Registered medical cannabis patients will find that prices of the same marijuana products vary from one dispensary location to another. Dispensaries also set different prices for different cannabis products even if they contain the same amount of marijuana. Other factors determining the prices of medical cannabis products include the strain and quality of marijuana used to formulate those products. For example, the average price of 1 ounce of high quality marijuana in Washington State is $233. In comparison, the same amount of medium quality marijuana costs $197 in the state.
No. You are unlikely to be able to pay for marijuana at Washington dispensaries with a credit card. This is because credit card companies and banks routinely block transactions involving marijuana. These financial institutions are unlikely to freely allow credit card transactions with dispensaries until marijuana is legal at the federal level. Until then, you can pay with cash or a debit card when ordering marijuana at a Washington dispensary.
No. The State of Washington does not charge a sales tax on medical marijuana purchases.
With a high excise tax rate of 37% on recreational marijuana sales, adult-use cannabis is likely to cost a lot more than medical cannabis at Washington dispensaries.
While Washington does not have a policy of offering certain patient groups lower medical cannabis prices, it does allow them to cultivate cannabis at home for personal consumption. Washington only allows home cultivation for patients and caregivers with medical cannabis authorizations. A registered patient with a medical cannabis authorization and a recognition card can grow up to 15 cannabis plants.
Besides home cultivation, patients in Washington can also save money on the cost of their medical cannabis by comparing prices and product selections at different dispensaries. Dispensaries also regularly offer discounts or run sales events to help their patrons get their preferred cannabis products at lower prices.