Michigan, Hawaii, Nevada, and DC offer privileges for out-of-state cannabis patients

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	Despite Federal laws, several states offer protections for patients visiting from reciprocal states.

Noun rec·i·proc·i·ty \ re-sə-ˈprä-s(ə-)tē \
Plural reciprocities
1: the quality or state of being reciprocal:
mutual dependence, action, or influence
2: a mutual exchange of privileges; specifically:
a recognition by one of two countries or institutions
of the validity of licenses or privileges granted by the other

Philosophically it’s a simple concept. Far easier to follow in theory than in practice—whether being applied to international relations or oral sex—one should always extend the same courtesies offered unto them. In the world of medical marijuana the definition is not so cut and dried.

This is to be expected given the lack of preparedness and motivation that most lawmakers contribute to the legislative process when enacting medical marijuana laws in their respective bureaucracies. The framework cobbled together by individual states often runs counter to patient’s interests, instead proposing rules with a narrow focus on extracting as much money from entrepreneurs via application and licensing fees while creating hoop after hoop for patients and caregivers to jump through for access to life saving medicine.

States without pro-marijuana laws on the books are the minority in 2018. Nebraska, Idaho, Kansas, and other similarly regressive states chose to refuse and condemn the progress. It is a stubborn practice that is based in fear, religious bias, political affiliation and ignorance. They’ll even try to halt the headway through lawsuits, aggressive and predatory policing strategies and extreme criminalization of cannabis possession.

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Just because a state has authorized a medical marijuana program does not guarantee identical entitlements to visiting patients.

Despite the numbskullery that afflicts the majority of elected officials—some who are tasked with the chore of deliberating and deciding the who, what, where, when and why of it all do take the considerations of the medical marijuana community into account when writing the law of the land. But not all laws have been created equally. Just because a state has authorized a medical marijuana program it does not guarantee identical entitlements to a visiting patient.

Only handful of states have taken the high road and passed legislation that communicates a willingness to recognize other states’ medical marijuana patient’s rights.

The Lowdown

The entire West Coast (plus Nevada) has legalized marijuana for everybody—not just the sick. However, recreational marijuana sales should not be misinterpreted as reciprocity. An out of state patient that is able to obtain cannabis in a recreational setting away from home is often paying exorbitant taxes not included on medical cannabis sales and are routinely exposed to products of a lesser quality standard than is acceptable for sick or hurt individuals.

In the Northeastern corridor we’re seeing medical and recreational cannabis sprouting up in some of the county’s most cherished and historic megalopolises at breakneck pace. The Southwest is in the midst of a green rush and the Midwest is hit or miss as Michigan and Illinois lead the way. The Bible Belt, like most of their views, is about a two centuries behind the rest of the country when it comes to medical marijuana.

In some reciprocal states, regulations merely help to shield visiting patients from prosecution for the possession of medical cannabis. That is marginally helpful but it places a burden on the patient transporting medicine should they happen to be traveling through any non-reciprocal territories on the way to a friendly final destination.

Other states versions of the law allow for a visiting qualifying patients registry card to have the same protections and privileges as a local patient’s card. What, pray tell, does that suggest? It implies that medical marijuana dispensaries will accept out of state patients as long as they have valid paperwork from their home state. Of course, this still requires understanding and cooperation from the proprietors of these establishments.

Where is your card good?

The Best City In the World Is Reciprocity by Emmett H.W. Nelson details patient protections in Michigan, Hawaii, Nevada, and DC.

More re cannabis laws in your US state.

Cannabiz covers the laws' impact on the cannabis industry by region.