New York Knowledge Center:
Created to provide helpful information about the New York Cannabis Industry.
BioTrackTHC is the Offical New York State Cannabis Traceability System
Cannabis License Info:
Information will be updated here as it becomes available. Check back for updates!
Current Estimated Patient Counts: 18,348 (updated 5/5/2017)
How can I obtain a New York Medical Marijuana Card?
Patients should first ask their treating physician if s/he is registered with the Department of Health’s Medical Marijuana Program. If your physician is not registered and does not plan to participate in the program, s/he can make a referral by accessing a database (called the Health Commerce System) that identifies a list of registered physicians who have consented to be listed, and their specialties. You may direct your physician to more information on registering with the program here.
Registration Facts
- Patients must first have a certification from their physician, who must be registered with the Department
- Certified patients will submit their application for registration using the Department’s online system that is accessed through NY.gov. Patients who do not have a NY.gov account will need to visit https://my.ny.gov/ and click the “Don’t have an Account?” button to create a personal NY.gov ID first. Patients with a NY.gov account will login to https://my.ny.gov/, click the “Health Applications” icon, and then click the “Medical Marijuana Data Management System” link to register
- There is a $50 application fee pursuant to Public Health Law. This fee will be billed to you at a laterdate, unless you obtain a waiver for financial hardship
- Patients will be required to provide proof of their identity and residency during the application process
- Patients may designate up to two caregivers during the registration process. After the patient’s application is approved, the designated caregiver(s) must then register with the Department
- Patient registration expires when the certification that was issued by the practitioner expires
- The registry ID card will be mailed to the certified patient after the application is approved
- Patients must have the registry ID card and their certification in order to purchase approved medical marijuana products, as recommended by their certifying physician, from a registered organization’s dispensing facility
- Patients must always carry their registry ID card whenever they possess approved medical marijuana products
- No one may transport medical marijuana products outside of New York State
- New York State does not accept certifications or registry ID cards from other states
- A certified patient or designated caregiver who has been issued a registry ID card shall notify the Medical Marijuana Program of any change in his or her name, address, or if he or she no longer has the serious condition noted on the card within ten (10) business days of such change
Does my condition qualify for Medical Cannabis in New York?
- Cancer
- HIV infection or AIDS
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Spinal cord injury with spasticity
- Epilepsy
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Neuropathy
- Huntington’s disease
- Cachexia or wasting syndrome
- Severe or chronic pain
- Severe nausea
- Seizures
- Severe or persistent muscle spasms
Medical Cannabis Registration Fees for Patients
- $50 application fee (can be waived due to financial hardship)
Can a minor apply for a New York Medical Cannabis Card?
If the applicant for a registry identification card is under the age of eighteen (18) or a person who is otherwise incapable of consenting to medical treatment, the application must be submitted by an appropriate person over twenty-one (21) years of age. The applicant must designate at least one, and up to two, caregivers who must be among the following: (i) a parent or legal guardian of the certified patient; (ii) a person designated by a parent or legal guardian; or (iii) an appropriate person approved by the Department upon a sufficient showing that no parent or legal guardian is available or appropriate.
How do I register as a New York Caregiver?
A patient who is registered with the program must first designate you as a caregiver during the patient registration process. Upon approval of the patient’s registration, the caregiver(s) may register. The patient will have access to instructions for caregiver registration. To register with the Department as a designated caregiver, you must be a resident of New York State and have a valid NYS Driver’s License or New York State Non-Driver ID card.with departmental approval.
What do Caregivers need to do to be able to help a Certified Patients?
- A patient can designate up to two caregivers o If the patient is under 21, not allowed caregivers other than a legal guardian or parent unless a case if made to DOH that no legal guardian or parent is available
- No one can be a caregiver to more than 5 certified patients at one time
- Caregivers must register with DOH to obtain a registry identification card
- Caregivers can legal possess up to 30 day supply if registered with DOH (has to be right form and dose for the specified patient)
- Any changes to or terminations of caregivers must be conveyed to DOH immediately
New York Caregiver Fees
- $50 registration fee (may be waived due to financial hardship)
- $25 card replacement fee
Who can recommend Medical Cannabis in New York?
The physician making the recommendation must be treating you for your eligible serious condition, and they must:
- Be licensed and practicing in New York State
- Be qualified to treat the serious condition for which medical marijuana is being recommended
- Have completed a 4 hour training course approved by the Department of Health (DOH)
- Have registered with the DOH as a recommending physician
- Must be caring for the patients for whom they are making recommendation, meaning that they have done a full assessment of patient’s medical history and current medical condition, and believe that the patient will benefit from the use of medical marijuana
- Must consult the prescription drug monitoring program and review the patient’s control substances history before issuing a recommendation
Where can I find a list of Registered Practitioners?
- A list of Registered Practitioners can be found here. Note that not all Registered Practitioners are listed, only those that consented to the publication of their registration.
New York Registered Practitioner Fees
- $249 for Certification Course
New York Registered Organization
A New York Registered Organization consists of 1 manufacturing location and 4 dispensary locations.
Registered organizations in New York State will be manufacturing medical marijuana products that will be available in the following dosage forms, approved in regulation:
- Liquid or oil preparations for metered oromucosal or sublingual administration or administration per tube
- Metered liquid or oil preparations for vaporization
- Capsules for oral administration
- Any additional form and route of administration approved by the commissioner
Smoking as a method of administration is prohibited by the Compassionate Care Act. Edible products are also not permitted.
How Do I become a Registered Organization (RO)?
- To apply to be an RO, the organizations must meet a range of criteria, including that they:
- Have sufficient facilities and land or a bond of $2 million
- Can maintain good security
- Has entered into a labor peace agreement
- Able to comply with all state laws
- In determining who can be an RO, the Commissioner should consider the public interest- including regional access
- The fee for RO’s is to be determined by the Commissioner
- Licenses are valid for 2 years and then must be renewed
- Licenses can be immediately suspended of terminated if the RO is not adequately controlling
- diversion or otherwise violating the statute or regulations
Product Quality
To protect the public’s health and safety, registered organizations must meet high product quality standards in New York State. Final products must be tested for their cannabinoid profile, as well as for various contaminants and pesticides.
Until such time as independent laboratories are certified in New York State to test medical marijuana products, the Department of Health’s Wadsworth Laboratories is conducting the final product testing. The regulations require that the testing of each lot of final medical marijuana product be conducted with a statistically significant number of samples using acceptable methodologies to ensure that all lots manufactured of each medical marijuana product are adequately assessed for contaminants and the cannabinoid profile is consistent throughout.
Labeling and Safety Information
Registered organizations are also required to provide a department-approved package safety insert to patients when dispensing medical marijuana. Listed below are examples of the types of information that must be included in the package safety insert:
- A list of any excipients used
- A warning if there is any potential for allergens in the medical marijuana product
- Contraindications (specific situations where medical marijuana should not be used because it may be harmful to the patient)
- A warning of adverse effects and/or any potential dangers stemming from the use of medical marijuana
- Instructions to report adverse events
- Information on tolerance, dependence and withdrawal and substance abuse
Prices of Medical Marijuana Products
The Compassionate Care Act requires that the Department set the price of medical marijuana products. The Commissioner must set the price per dose of each form of medical marijuana sold by the registered organizations, and must take into account the fixed and variable costs of producing the form of marijuana in approving such price. The Department is actively working on the pricing process. The Department will review proposed prices submitted by the registered organizations and may approve, deny or modify proposed prices.
What are the fees for participating?
Fees for producers and dispensaries are to be determined by the Health Commissioner.
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$10,000 non-refundable application fee
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$200,000 registration fee, refunded to applicants not issued a registration
New York Seed-to-Sale Traceability Info:
New York’s Medical Cannabis Program is operated by the Department of Health.
For the latest cannabis-related legislative updates on New York, check out our Cannabis Bill Tracker!
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