, and reinforces the importance of maintaining a medical pathway alongside adult-use access.

Only Registered Qualifying Patients who are residents of Massachusetts or their Caregivers are allowed to purchase medical marijuana.

If you’re visiting from another state, you must be 21 years or older and present a valid government-issued ID to purchase cannabis or cannabis-based products from an adult-use Marijuana Establishment in Massachusetts. 

However, you must enjoy your purchase in Massachusetts, since it’s against the law to transport marijuana across state lines—whether it’s by car, plane, train, boat, or any other mode of transportation. It’s also illegal to mail any type of cannabis-based product, including edibles, even if the final destination is a state, territory, or country that has legalized marijuana. 

If you’re staying at a hotel or other type of rental accommodation, inquire about marijuana use policies prior to consuming.

*UPDATE: AG ORDER NO. 6754-2026 CHANGED FEDERAL CANNABIS LAWS  ON APRIL 28, 2026: Learn more here.

Federal cannabis laws affect far more than whether a patient can access medical cannabis. For decades, federal prohibition has limited protections for medical cannabis patients under laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Housing Act (FHA). As a result, patients have often been denied the basic protections that people with other serious health conditions expect in employment, housing, healthcare, and access to federal programs.

Federal prohibition has also affected patients’ access to essential healthcare, housing, and financial support programs, sometimes forcing patients to choose between the medicine they need and the benefits they depend on. It has also created barriers to federal employment, healthcare autonomy, firearm ownership, and other aspects of daily life.

As federal and state cannabis laws change, implementation matters. Advocates must stay vigilant to ensure public agencies, private institutions, employers, housing providers, and healthcare systems update their policies in ways that respect patient rights and protect safe, legal access to medical cannabis.

It is important to stay active, engaged, and informed. Sign up to get ASA updates and learn more about ending patient discrimination. 

Rights and protections for medical cannabis patients are evolving. In some cases, outdated policies may impact how patients are treated. In other cases, like those in the military, policy changes will have to come from Washington, DC. In the case of organ transplants, stigma still plays a role in medical cannabis patients having access to life-saving treatment, even if state laws ban discrimination.  Please use the resources below to better understand patient rights and how to navigate these programs and services.