Medical Marijuana Laws by State
Patients whose physicians recommend medical marijuana for certain illnesses and chronic conditions are exempt from criminal prosecution in states that have passed medical marijuana laws. A growing number of states (and the District of Columbia) have medical marijuana laws, although federal law makes no such exceptions from the current drug prohibition policy.
Medical marijuana laws vary drastically in their scope and implementation, including the regulation of dispensaries. Some states only allow terminally ill patients to legally use marijuana, for example, while others are much less restrictive. For general information, including how these laws interact with federal law, see the medical marijuana laws page in FindLaw's Criminal Law section.
The following state-specific guide should help you get up to speed on current medical marijuana laws: