Green Cross Patient Co-op of Seattle is open to Washington State residents that present a bona fide need for medicinal marijuana on the advice of their physician or other health care professionals.

Initiative 692, passed overwhelmingly by the people of Washington State in November of 1998, allowing some individuals to legally possess and grow marijuana. Read more about I-692

The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington ACLU of Washington provides several drug war resources on their web site. Produced by Washington Citizens for Medical Rights on June 1st, 1999.

HOW TO FOR NEW MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS:

Please contact one of the above organizations. You MUST be a resident of Washington State. You must provide proof of Washington State residency; which is defined by the law as a current and valid Washington State Drivers License or Picture I. D. There is no fee for membership.

How can one find a "marijuana-friendly" doctor?

Their is no list of "medicinal marijuana" doctors maintained. The protections of the Medical Marijuana Act are meant to be applied to the relationship a patient already has with their current physician. The best place for a patient to start is to have an honest discussion with their own doctor. If that doesn't work try the WashingtonStateCannabis.comweb site. Resources and reports about MMJ  in Washington State: WashingtonStateCannabis.com

Federal laws against marijuana—what a patient should know about their doctor’s legal risk.

After a similar measure passed in California, federal officials reminded physicians that it is illegal to prescribe marijuana. They have threatened California physicians with revocation of their federally issued license to prescribe drugs, cutoff from eligibility for the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and even criminal prosecution. Out of fear, many doctors have become reluctant to discuss medical marijuana at all. However, a lawsuit filed against the federal government by several California physicians and some patients and organizations has succeeded in eliminating most of the risk for physicians who recommend medical marijuana for the time being.

On April 30, 1997, Federal Judge Fern Smith issued a preliminary injunction in the case, Conant vs. McCaffrey, preventing the threatened punishments while the case proceeds to trial. Judge Smith’s injunction has a couple of important qualifiers: 1) The protection from federal penalties applies only to physicians treating patients with cancer, glaucoma, HIV disease, and/or “seizures or muscle spasms associated with a chronic, debilitating condition”’ and 2) The protection has a limit—doctors may not get involved directly in helping a patient to acquire marijuana. Judge Smith defined this limit as “criminal conduct” under federal law, meaning “aiding and abetting or conspiracy” to violate federal drug laws.

Because of the risks a doctor faces if he or she helps a patient obtain marijuana, patients should not ask their doctors to suggest a place or person from whom to obtain marijuana—obtaining it is the sole responsibility of the patient.