The District of Columbia’s long-awaited medical marijuana program took a big step forward this week when officials issued occupancy permits for DC’s first marijuana cultivation center and dispensary. Both locations are less than three miles from the J. Edgar Hoover Building, headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

In The Capital. Congress spent years blocking funding for the program before finally getting out of the way after President Obama was elected. Then a tortuous three-year regulatory process began, which has only recently been completed. The step was widely viewed as one of the last hurdles to a working medical marijuana program that almost 70 percent of DC voters approved in a referendum 14 years ago, reportsCongress spent years blocking funding for the program before finally getting out of the way after President Obama was elected. Then a tortuous three-year regulatory process began, which has only recently been completed.





D.C. patients, unfortunately, aren’t allowed to grow their own medicine; they are required to buy their cannabis from one of the six dispensaries which will eventually be open in the district.

Only 110 patients currently qualify for DC’s medical marijuana program; each patient must have an “ongoing relationship” with the licensed doctor who authorizes their medicinal cannabis usage. Doctors will only be able to authorize two ounces per month to patients, and the list of qualifying conditions is strict, with conditions such as HIV/AIDS, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis or cancer included.