You may be eligible for the use of medical cannabis for any condition deemed clinically appropriate by your health care provider. Please talk to your health care provider about whether medical cannabis may help you.
The first step is speaking with your treating health care provider about whether the medical use of cannabis is appropriate for your condition. Your health care provider may issue you a certification if medical cannabis is an appropriate treatment for you.
Patients seeking access to medical cannabis should first go to their health care provider. If a patient's health care provider does not already certify patients for the use of medical cannabis and would like to, they can find information on the OCM website.
Patients may access a list of health care providers who certify patients here.
Registered organizations may only manufacture medical cannabis products in forms approved by the Office of Cannabis Management.
Some examples of medical cannabis products that are available are vape cartridge/pen, capsule/tablets, tincture, oral spray, oral powder, lozenges, metered ground plant preparation for vaporization, whole flower cannabis for vaporization and transdermal patches. Seeds and immature plants for home cultivation are also available for sale to certified patients or their designated caregivers at some registered organizations dispensing locations. Patients should contact registered organizations directly to learn what products they have available. More information about registered organizations can be found here.
Yes. Effective October 5, 2022 certified patients and designated caregivers twenty-one years of age or older who are registered with the Medical Cannabis Program will be able to cultivate cannabis at home for patients’ personal use.
For more information on home cultivation of medical cannabis, click on the links below.
Once you possess a certification, you may visit a medical dispensary in NYS to purchase product! Be sure to bring the certification, which includes a registry ID number on it, and your government issued photo ID to the dispensary.
A patient must first designate you as a caregiver. After the patient has designated you as a caregiver, you must register as well.
NOTE: Patients under the age of 18 or incapable of consent are required to have one designated caregiver who will be auto-registered at the time of certification by the certifying health care provider. The caregiver will be able to bring the patient’s certification, the caregiver registry ID and their government-issued photo ID to the dispensary.
As of 03/20/2023, Registry ID cards are no longer being issued. Patient certifications will contain a registry ID number to be used in conjunction with a government issued photo ID to purchase medical cannabis products at the registered organization’s dispensary
Information about registered organizations can be found here.
A certified patient may purchase medical cannabis from any registered organization’s dispensing facility in New York State. Some registered organizations offer home delivery as well. Click here for a list of registered organization locations in New York.
No. Please contact the registered organization directly to learn more about the products they have available. Contact information may be found here. Registered organizations must make available at least one brand that has an equal ratio of THC to CBD, and one brand with a low-THC-high-CBD ratio). Each registered organization will also offer other products that have varying ratios of THC to CBD.
No. Not all registered organizations sell the same types of medical cannabis products including seeds or plants for home cultivation. Please contact the registered organization directly to learn more about the products they have available.
The hours of operation for the dispensing facilities vary. Please contact or review the websites of the registered organizations for their dispensing facilities' hours of operation by clicking here.
Registered organizations may dispense up to a 60-day supply of medical cannabis to a certified patient or designated caregiver, pursuant to any recommendations or limitations made by the health care provider on the certification.
Work with your certifying health care provider or a dispensing facility pharmacist to determine if a change in product, change in dose, or discontinuation of the product is appropriate.
If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, call 911 or go to an emergency room immediately. If you believe you are experiencing an adverse event that is not life-threatening from the approved medical cannabis product, you can report the incident using the online incident reporting form found here: https://cannabis.ny.gov/report-an-incident.
Certified patients or their designated caregivers should dispose of expired or unwanted medical cannabis products by adding water to the medical cannabis and then dirt, coffee grounds, ashes or another undesirable substance, prior to disposal in the trash, to avoid accidental or intentional misuse of the product.
Registered organizations may offer a delivery service. Please contact the registered organizations directly to determine if delivery services are offered in your area.
Patients may also designate up to 5 caregivers who may obtain medical cannabis on their behalf.
No. Only certified patients with a New York State registry identification card may purchase approved medical cannabis products in New York State.
The OCM requires independent laboratory testing for every brand of manufactured medical cannabis product to be tested for any contaminants and to ensure product consistency.
A list of laboratories approved for medical cannabis testing in New York and their contact information can be found here: https://cannabis.ny.gov/cannabis-laboratories.
Please contact the registered organizations directly for additional information regarding their pricing, which may include their costs to manufacture, market and distribute products.
No, prices vary among registered organizations.
Medical cannabis prices could change. Additionally, registered organizations may offer discount programs to help patients with the cost of medical cannabis. Please contact the registered organizations directly for additional information regarding their pricing, which may include their costs to manufacture, market and distribute products.
Patients should contact registered organizations directly to obtain final prices. The total amount a patient pays depends upon a patient's individual dosing needs, taking into account the dosing recommendations of their certifying health care provider. A list of registered organizations can be found here: https://cannabis.ny.gov/dispensing-facilities.
Registered organizations may provide discounted products or reduced prices for certified patients. Check with the registered organization to find out more information regarding any financial assistance programs they may offer.
Article 3 § 30(10) of the cannabis law requires health care providers to complete a minimum of a two-hour course in order to certify patients for the medical cannabis program.
The following content is required: the pharmacology of cannabis; contraindications; side effects; adverse reactions; overdose prevention; drug interactions; dosing; routes of administration; risks and benefits; warnings and precautions; abuse and dependence; and such other components as determined by the OCM . The course will provide health care providers with information that will help as they evaluate their patients.
The OCM has approved the following providers to offer the required course(s): For additional information or to enroll in a course, click the course provider’s name below to be redirected to its website.
AMA, PRA Category 1 Credits™, ACPE, AANP, ANCC, APA, and AGD
AMA, PRA Category 1 Credits™, ACPE, AANP, ANCC, APA, and AGD
The courses are offered online, which will provide health care providers the ability to complete the course at their convenience.
No. The courses may be taken in installments at the health care provider's convenience. All course providers offer 12 months of access to content, however, health care providers are required to complete all coursework and receive a course completion certificate prior to registering with the OCM’s Medical Cannabis Program .
Yes. Pharmacists and health care providers working in dispensing facilities must take the four-hour course before they can counsel certified patients and designated caregivers on the use, administration, and risks associated with approved medical cannabis products.
Upon successful completion of the course, health care providers will receive a course completion certificate through the course website.
Health care providers who have completed the course and who wish to certify patients for medical cannabis must follow the below steps:
First Time Users:
Returning Users:
Any questions regarding health care provider access to MCMDS should be emailed to [email protected] .
Following successful completion of the course, and upon full compliance with the other requirements set forth in 9 NYCRR § 113.19 , health care providers may log into the Medical Cannabis Data Management System (MCDMS) application within the Health Commerce System, enter the required information and begin certifying patients immediately.
Health care providers or pharmacists may take the course(s) and not issue certifications to patients. At this time continuing education credits are only available through The Medical Cannabis Institute , Medical Marijuana 411 , and TheAnswerPage.com.
No. Health care providers must be licensed, registered or certified by New York state to prescribe controlled substances within the state.
Yes. A valid DEA registration for New York is required to certify patients for the Medical Cannabis Program .
Instructions for health care providers on how to issue a patient certification, can be found by visiting https://cannabis.ny.gov/practitioners .
Instructions for health care providers on how to edit a patient’s certifications can be found by visiting https://cannabis.ny.gov/practitioners .
Instructions for health care providers on how to change recommendations can be found by visiting https://cannabis.ny.gov/practitioners .
Canceling an active certification should be performed only when needed. If you are canceling the certification due to a data entry error, first check if you may edit the certification to correct the error. Instructions for editing certifications may be found here: https://cannabis.ny.gov/practitioners .
Instructions on how to cancel the certification can be found at https://cannabis.ny.gov/practitioners .
No. It is not mandatory for facilities to become designated caregivers for patients.
Facilities that can be designated are listed in Article 1 §3 (21) of the MRTA , and include the following:
A designated caregiver facility form is available here: Facility Caregiver Designation Form
There is no limit on the number of patients that a designated caregiver facility may serve.
Any facility employee deemed appropriate by the designated caregiver facility can administer approved medical cannabis products to the patient. Patients may also designate a caregiver outside of the facility (for example a friend or family member) to come and administer approved medical cannabis products to the patient at the facility. In addition, to the extent patients are capable, they may self-administer approved medical cannabis products.
The patient, or his or her designated caregiver(s) may purchase approved medical cannabis products from a registered organization's dispensing facility to bring to the facility. In addition, some registered organizations which provide delivery services may deliver directly to the patient or designated caregiver facility. A copy of the patient’s registry ID card and a copy of the OCM approved facility caregiver form must be presented to the registered organization in order to purchase the product on behalf of the patient.
Designated caregiver facilities should develop and follow internal policies and procedures—in conjunction and compliance with any entities that may oversee and/or regulate the facility—that provide for storage of approved medical cannabis products in a secure manner so as to prevent diversion.
When disposing of approved medical cannabis products, it must always be done in a manner that renders the product nonrecoverable beyond reclamation. It is recommended that unused or unwanted product be returned to the certified patient or a designated caregiver who is a natural person for destruction. If the product cannot be returned, the designated caregiver facility must dispose of the product in a manner that renders it nonrecoverable beyond reclamation. Approved medical cannabis products cannot be disposed of using medication drop boxes, DEA drug take-back events or via Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement drug destructions. Designated caregiver facilities should develop policies and procedures that provide for the method of destruction and record-keeping of disposal.
No. A certifying health care provider must issue a certification to a patient, but participating with the Medical Cannabis Program is not required merely to issue an order for administration or self-administration of medical cannabis within the facility.
The patient, the patient’s designated caregiver, or the designated caregiver facility must work with the patient’s certifying health care provider to make changes to the patient’s existing certification.
Yes, if permitted to do so by the facility’s policies and procedures. In addition, 9 NYCRR § 113.19 , has been amended to allow for the self-administration of approved medical cannabis products in hospitals. There are certain limitations prohibiting vaporization in public places, as outlined in 9 NYCRR § 113.19.
The regulations do not require a patient to try opioids first. The patient must be certified by a certifying practitioner health care provider for this qualifying condition to purchase medical cannabis.
Yes. Patients have the option to use medical cannabis instead of, or in conjunction with, opioids for post-operative pain management. Patients must be certified by a certifying health care provider. Patients can check with the facility where surgery will take place about policies and procedures related to use of medical cannabis while in the facility.
There is no regulation that prohibits the use of opioids and medical cannabis at the same time. The decision of appropriate therapy will be at the discretion of the health care provider certifying the patient.
Yes. Substance Use Disorder was added as a qualifying condition.
There is no special identification number required from the DEA for a health care provider to certify a patient for opioid use disorder.
Patients can purchase up to a 60-day supply of medical cannabis. The health care provider can limit dosing recommendations, and/or issue the certification for a specified date that is less than a year. The health care provider should use professional judgment to determine the appropriate length of treatment. When dispensing to patients, registered organizations must follow the recommendations or limitations provided by the certifying health care provider.
No. The patient must be certified by a certifying health care provider to purchase medical cannabis.
You no longer have to register with OCM. You will be auto-registered when you are certified by the health care provider. Your certification will include a registry ID number. You will need to bring the certification and your government-issued photo ID to the dispensary.
Registered organizations are required to verify your identity using both your active certification and a government-issued photo ID.
Facilities who have submitted the required designated facility caregiver form to the OCM, and whose registration as a facility caregiver has been approved, will be issued a Designated Facility Caregiver Registration in the approval response sent via email.
Yes, however all regulations must be followed that pertain to advertising and marketing, which can be found in 9 NYCRR § 113.17 . Please keep in mind the prohibitions within 9 NYCRR § 113.22 and 9 NYCRR § 113.23 as you plan events.
Educational events sponsored by registered organizations for certifying health care provider are permitted. However, persons associated with a registered organization are prohibited from entering into any agreement with a certifying health care provider that would adversely affect a person's freedom to choose which dispensing facility to purchase approved medical cannabis products from. In addition, regulations prohibit certifying health care providers from directly or indirectly accepting, soliciting or receiving any item of value from a registered organization. An item of value includes, but is not limited to, money, services, loans, travel, lodging, meals, refreshments, entertainment, forbearance (agreeing to change the terms for repayment of a debt), or a promise having a monetary value. Something with a fair market value of less than $15 would generally not be considered an item of value.
Registered organizations may not recommend, refer or suggest individual health care providers, group practices or websites offering to certify patients.
Registered organizations may direct patients to the New York State Office of Cannabis Management website, where a list of health care providers who have agreed to be listed publicly, is available. That list can be found here: https://www.health.ny.gov/regulations/medical_marijuana/practitioner/public_list.htm .
No. Registered organizations and persons associated with registered organizations are prohibited from entering into any agreement with a certifying health care provider that would adversely affect any person's freedom to choose which registered organization to purchase product from. Furthermore, a website may not direct patients to a particular registered organization after a health care provider associated with that website certifies a patient. This does not apply to health care providers and registered organizations who are conducting research pursuant to an IRB approved study where the patient has consented to participating in the study.
General information regarding the registered organization's products can be given, including, but not limited to: dosage forms, brand names, THC and CBD concentrations, ingredient lists, safety precautions, contraindications, warnings, and instructions for proper use. New York State regulations require that any advertisements making claims or statements regarding the efficacy of medical cannabis products be submitted to the OCM at least 10 business days prior to being disseminated to the public.
Yes. Registered organizations may assist patients who have already been certified by a health care provider, with the registration process. However, registered organizations may not directly or indirectly steer or influence a patient's choice with regard to the selection of a health care provider.
No. Allowing patients to post product reviews on the registered organization's website is akin to advertising, and statements regarding efficacy of a product must be supported by substantial evidence or substantial clinical data. If patients want to find or post reviews about registered organization products, they must do so using a third-party website, not a registered organization's website.
Informational and/or instructional materials concerning the use of registered organizations' products are permitted, so long as no claims of efficacy are made without written prior approval of the OCM pursuant to 10 NYCRR § 1004.16(i) .
Comparing approved medical cannabis products is allowed. However, registered organizations are prohibited from making any statement that falsely disparages a competitor's products.
Yes, so long as it does not have the purpose or effect of steering or influencing patient or caregiver choice with regard to the selection of a health care provider.
