NYS Medical Cannabis Program

The NYS Medical Cannabis Program has helped countless New Yorkers find relief from pain and other conditions.

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In 2016, New York State implemented the Medical Cannabis Program. In March 2021, the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) amended the program and improved access for medical patients with the implementation of regulations including but not limited to the expansion of qualifying medical conditions, the increase in the number of caregivers a patient may designate, and the expansion of available product categories and dispensing limits. Over the last 7 years, the Medical Program has allowed thousands of New Yorkers to gain access to safe, lab tested medical cannabis treatment and has laid the foundation for the equitable adult-use cannabis market in New York State.

Medical Cannabis Program as of September 1, 2024

Registered Patients – 106,318
Certifying Practitioners – 4,405

After getting certified by a healthcare provider, patients can use their medical cannabis certification, either a paper copy or on a smart device, along with a government issued photo ID, at any licensed New York State medical dispensary to purchase cannabis products.

After completing an OCM approved educational course, NYS licensed practitioners, who can prescribe controlled substances and are qualified to treat the patient’s condition can certify patients for medical cannabis.

Patients

Patients may be eligible for the use of medical cannabis if deemed appropriate by a certifying healthcare provider.

• Overview
• Get Certified as a Patient
• Buy Medical Cannabis

Healthcare Providers

• Overview
• Start Certifying Patients
• Medical Cannabis Education

Designated Caregivers

• Overview
• Get Designated as a Caregiver
• Buy Medical Cannabis

@NYS_cannabis This is medical #NYcannabis.

Countless NYS certified patients like Jon have found relief from symptoms like pain, nausea, and more with medical cannabis.

Each medical cannabis dispensary in NYS is required to have a pharmacist like Dr. Duclas M. Charles, PharmD, on-site to help patients find the right product.

With more than 4,000 NYS certifying healthcare providers like Dr. Nasim Chowdhury, M.D., more patients can find products that may help them find relief and improve their quality of life.

If you are interested in having your medical cannabis experience featured in future opportunities, please complete and submit the form below.

Search the listing of healthcare providers in New York State who are authorized to certify patients.

Search the list of Registered Organizations (ROs) in NYS who are authorized to sell medical cannabis products to certified patients and caregivers.

All adult-use cannabis products and medical-use cannabis products must be processed in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards, as applicable for the type of cannabis or cannabis product being processed. All licensees or registrants must maintain GMP standards in their processing facility operations for the duration of the license period. There are NO exceptions to the requirement to process cannabis in accordance with GMP requirements.

Good Manufacturing Practice Audit Requirements:

• Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) is a quality control system for ensuring that products are consistently produced and controlled in accordance with current federal regulations 21 CFR Parts 111 or 117 established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
  
• Within one (1) year of commencing licensed/registered operations the licensee/registrant must submit proof of a qualified third-party GMP audit, of the licensee’s extraction and/or manufacturing processes, as applicable, to the satisfaction of the Office.
  

NOTE: Adult-Use Cannabis Type 3 processor licensees and microbusiness licensees may request a conditional exemption under certain conditions, such as limited processing activities related to packaging, labeling, and branding of specified products. Conditional exemptions apply exclusively to those specific product types and activities and are contingent upon submission of a conditional exemption request and written approval from the Office.