Cannabis in Washington: lounges, dispensaries & laws
In Washington, recreational and medical cannabis are legal (legalized in 2012). Adult possession is capped at adults 21+ may possess, per RCW 69.50.4013(3) and RCW 69.50.360(3): 1 ounce of useable cannabis (flower); 16 ounces of cannabis-infused product in solid form (edibles); 72 ounces of cannabis-infused product in liquid form; and 7 grams of cannabis concentrate. Note: liquid infused products packaged in individual servings of no more than 4mg THC each are capped at 200 milligrams of THC instead of 72 ounces.
Can you legally consume on site in Washington?
Not permitted
No. Washington law does not authorize licensed on-site or social consumption venues of any kind. RCW 69.50.325 creates only three cannabis license types — producer, processor, and retailer — with no consumption lounge, cannabis cafe, hospitality, or special-event endorsement. RCW 69.50.357 expressly forbids a licensed retailer or its employees from opening or consuming cannabis, or allowing it to be opened or consumed, on the outlet premises, and RCW 69.50.445 bans consumption in view of the general public. Multiple social-consumption bills have been introduced in Olympia over the years without becoming law, and cities cannot opt in on their own because the statewide public-use ban and the closed license list preempt local authorization. There are no legally licensed cannabis lounges operating anywhere in Washington, including Seattle, Tacoma, and Spokane. Any venue advertising itself as a Washington 'cannabis lounge' or BYOC private club is operating in an unlicensed gray area, not under a state consumption license.
Washington cannabis laws at a glance
- Legal status
- Recreational & Medical
- Adult-use since
- 2012
- Retail sales began
- 2014
- Medical since
- 1998
- Adult-use possession
- Adults 21+ may possess, per RCW 69.50.4013(3) and RCW 69.50.360(3): 1 ounce of useable cannabis (flower); 16 ounces of cannabis-infused product in solid form (edibles); 72 ounces of cannabis-infused product in liquid form; and 7 grams of cannabis concentrate. Note: liquid infused products packaged in individual servings of no more than 4mg THC each are capped at 200 milligrams of THC instead of 72 ounces.
- Medical possession
- Qualifying patients/designated providers entered in the state medical cannabis authorization database with a recognition card may possess, per RCW 69.51A.210(1): 3 ounces useable cannabis, 48 ounces of infused product in solid form, 216 ounces of infused product in liquid form, or 21 grams of cannabis concentrate. Registered patients may also possess up to 8 ounces of homegrown useable cannabis at their domicile (up to 16 ounces if a health care professional authorizes the higher-need tier). Patients NOT in the database are held to the standard adult-use RCW 69.50.360 limits, plus up to 6 ounces of homegrown cannabis at their domicile.
- Purchase limit
- Per transaction at a licensed retail outlet (RCW 69.50.360(3)), a customer 21+ may buy any combination of: 1 oz useable cannabis, 16 oz solid infused product, 72 oz liquid infused product (or 200mg THC if in <=4mg individual units), and 7 g concentrate. Washington does not run a statewide purchase-tracking cap on customers, so the limit is effectively per-transaction rather than a tracked daily total.
- Home cultivation
- No home cultivation for recreational/adult-use. Washington remains one of the only adult-use states with zero legal home grow for non-patients; unlicensed cultivation is charged as a felony under RCW 69.50.401. Medical only: a qualifying patient entered in the medical cannabis authorization database may grow up to 6 plants in their domicile (up to 15 plants if their health care professional authorizes the higher-need tier); a patient with a valid authorization but NOT entered in the database may grow up to 4 plants in their domicile (RCW 69.51A.210). Plant limits are per qualifying patient, and household totals are separately capped by statute for multi-patient households.
- Public consumption
- Illegal. RCW 69.50.445 makes it unlawful to open a package of cannabis or to consume cannabis 'in view of the general public' or in a public place. Penalty is a class 3 civil infraction (chapter 7.80 RCW) — a fine, typically around $50-$100 with assessments, not a criminal charge. Consumption in a moving vehicle is a separate traffic infraction, and licensed retailers are barred from allowing any consumption on their premises (RCW 69.50.357).
- Minimum age (adult-use)
- 21
- Minimum age (medical)
- 18 for a patient to hold their own authorization/recognition card. Patients under 18 may qualify, but a minor must have a designated provider — generally a parent or legal guardian — who holds the recognition card, controls the cannabis, and acts on the authorization from the minor's health care professional (RCW 69.51A.010).
- Out-of-state medical cards
- No. Washington does not recognize out-of-state medical cannabis cards. RCW 69.51A.010 requires a qualifying patient to be a Washington resident, and only patients entered in the state's own medical cannabis authorization database receive a recognition card, the higher possession limits, and the retail sales-tax exemption. In practice this matters little for visitors: any adult 21+ with valid government ID can buy at a licensed recreational retailer regardless of residency.
- Qualifying conditions
- Moderately broad but a closed statutory list rather than an open-ended one (RCW 69.51A.010(24), 'terminal or debilitating medical condition'): cancer, HIV, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and other seizure disorders, spasticity disorders, intractable pain unrelieved by standard treatment, acute or chronic glaucoma, Crohn's disease with debilitating symptoms, hepatitis C with debilitating nausea or intractable pain, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and any disease causing nausea, vomiting, wasting, appetite loss, cramping, seizures, muscle spasms or spasticity unrelieved by standard treatment. Because Washington's adult-use market is open to anyone 21+, the medical program's practical value is the higher possession limits, home-grow rights, and sales-tax exemption rather than access itself.
No listings in Washington yet
We have not verified any cannabis businesses in Washington so far. If you run a lounge, dispensary or shop here, you can put your city on the map.
Cities in Washington
Visiting Washington
Buying is easy — any licensed retailer will sell to a 21+ visitor with a valid out-of-state ID, no card or residency needed. Consuming is the hard part: Washington has no licensed lounges, cafes, or on-site consumption venues anywhere in the state, retailers cannot let you use on their premises, and public consumption is a civil infraction, which realistically leaves only a private residence or a cannabis-friendly hotel/rental that explicitly permits it. Book 420-friendly lodging with a designated smoking balcony or patio before you arrive, since most Seattle hotels ban smoking of any kind and will bill a cleaning fee; edibles and vapes are the pragmatic choice for travelers. Also be aware that federal land is off-limits — Mount Rainier, Olympic and North Cascades national parks, national forests, and the ferry terminals and Sea-Tac airport are all places where state legalization does not protect you, and transporting cannabis across the Idaho or Oregon border or into Canada is a separate crime.
What changed recently
As of July 2026 the headline pending change is home cultivation, still illegal for non-patients. SB 6204 (2026) would legalize home growing of up to six plants out of public view for adults 21+; it was heard in Senate Labor & Commerce on January 26, 2026, passed out of committee as a substitute on February 3, and as of mid-July 2026 sits in the Senate Rules 'X' file without a floor vote. Its House companion, HB 2614 (introduced January 22, 2026, sponsored by Rep. Kloba and others), remains in the House Consumer Protection & Business Committee. Neither has passed. No 2025 or 2026 legislation authorizing consumption lounges or on-site consumption has been enacted.
Washington cannabis questions
Is cannabis legal in Washington?
Recreational and medical cannabis are legal as of 2026-07-19. Adult use was legalized in 2012. Licensed retail sales began in 2014.
How much cannabis can you possess in Washington?
Adults 21+ may possess, per RCW 69.50.4013(3) and RCW 69.50.360(3): 1 ounce of useable cannabis (flower); 16 ounces of cannabis-infused product in solid form (edibles); 72 ounces of cannabis-infused product in liquid form; and 7 grams of cannabis concentrate. Note: liquid infused products packaged in individual servings of no more than 4mg THC each are capped at 200 milligrams of THC instead of 72 ounces.
Can you smoke in public in Washington?
Illegal. RCW 69.50.445 makes it unlawful to open a package of cannabis or to consume cannabis 'in view of the general public' or in a public place. Penalty is a class 3 civil infraction (chapter 7.80 RCW) — a fine, typically around $50-$100 with assessments, not a criminal charge. Consumption in a moving vehicle is a separate traffic infraction, and licensed retailers are barred from allowing any consumption on their premises (RCW 69.50.357).
Are there cannabis lounges in Washington?
No. Washington law does not authorize licensed on-site or social consumption venues of any kind. RCW 69.50.325 creates only three cannabis license types — producer, processor, and retailer — with no consumption lounge, cannabis cafe, hospitality, or special-event endorsement. RCW 69.50.357 expressly forbids a licensed retailer or its employees from opening or consuming cannabis, or allowing it to be opened or consumed, on the outlet premises, and RCW 69.50.445 bans consumption in view of the general public. Multiple social-consumption bills have been introduced in Olympia over the years without becoming law, and cities cannot opt in on their own because the statewide public-use ban and the closed license list preempt local authorization. There are no legally licensed cannabis lounges operating anywhere in Washington, including Seattle, Tacoma, and Spokane. Any venue advertising itself as a Washington 'cannabis lounge' or BYOC private club is operating in an unlicensed gray area, not under a state consumption license.
Can you grow cannabis at home in Washington?
No home cultivation for recreational/adult-use. Washington remains one of the only adult-use states with zero legal home grow for non-patients; unlicensed cultivation is charged as a felony under RCW 69.50.401. Medical only: a qualifying patient entered in the medical cannabis authorization database may grow up to 6 plants in their domicile (up to 15 plants if their health care professional authorizes the higher-need tier); a patient with a valid authorization but NOT entered in the database may grow up to 4 plants in their domicile (RCW 69.51A.210). Plant limits are per qualifying patient, and household totals are separately capped by statute for multi-patient households.
Does Washington accept out-of-state medical marijuana cards?
No. Washington does not recognize out-of-state medical cannabis cards. RCW 69.51A.010 requires a qualifying patient to be a Washington resident, and only patients entered in the state's own medical cannabis authorization database receive a recognition card, the higher possession limits, and the retail sales-tax exemption. In practice this matters little for visitors: any adult 21+ with valid government ID can buy at a licensed recreational retailer regardless of residency.