TABLE 1—
Medical Marijuana Laws Enacted in the United States, November 1996 Through May 2011
| Type of Provision |
|||||||
| State | Legislation | Effective Date | Registry/Identification Cards | Regulation of Practice of Medicine | Possession and Cultivation Limits | Dispensary/Retail | Affirmative Defenses/Legal Protections |
| California | California Compassionate Use Act of 1996, Cal. Health & Safety Code, §11362.5 (1996), Cal. Health & Safety Code, §§11362.7–11362.83 | November 6, 1996 (amended January 1, 2004) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Washington | Wash. Rev Code §§69.51A– 69.51A.901 (2007) | November 3, 1998 (amended November 2, 2008, and June 10, 2010) | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Oregon | Ore. Rev Stat §475.300 (2007) | December 3, 1998 (amended 1999) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Alaska | Alaska Stat §§17.37.10–17.37.80 (2007) | March 4, 1999 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Maine | Me. Rev Stat Title 22 Health and Welfare, Ch. 558-C, Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Act | December 22, 1999 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hawaii | Haw. Rev Stat §§329-121–329-128 (2008) | December 28, 2000 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Colorado | Colo. Const. art. XVIII, §14 (2001), Colo. Rev Stat §18-18-406.3 (2001), Colo. Rev Stat §25-1.5-106 (2003), Colo. Rev Stat §12-43.3 (2010) | June 1, 2001 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Nevada | Medical Use of Marijuana, ch. 453A, Nev. Rev Stat Ann. §§453A.010–810 (2011) | October 1, 2001 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Maryland | Md. Code Ann., Criminal Law §5-601(c)3(II) (2003) | January 1, 2003 | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Vermont | Vt. Stat Ann. Title 18, §§4471–4474d (2003) | July 1, 2004 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Montana | Montana Medical Marijuana Act, Mont. Code Ann. §§50-46-101–210 (2010) | November 2, 2004 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rhode Island | Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act, R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. §§21-28.6-1–21-28.6-12 (2006) | January 3, 2006 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| New Mexico | N.M. Stat Ann. §30-31C-1 (2007) | July 1, 2007 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Michigan | Mich. Comp. Law §§333.26421–333.26430 (2008) | December 4, 2008 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| District of Columbia | District of Columbia Official Code, Title 7, Human Health Care and Safety, Subtitle G-ii, Chapter 16B, Use of Marijuana for Medical Treatment, D.C. Code §§7-1671.02–7-1671.13 (2010) | May 1, 2010 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| New Jersey | N.J. Stat Ann. §24:6I (2010) | October 1, 2010 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Arizona | Ariz. Rev Stat §§36-2801–2819 | November 2, 2010 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Delaware | Delaware Medical Marijuana Act, SB 17 (not yet codified) | May 13, 2011 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |