Cannabis for medical use was approved in California by 56% of voters on November 5, 1996.
Medical use of cannabis became legal November 6, 1996. 
This act removed state-level criminal penalties on the use, possession and cultivation of marijuana by patients who possess a “written or oral recommendation” from their physician that he or she “would benefit from medical marijuana.” Patients diagnosed with any debilitating illness where the medical use of marijuana has been “deemed appropriate and has been recommended by a physician” are afforded legal protection under this act.
Conditions Approved for Use of Medical Marijuana in California
- AIDS
- Anorexia
- Arthritis
- Cachexia
- Cancer
- Chronic pain
- Glaucoma
- Migraine
- Persistent muscle spasms, including spasms associated with multiple sclerosis
- Seizures, including seizures associated with epilepsy
- Severe nausea
ยท Other chronic or persistent medical symptoms
Cannabis Quantities Allowed
- Possession: patients (or their primary caregivers) may legally possess no more than eight ounces of dried marijuana and/or six mature cannabis plants. Twelve immature cannabis plants are allowed in place of the six mature ones.
- Senate Bill 420 allows patients to possess larger amounts of marijuana when recommended by a physician.
- This legislation also allows councils and municipalities to approve and/or maintain local ordinances permitting patients to possess larger quantities of medicinal weed than allowed under the new state guidelines.
SB 420 also grants implied legal protection to the state’s medicinal marijuana dispensaries, stating, “Qualified patients, persons with valid identification cards, and the designated primary caregivers of qualified patients … who associate within the state of California in order collectively or cooperatively to cultivate marijuana for medical purposes, shall not solely on the basis of that fact be subject to state criminal sanctions.”
Useful Links
Attorney General’s Guidelines for law enforcement and medical marijuana patients
Get a Medical Marijuana Card in California
Back to Medical Marijuana state laws
Im 15 and I have severe migraines all the time and have a lot of trouble sleeping at night and have a lot of stress is it possible for a child my age to own a medical card? I have smoked marijuana a couple times and both times I have been headache free and have been able to sleep like a baby.
Are there doctors who are willing to forgo the fee for a recommendation when a patient does not have a lot of money?
I’m curious, if people with legal medical card leave their state such as CA. Can they travel to another state as long as they have their medical card in possession?
Thought it wloudn’t to give it a shot. I was right.
as far as i know no you cannot if its a california medical card cops anywhere else will try to harrass you or try to arrest my advice try not to get caught cause some state don not allow marijuana and they also do not allow you to use a nother state card its just like a license i do believe
If your doctor wont recommend it go to a doctor who will. This place http://www.prop215doctor.com is where I went after my doctor wouldn’t give me one.
I’m 18, and I have severe anxiety and chronic insomnia.
I’ve been on every prescription medication (ambien, lunesta, valium) but nothing has worked. I don’t think my doctor would be willing to recommend marijuana.
Do I have to see a new doctor? Any advice?
any doctor can legally recomend it, if your regular doctor is against it then just get aproval from another doctor.
IF YOUR OWN DOCTOR WONT HELP YOU JUST GO TO THIS WEB SITE AND GET YOUR CARD HERE IT IS FAST EASY AND CONFIDENTIAL !