What are Louisiana’s Medical Marijuana Laws?

If you currently live in Louisiana, it’s important for you to know the current laws in place. Louisiana medical marijuana laws are still relatively new, so it can be hard to find the most up-to-date information to go on. Here’s everything you need to know about the medical marijuana laws in Louisiana.

Did Louisiana Pass a Medical Marijuana Law?

As of 2019, medical marijuana is legal in Louisiana. For many years, citizens were probably wondering regularly, “Is medical marijuana legal in Louisiana?” This is because the law making it legal actually passed back in 2014. However, it was not enacted until 2019, making medical marijuana inaccessible for citizens up until that point.

It’s important to know that currently, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) is in charge of all regulations for medical marijuana, including the production and manufacturing of all forms. Essentially, this means that all growth of medical marijuana is handled by the government of Louisiana.

What About Recreational Marijuana in Louisiana?

While medical marijuana is legal in Louisiana, recreational use of marijuana is currently not legal in the state. While this may be discouraging news for some people, there is some positive news.

While the use of marijuana recreationally is still illegal in Louisiana, in 2021, the state legislature voted to decriminalize the possession of recreational marijuana. This means that if a person is found with 14 grams of marijuana, or less, then they will face a fine of up to $300 versus being sentenced to jail time. While this isn’t full legalization, it has hopefully begun the process of helping the public view marijuana in a different way.

Decriminalization is the first step toward the recreational use of marijuana being legalized in Louisiana. In fact, many politicians and citizens alike are still pushing for marijuana to be legalized in Louisiana in the coming years. In the meantime, many people are working to spread awareness of the benefits of marijuana legalization.

What Are the Louisiana Medical Marijuana Laws?

So, while you can’t purchase or use recreational marijuana, those people who qualify for a medical card in Louisiana are able to receive a prescription from a doctor for medical marijuana. In order to understand the qualifications and limitations put into place by the Louisiana government, you might want to review Louisiana law RS 40:1046. In summary, to qualify for a medical marijuana card in Louisiana, a person must be diagnosed with a qualifying condition by a doctor licensed to practice in the state. Some of the most common qualifying conditions include cancer, HIV/AIDS, cachexia or wasting disorder, seizure disorders (including but not limited to epilepsy), spasticity, Crohn’s disease, muscular dystrophy, severe muscle spasms, glaucoma, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, multiple sclerosis, intractable pain (which is narrowly defined), Alzheimer’s, ALS, traumatic brain injury, concussion, chronic pain associated with either fibromyalgia or sickle cell disease, conditions resulting in the patient receiving hospice care or palliative care, and—in some cases—autism.

Once a person qualifies for a medical marijuana card, they are placed in a state-wide database, where they can go to a qualifying Louisiana cannabis dispensary and receive their prescribed dosage. It’s important to understand that, legally, each cardholder may only be given up to 2.5 ounces of medical marijuana every 14 days. This helps ensure cardholders are not abusing the system or sharing their prescribed medication.

Understanding the specifics of the marijuana laws in Louisiana will help ensure you aren’t surprised if you come across any terms or limitations regarding medical marijuana cards and usage.

Cultivation License in Louisiana

With medical marijuana legal in Louisiana, you may be wondering how you can begin cultivating your own crops. As previously mentioned, the LDAF currently handles all cultivation of medical marijuana. This means that there is no medical growth permitted outside of two agencies in the state—the Louisiana State University Agriculture Center and Southern University Agriculture Center. No other individual or business is allowed to grow medical marijuana for personal use or distribution. 

Louisiana Cannabis Dispensary Information

If you or someone you know qualifies for a medical marijuana card in Louisiana, you’re likely wondering how you can obtain the prescribed amount of cannabis. As of right now, Louisiana only has nine dispensaries in the state. While this may be discouraging at first glance, there are some dispensaries that offer home delivery to medical cardholders.

Medical marijuana dispensaries in Louisiana are able to provide you with a wide array of marijuana products to best meet your needs and preferences in symptom alleviation. Dispensaries have a variety of smokeable marijuana flowers, RSO distillate syringes, metered-dose inhalers (MDIs), edibles, and tinctures.

Once you have your medical marijuana card and prescription from your doctor, you are able to visit a dispensary and find the right product for you. Each dispensary employs people who will help you choose the right form of cannabis and will follow up with you to make sure your product of choice is meeting your needs.

Takeaway

When asking the question, “is marijuana legal in Louisiana,” the answer is a little more complicated than many people prefer. Medical marijuana is fully legal in Louisiana as long as the person has a medical card that was recommended and prescribed by a licensed Louisiana doctor. However, recreational marijuana is still illegal in the state.

While many people may be discouraged by the state of marijuana laws in Louisiana, it’s important to realize how much progress has been made over the last few years. Recognizing that smaller amounts of marijuana possession are now decriminalized in Louisiana can be seen as a mark for the win column for those in favor of legalization.

Regardless of what future cannabis laws look like in Louisiana, it’s essential to be as up-to-date as possible on the laws and regulations in place so you can make sure you are abiding by them.