Though there is currently no “official” reciprocity in Louisiana, there are several new laws going into effect on August 1st, 2022 that do provide some protection and limited reciprocity for medical marijuana patients.
Regarding medical marijuana, reciprocity means if you hold a medical card in one state, you can continue to use medical marijuana when you travel to another state which has reciprocity. The states that offer reciprocity will recognize your medical marijuana recommendation from Louisiana and allow you to shop and purchase in their dispensaries.
Here are the states that currently have laws specifically regarding reciprocity in place:
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Hawaii
Illinois
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Each state will have different requirements, so be sure and research those in advance. And, since marijuana is still federally illegal, be aware that crossing state lines with medical marijuana is still a federal offense.
Act 439 signed by Governor John Bel Edwards in June 2022 authorizes dispensing of medical marijuana to certain qualifying patients who are not Louisiana residents. A visiting qualifying patient may obtain medical marijuana from a marijuana pharmacy upon producing evidence of his valid medical marijuana registry identification card, or its equivalent, which has been issued under the medical marijuana laws of another state of the United States. This law goes into effect on August 1, 2022.
This new law provides immunity from prosecution for people who are currently in the Louisiana Medical Marijuana program and have received their recommendations from a licensed Louisiana physician. It also provides immunity for qualified visiting patients, caregivers, and parents of children in the program. The new law does not provide protection for anyone with illegal or street drugs, even if they are a medical marijuana patient. It only covers possession of those medical marijuana products allowed by law and obtained from a dispensary. This law goes into effect on August 1, 2022.
In addition, current medical marijuana patients in Louisiana can travel to Arkansas or Oklahoma to purchase from those state’s dispensaries. Both states require the completion of visiting patient forms prior to purchase. The form for Arkansas can be found here: https://mmj.adh.arkansas.gov/ and the temporary patient form for Oklahoma can be found here: https://omma.us.thentiacloud.net/webs/omma/ Keep in mind that any form of marijuana containing more than .03% THC is federally illegal and, if you are found in possession while crossing state lines, even with some state reciprocity, you may face some legal snags or fines.
Oklahoma and Arkansas both offer a number of dispensaries. Both also have lists of dispensaries and their contact information.
Oklahoma offers a 163-page list of dispensaries licensed by the state. To download the list, click here.
Arkansas provides a list of its dispensaries and their related zones established by the state. To download the list of licensed dispensaries in Arkansas, click here.
No matter which dispensary you choose, state regulations can vary, so be prepared before you go rather than waiting until you get there.
Texas doesn’t offer any reciprocity. However, medical marijuana is now legal in that state, though it is heavily restricted. Texas offers “compassionate care” administered through the Texas Department for Public Safety. The state only allows certain physicians to prescribe low-THC (less than 1% as of 2021) for certain patients who have qualifying conditions and the only forms allowed are those that can be consumed by swallowing. Qualifying conditions for medical marijuana in Texas include epilepsy, seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis, spasticity, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, autism, terminal cancer, or an incurable neurodegenerative disease (this is a fairly long list and includes dementia, Alzheimer’s, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Lewy body disorders, and Parkinson’s Disease). Conditions like anxiety or pain or NOT included as these are typically treated with a higher level of THC. There is a Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT) where patients are registered.
Since Texas doesn’t have reciprocity, it could mean a criminal charge if you’re caught with marijuana in that state.
Most dispensaries include their products on their websites, but if you’d like to see exactly what they offer, try www.iheartjane.com. Change the location to the state you plan to visit and you can browse online before you go in person. Unfortunately, federal law prohibits shipping products across state lines, so you will have to go in person if you’re shopping in another state.
No matter where you decide to purchase your medicine, you’ll need a recommendation first. Click the button to get started and talk to your physician about qualifying for medical marijuana in Louisiana. If your physician at The Healing Clinics feels you won’t be helped by adding medical marijuana, you’ll get a full refund. We have help standing by for your call 24/7, and the lowest prices for telehealth or in-person visits in Louisiana. Our Summer Special is just $175 and, if you bring a friend, it’s only $150 each for 12 months of recommendations. Click the button to get started.
You can use the label on your product or your recommendation to prove you are a current patient and then you’ll still have to fill out a visiting patient form. Click the links to see what Oklahoma and Arkansas require.
Great article, since La doesn’t have a Mm card what do we use instead?
You can use a copy of your recommendation or the label with your name on the packaging of product you’ve already purchased at a Louisiana dispensary.
Daniel
July 14, 2022How can a patient produce a medical marijuana card in another state which requires one, when Louisiana doesn’t issue a card. And the other state like Arkansas and Oklahoma doesn’t recognize the prescription such as the one on the box destributed by the dispensary.