Office of Medical Cannabis

Senate Bill 386, signed into law on April 19, 2017, by Governor Jim Justice, created the Medical Cannabis Act that allows for cannabis to be used for certified medical use by a West Virginia resident with a serious medical condition and is limited by law to the following forms: pill; oil; topical forms including gels, creams or ointments; a form medically appropriate for administration by vaporization or nebulization, dry leaf or plant form; tincture; liquid; or dermal patch.

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Public Health, Office of Medical Cannabis is committed to a goal of less than two years for patients with a qualifying medical condition being able to procure quality-tested medical cannabis in West Virginia.

To contact this office, please e-mail medcanwv@wv.gov, call 304-356-5090, or fax 304-558-0035.

New*

Medical Cannabis Dispensary Permits Announced, Patient Registration Available

- Patient Registration For registration instructions, click here for the Patient Registration Checklist. You will be notified via email of the status of your application. Please allow at least 30 days from receipt of your application and payment in our office before checking the status of your application. Registration does not mean that medical cannabis products can immediately be obtained. The industry is working to build out facilities in West Virginia and the patient card is valid only in West Virginia and offers no legal protection for products obtained outside of the West Virginia medical cannabis system. Click here to view the Patient Registration User Guide. 

- Dispensary Permit Holders

- Registered Physicians

Click here to view the agenda for the March 18, 2021 virtual meeting of the Medical Cannabis Advisory Board.

Public comments will be accepted for the Medical Cannabis Advisory Board by email at medcanwv@wv.gov, with the subject line reading "MCAB Public Comment" by April 1, 2021. 

Physician Registration and Education
The Office of Medical Cannabis is now accepting physician registrations. The registration application and mandatory four-hour physician education course are available at the following links. No paper option is available. Note: Physician education must be completed before registration. 

• Physician education
• Physician registration

Industry Education

• Provider 1: West Virginia Medical Cannabis Training Course
• Provider 2: West Virginia Industry Training Certification

Permit Applications
Due to a recent supreme court decision (TENNESSEE WINE AND SPIRITS RETAILERS ASSN. v. RUSSELL F. THOMAS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TENNESSEE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE COMMISSION, ET AL.), the residency requirement referred to by West Virginia Code §16A-6-3 Grant of Permit will not be applied to applicants seeking a West Virginia permit to operate as a medical cannabis organization.

Applicants are advised to be aware of all federal laws regarding the possession, production and distribution of medical cannabis. The Office of Medical Cannabis will not advise any applicant or permittee with regard to any federal law, and the issuance of a permit in no way endorses compliance with any federal law.

Applicant Registration Checklist 

Application Forms
Affidavit of Capital Adequacy Initial Application – DISPENSARY
Affidavit of Capital Adequacy Initial Application – GROWERS and PROCESSORS
Affidavit of Suitability For Participation in a Medical Cannabis Organization
Background Check - NonCriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights
Background Check - Privacy Act Statement
Bank Verification 
Change in Location Application 
Change in Ownership Application 
Criminal Background Check Acknowledgement
Location Boundaries for Dispensaries Policy 
Scoring Procedure

Tax Letter of Good Standing
Verification of Application
Workforce WV Compliance Letter 

The West Virginia Office of Medical Cannabis seeks written proposals for development of a four hour physician training course as described in Article 3 of the Medical Cannabis Act. All proposals which must be accepted as continuing medical education by both the West Virginia Board of Medicine and the West Virginia Board of Osteopathic Medicine should be submitted by email to medcanwv@wv.gov.

Medical Cannabis Advisory Board Report and Recommendations for the Governor and Legislature 

Pending Legislative Rules
Chapter 16A. Medical Cannabis Act
64-109 Medical Cannabis Program - General Provisions
64-110 Medical Cannabis Program - Growers/Processors
64-111 Medical Cannabis Program - Laboratories
64-112 Medical Cannabis Program - Dispensaries
64-113 Medical Cannabis Program - Safe Harbor Letter

Frequently Asked Questions
General Information
Patient/Caregiver Information
Physician Information
Medical Cannabis Advisory Board Information
Medical Cannabis Advisory Board Members 
Medical Cannabis Growers Announced 
Medical Cannabis Processors Announced

Additional Helpful Links
Child Care Locator
Jason Frame Selected to Lead West Virginia Office of Medical Cannabis (02/02/2018) 
Medical Cannabis Permit Applications to Open December 19
U.S. Department of Justice Enforcement Policy Press Release
U.S. Department of Justice Memo on Enforcement

Medical Cannabis Advisory Board Meeting Documents
Work Group Membership (10/11/2017)
Medical Cannabis: Patient and Physician Interest Survey Results and Data (PowerPoint 12/14/2017)
West Virginia Medical Cannabis:  Patient and Physician Interest Survey and Other Available Data Report (02/06/2018)
West Virginia Medical Cannabis Advisory Board Report and Recommendations (02/22/2018)

NEW!   Application to Request That An Additional Medical Condition Qualify For Medical Cannabis Usage In West Virginia
NEW!   Application to Request That An Additional Form of Medical Cannabis Be Lawful In West Virginia

Please continue to check this website for additional updates.