Alzheimer's Disease and cannabis in Washington
The state currently does not list this condition as qualifying, and the program does not provide open-ended physician discretion to add conditions. Verify with the state regulator, because programs change.
- ✗ No
- LEGAL
- 3 oz flower / 48 oz inf…
- POSSESSION
- $1/yr
- STATE FEE
- 1–7 d
- TIMELINE
Washington statute and program
The Washington Medical Marijuana Authorization Database is the operating authority for Washington patient certification. The authoritative legal text is: Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board: Medical Cannabis. The program portal is at Washington Medical Marijuana Authorization Database.
What the evidence says about cannabis and Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia, affecting an estimated 6.7 million Americans over age 65. Pathologically, the disease is characterized by amyloid plaques and tau-protein neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. Symptoms include memory loss, language difficulty, executive dysfunction, and (in later stages) behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) such as agitation, aggression, sleep disturbance, and appetite loss.
For the full evidence base, including the NASEM tier, randomized trial summaries, and symptom-domain breakdown, read the mmjnow Alzheimer's Disease page.
How to qualify in Washington
The Washington Medical Marijuana Authorization Database requires the following registration steps for a Alzheimer's Disease patient (or any qualifying diagnosis):
- Get authorization from a Washington-licensed healthcare practitioner. Under RCW 69.51A (Washington State Medical Use of Cannabis Act, originally I-692 of 1998), any Washington-licensed MD, DO, advanced registered nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or naturopath may issue an authorization. Qualifying terminal or debilitating conditions include cancer, HIV/AIDS, MS, epilepsy, Crohn’s, hepatitis C, glaucoma, intractable pain, severe nausea, severe muscle spasms, anorexia (cachexia), traumatic brain injury, and PTSD.
- Enter the Medical Marijuana Authorization Database at a recognition card-issuing dispensary. Washington moved to a unified retail model in 2016 (under 2SSB 5052) — there are no medical-only dispensaries. A patient takes the practitioner authorization to any state-licensed cannabis retailer with a medical endorsement (about 60% of WA retailers). The retailer’s medically endorsed Consultant enters the patient into the Washington State Department of Health Medical Marijuana Authorization Database (MMAD) and issues a Medical Marijuana Recognition Card.
- Pay the $1 recognition card fee. Washington charges a nominal $1 fee for the Medical Marijuana Recognition Card itself (paid to the database vendor). Patients pay only this nominal fee plus the practitioner authorization fee — the practitioner fee is the dominant cost. There is no separate state patient registration fee. Caregivers ("designated providers") are added through the same database without an additional state fee.
- Purchase tax-free from a medically endorsed Washington retailer. With the Recognition Card and a Washington driver license or state ID, patients may purchase from any of the medically endorsed Washington licensed cannabis retailers (state-licensed I-502 retailers with the additional medical endorsement). The Recognition Card exempts the patient from Washington’s 37% retail cannabis excise tax — one of the most valuable medical-program benefits in any state. Patients may possess up to 3 ounces of usable cannabis (vs. 1 ounce adult-use) and may cultivate up to 6 plants. Washington does not honor out-of-state medical cards.
- State registration fee
- $1
- Physician visit (typical)
- $150–$300
- Certification to card
- 1–7 days
- Out-of-state patients
- Not eligible
- Minors
- Eligible with caregiver
For full Washington registration steps, fees, and reciprocity rules, see the Washington cannabis-laws page.
ICD-10 code
A certifying physician documenting Alzheimer's Disease for the Washington medical cannabis program will typically record ICD-10 G30 or SNOMED-CT 26929004 in the patient's record. The state registry does not itself collect ICD-10 codes in most programs, but the physician's chart is the audit trail if the certification is later reviewed.
Frequently asked questions
Does Washington list Alzheimer's Disease as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis?
No. Washington's qualifying-condition list does not currently include Alzheimer's Disease, and the state's program does not give physicians open-ended discretion to add conditions outside the list. Patients with Alzheimer's Disease in Washington have limited in-state pathways under the medical program as written. Options to verify and pursue include: petitioning the state regulator to add the condition (where the statute permits public petitions); consulting a physician about whether a co-occurring listed condition could support certification; or reviewing whether the state's program is undergoing legislative expansion. Washington program rules change, so verify the current list with the regulator before drawing a final conclusion.
How do I get a Washington medical marijuana card for Alzheimer's Disease?
Because Washington does not currently list Alzheimer's Disease as a qualifying condition, a card for Alzheimer's Disease alone may not be obtainable in-state under the program rules as written. Step one is finding a physician licensed in Washington who is registered with Washington Medical Marijuana Authorization Database and willing to evaluate Alzheimer's Disease cases. Step two is collecting your records (diagnosis documentation, treatment history, and the ICD-10 code your physician will use) and bringing them to the certification visit. Step three is the physician's certification through the state registry, followed by the patient registration application, state fee, and waiting period before the card is issued. Washington does not honor out-of-state cards, so the certification process has to originate inside the state. Verify the patient minimum age with the state program before applying. The authoritative source for the current process is the Washington Medical Marijuana Authorization Database site at https://www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/Marijuana/MedicalMarijuana; the state updates fees, forms, and physician registration rules periodically.
What does the evidence say about cannabis for Alzheimer's Disease?
For Alzheimer's Disease, evidence is described as limited (a small number of supportive studies, often underpowered or focused on narrow symptom domains). The mmjnow condition page for Alzheimer's Disease lays out the current evidence base, including the citations underlying that evidence tier — typically the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine consensus reports, federal agency guidance, and peer-reviewed reviews. Evidence quality is independent of state law: a state can list a condition for which evidence is limited, and a state can decline to list a condition for which evidence is strong. Patients deciding whether to pursue medical cannabis for Alzheimer's Disease should review the underlying evidence (linked on the condition page) and discuss expected benefit, dosing, and risk with a clinician familiar with both Alzheimer's Disease and cannabinoid pharmacology. Cannabis is not a substitute for evidence-based first-line treatments for Alzheimer's Disease; the evidence position above describes whether trial data supports its use, not whether it should replace standard care.
Sources
- Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board: Medical Cannabisaccessed May 16, 2026
- Washington State Department of Health: Medical Cannabisaccessed May 14, 2026
- NIH National Institute on Aging: Alzheimer's Disease Fact Sheetaccessed May 15, 2026
- NIH NCCIH: Cannabis (Marijuana) and Cannabinoidsaccessed May 15, 2026