Patient Cultivation

Background: Many states have recognized the need for patients to self-cultivate medical cannabis.

Findings: Because cannabis comes in literally thousands of different cultivars with very different effects on the body, it is important for patients to be able to determine which cultivars work best for their particular condition and to be allowed to cultivate those cultivars for consistency and quality. In addition, obtaining cannabis through legal distribution centers can be prohibitively expensive for patients, whereas self-cultivation can significantly reduce that financial burden. Patients should not have to rely exclusively on a centralized production and distribution system, which often falls short in meeting their specific needs.

Position: Patients should have the right to grow their own medical cannabis in a variety of ways. Patient cultivation is necessary to ensure that patients have safe and affordable access to medical cannabis.