Apply for Your Louisiana Medical Marijuana Card

Benefits of Having a Medical Card in Louisiana

Anyone with a medical marijuana certificate is permitted a maximum of a 30-day supply of cannabis products, the total amount to be determined by each patient’s physician.

Registered patients may possess any of the following products:

• Extracts
• Oils
• Pills
• Tinctures
• Solutions
• Suspensions
• Chewables
• Metered-dose inhalers
• Lotions
• Patches
• Sprays
• Suppositories

Every patient is different: your physician may recommend specific forms of medical marijuana products to suit your particular needs.

Patients registered to the state medical marijuana program can also purchase up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis flower per 14-day period from licensed Louisiana dispensaries.

No Sales Tax

Patients are not required to pay taxes on their medical marijuana purchases.

Eligibility Requirements

To apply for a medical marijuana certificate, you must be a legal Louisiana resident older than 18.

Can Minors Get a Medical Card in Louisiana?

Those under 18 years can still qualify for a medical marijuana certificate but need a caregiver to handle their medicine.

When it comes to those aged under 18 with autism spectrum disorder, both a pediatric specialist and a caregiver must sign off on the minor patient being certified.

Caregivers

Some patients may be eligible for a medical marijuana card but cannot apply for one themselves.

If the patient is under 18, the caregiver must be a parent or legal guardian responsible for the child’s welfare.

For minors with autism spectrum disorder, a pediatrician or pediatric specialist needs to approve medical cannabis use as well.

What You’ll Need to Apply

To apply for your MMJ Card in Louisiana, you must get approved by a healthcare provider and submit identification documents.

You’ll need:

• A copy of the medical marijuana recommendation from your healthcare provider.
• Basic patient information.
• Legal name and contact information.
• Proof of identity (a state-issued driver’s license or ID card).
  • A U.S. passport is also accepted, but you must provide proof of Louisiana residency.
• Proof of Louisiana residence.
  • Acceptable proof of residence is anything that shows your current address, like:
    • Utility bills.
    • Bank statements.
    • Current property tax statements.
    • Voter registration cards.
    • Health insurance documents.

Leafwell’s healthcare providers don’t have to see your medical records.

If you have them, we encourage you to submit them, as it helps the healthcare provider get a clear overview of your health and history during the consultation.

Costs

Online consultations with one of Leafwell’s Louisiana healthcare providers are $125.

You’ll get your money back if you’re not approved, and the certification is valid for one year.

The State of Louisiana doesn’t charge a separate state fee.

Insurance does not currently cover the cost of applying for an MMJ certificate in Louisiana because cannabis is illegal at the federal level.

Medical Marijuana Reciprocity

Louisiana gives legal protections to verified out-of-state patients and allows those patients to purchase cannabis products from the state’s dispensaries.

Several other states also practice medical marijuana reciprocity and may recognize a Louisiana patient’s status as such.

However, you may need to request a physical copy of your certification to benefit from medical reciprocity.

Other states that have either legalized the recreational use of marijuana or recognize out-of-state medical marijuana cards include:

• Arizona
• Alaska ^
• Arkansas *
• California ^
• Colorado ^
• Connecticut ^
• Delaware ^
• Guam
• Hawaii *
• Illinois ^
• Maine
• Maryland ^ (as of July 2023)
• Michigan (qualifying state must also have reciprocity with Michigan)
• Missouri ^
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Mexico * (recreational cannabis is legal in NM)
• Oklahoma *
• Oregon ^
• Pennsylvania (minors only)
• Puerto Rico
• Rhode Island
• U.S. Virgin Islands *
• Utah (max. 45 days, after which the patient must apply for a Utah MMJ card)
• Vermont ^
• Virginia ^
• Washington ^
• Washington D.C.

States marked with * require visitors to complete a visiting patient application for their stay.

States marked with ^ have adult use programs but do not accept out-of-state cards.

Where to Buy Medical Marijuana in LA

In Louisiana, qualified patients may acquire cannabis at their assigned cannabis pharmacy, which they select when they obtain their patient certification.

Currently, nine Louisiana pharmacies are authorized to dispense medical marijuana to patients in the state:

H & W Drug Store

1667 Tchoupitoulas Street, Suite B
New Orleans, LA 70130-1852

Phone: (504) 301-2363

H & W Drug Store

located at 5055 Veterans Memorial Blvd.
Metairie, LA 70006-5120

Phone: (504) 301-2363

Capitol Wellness Solutions

7491 Picardy Avenue
Baton Rouge, LA 70809-3536

Phone: (225) 800-9420

Green Leaf Dispensary

6048 W. Park Avenue
Houma, LA 70364-1808

Phone: (985) 360-3372

The Apothecary Shoppe

620 Guilbeau Road, Suite A
Lafayette, La. 70506-8709

Phone: (337) 345-4500

Medicis

1727 Imperial Blvd., Building 4
Lake Charles, LA 70605-5362

Phone: (337) 420-8420

The Medicine Cabinet Pharmacy

403 Bolton Avenue
Alexandria, LA 71301-7026

Phone: (318) 545-4460

Hope Pharmacy

1410 Kings Highway, Suite A
Shreveport, LA 71103-4227

Phone: (318) 585-0420

Delta Medmar

1707 McKeen Place
Monroe, LA71201-4421

Phone: (318) 855-3373

Willow Pharmacy

69090 Highway
190 Service Road
Covington, LA 70433-5121

Phone: (985) 792-2391

You can get the most up-to-date list of licensed Louisiana medical marijuana dispensaries on the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy website.

Cultivation

It is illegal in Louisiana for qualified medical marijuana patients to grow cannabis.

Only licensed production facilities can grow medical marijuana under Louisiana law.

Growing marijuana for any purpose is still illegal under state and federal law.

Louisiana Medical Marijuana Laws to Know

Here are a few need-to-know medical marijuana laws in Louisiana.

• Police offers cannot do a warrantless search of someone’s residence based on the smell of cannabis.
• State employees in non-safety-sensitive roles can use medical cannabis.

Still, there are laws citizens must follow regarding cannabis.

• It is illegal to consume cannabis publicly, even with a medical certificate.
• Louisiana also has strict rules regarding driving under the influence of cannabis.If you’re caught driving with certain levels of THC in your system, you risk fines, a criminal record, and the loss of your license.