The$Following$Chart$Summarizes$Each$Medical$Marijuana$Programs$Timeline$for

Implementa?on:
$State

$Year$Enacted

Date$When$State$Began$Accep?ng$ID Dispensaries$(or$the$equivalent)$and$Timelines
Card$Applica?ons
for$Their$Implementa?on

$Comments

$Alaska

Nov.%1998

Early%June%1999

N/A%%Law%does%not%include%state%dispensary%registra>ons. Implementa>on%of%the%pa>ent%and%caregiver%ID%card
However,%voters%approved%regula>ng%marijuana%for%adults' program%took%about%seven%months.%The%rst%licenses%for
use%in%Nov.%2014.%Regula>ons%are%due%by%Nov.%2015.%The%rst adult%use%businesses%are%an>cipated%about%18%months%aSer
licenses%should%be%issued%by%May%2016.
the%law's%enactment.

$Arizona

Nov.%2010

April%14,%2011

The%Arizona%Department%of%Health%Services%published%nal Implementa>on%of%the%pa>ent%and%caregiver%ID%card
rules%on%March%28,%2011.%Dispensaries%were%granted
program%took%about%5%1/2%months.%An%unsuccessful%lawsuit
cer>cates%on%Aug.%7,%2012,%and%the%rst%one%opened%in%Dec. by%Gov.%Jan%Brewer%delayed%the%implementa>on%of
2012.%The%Department%issued%addi>onal%rules%on%Dec.%28, dispensaries.%The%rst%dispensaries%opened%25%months%aSer
2012.
the%passage%of%the%state%law.

$California

Nov.%1996;%voluntary%ID%cards Each%of%58%coun>es%had%to%implement%ID%cards N/A%%Although%there%are%hundreds%of%dispensaries%in

enacted%in%Oct.%2003;%funding and%some%delayed.%An%ini>al%pilot%program
California,%its%state%law%does%not%include%state%dispensary
enacted%July%31,%2004
began%in%Fall%2005.%Two%small%coun>es%s>ll%have registra>ons.
not%implemented%ID%cards.

$Colorado

Nov.%2000:%Voter%amendment June%1,%2001
to%cons>tu>on;%June%2010:
dispensary%law

Dispensaries%already%existed%before%the%state%law%passed%in Implementa>on%of%the%pa>ent%and%caregiver%ID%card
June%2010.%They%had%to%complete%state%forms%and%pay%a%fee program%took%just%under%seven%months.%The%dispensary
by%Aug.%1,%2010.%Dispensary%regula>ons%were%nalized%on
regula>on%bill%began%phasing%in%within%two%months%of%its
June%15,%2011%and%went%into%eect%on%July%30,%2011.
passage,%with%the%ini>al%state%form%and%fees%due.
Dispensary%regula>ons%were%nalized%and%went%into%eect
within%one%year%of%the%laws%passage.

May%2012

The%state%began%accep>ng%applica>ons%in%Sept.%2013,%and Temporary%pa>ent%ID%cards%became%available%within%ve
the%deadline%was%Nov.%15,%2013.%As%of%July%2015,%four
months%of%the%laws%passage.%The%rst%dispensaries%opened
cul>va>on%centers%and%six%dispensaries%have%been%licensed. about%two%years%and%ve%months%aSer%the%law's%passage.
The%rst%dispensaries%opened%in%Oct.%2014.

$Connec?cut

Temporary%registra>ons%became%available%on
Oct.%1,%2012.

The%county^by^county%implementa>on%of%ID%cards%in
California%has%not%been%a%successful%model.%Some%coun>es
dragged%their%feet,%and%three%even%sued%(unsuccessfully)%to
claim%the%law%was%preempted%by%federal%law.

Passed%May%2011;%eec>ve%July July%2,%2012
1,%2011

Final%regula>ons%were%approved%in%Jan.%2014.%First%pilot
Gov.%Jack%Markell%signicantly%delayed%implementa>on%in
medical%marijuana%"compassion%center"%was%approved%on light%of%a%leher%he%received%from%Delaware's%U.S.%ahorney%in
Aug.%11,%2014.%The%First%State%Compassion%Center%opened%on Feb.%2012.%Markell%decided%to%re^start%the%program%in%Aug.
June%26,%2015.
2013,%but%with%only%one%pilot%compassion%center.%That
center%was%approved%about%three%years%and%three%months
aSer%the%law's%enactment%and%opened%four%years%aSer
enactment.

Nov.%1998%ini>a>ve.%Due%to
June%11,%2013
Congressional%interven>on,%the
law%did%not%go%into%eect%un>l
2010.%The%D.C.%Council%revised
it%in%May%2010,%and%it%went%into
eect%in%July%2010.

Regula>ons%were%published%and%went%into%eect%on%April%15, Dispensary%regula>ons%were%draSed%within%10%months%of
2011%and%were%amended%on%Aug.%12,%2011.%The%District
the%laws%eec>ve%date.%The%applica>on%process%took
granted%preliminary%approval%to%several%dispensary
longer,%and%it%was%just%over%three%years%between%when%the
applicants%on%June%12,%2012,%and%the%rst%dispensary%opened law%went%into%eect%and%the%rst%dispensary%opened.
in%July%2013.

$Hawaii

June%2000

Dec.%28,%2000

N/A%%Law%does%not%include%state%dispensary%registra>ons, Implementa>on%of%the%pa>ent%and%caregiver%ID%card
though%a%dispensary%bill%was%approved%by%the%state
program%took%just%over%six%months.
legislature%in%May%2015.%If%signed,%it%would%allow%up%to%16
dispensaries%as%early%as%July%2016.

$Illinois

Signed%into%law%Aug.%1,%2013;
eec>ve%Jan.%1,%2014

Qualifying%pa>ents%with%last%names%beginning The%Joint%Commihee%on%Administra>ve%Rule%approved
with%A^L:%Sept.%1,%2014;%M^Z:%Nov.%1,%2014;%year^ medical%marijuana%rules%on%July%15,%2014.%The%state
round%applica>ons:%Jan.%1,%2015
accepted%both%dispensary%and%cul>va>on%center
applica>ons%from%Sept.%8,%2014%un>l%Sept.%22,%2014.%In%Feb.
2015,%the%state%issued%18%growing%licenses%and%52
dispensary%licenses.%As%of%July%2015,%they%are%not%yet%open.

$Maine

Nov.%1999%ini>a>ve;%revised%by Early%July%2009
voters%in%Nov.%2009%and%by%the
legislature%in%Spring%2010%and
Spring%2011

Six%dispensary%registra>ons%were%issued%in%July%2010%and%two Maines%ini>al%law%did%not%have%a%pa>ent%registry%or
more%were%issued%in%Aug.%2010.%This%was%within%10%months regulated%dispensaries.%The%2009%law%was%fully
of%enactment%of%the%law.%The%rst%dispensary%opened%in
implemented%within%a%year%of%its%passage,%with%regula>ons
March%2011.
enacted%and%ID%cards%and%dispensary%registra>ons%issued.
The%rst%dispensary%opened%less%than%17%months%aSer%the
law's%passage.

Passed%April%14,%2014;%eec>ve The%state%is%not%accep>ng%pa>ent%ID%card
June%1,%2014
applica>ons%as%of%July%2015.%However,%pa>ents
can%use%their%doctors'%wrihen
recommenda>ons%as%ID%cards%un>l%the%state
begins%oering%them.

The%Natalie%M.%LaPrade%Medical%Marijuana%Commission
submihed%regula>ons%on%Nov.%13,%2014.%They%are%expected
to%be%adopted%in%Sept.%2015,%at%which%point%applica>ons%will
become%available%for%growers,%processors,%and%dispensaries.
Medical%cannabis%is%expected%to%be%available%to%pa>ents%in
the%second%half%of%2016.

$Delaware

$
District$of$Columbia

$Maryland

$MassachuseNs

$Michigan
$Minnesota

$Montana

Pa>ent%and%caregiver%ID%card%applica>ons%were%rst
accepted%13%months%aSer%enactment.%Medical%marijuana
business%licenses%were%issued%about%18%months%aSer
enactment.

Maryland%enacted%a%medical%marijuana%law%in%2013%that
would%have%allowed%academic%medical%centers%to%dispense
marijuana.%No%center%stepped%forward,%and%the%law%was
revised%in%2014%to%allow%for%dispensaries%and%growers.
Regula>ons%are%expected%to%be%completed%a%year%and%ve
months%aSer%the%law's%enactment.

Passed%Nov.%2012;%eec>ve
Jan.%1,%2013

The%state%began%accep>ng%pa>ent%ID%card
On%May%8,%2014,%the%health%department%issued%regula>ons
applica>ons%in%Oct.%2014.%In%addi>on,%un>l%early for%medical%marijuana.%On%Jan.%31,%2014,%the%Department%of
2014,%pa>ents%could%use%their%doctors'%wrihen Public%Health%announced%that%it%had%granted%preliminary
recommenda>ons%as%ID%cards.
approval%to%20%non^prot%dispensaries.%However,%it%rejected
nine%of%those%applica>ons%subsequently,%approving%an%ini>al
total%of%11%on%June%27,%2014.%Four%more%were%approved%in
Nov.%2014.%Rejected%applicants%can%reapply%in%2015,%as
Ques>on%3%calls%for%up%to%35%dispensaries%to%be%located%in
the%state.%The%rst%dispensary%opened%in%June%2015.

Six%months%aSer%Massachusehs%law%was%enacted,%the%state
draSed%rules,%which%followed%listening%sessions%throughout
the%state.%Within%a%year%of%the%law's%passage,%the%health
department%had%completed%the%rst%of%two%phases%of%an
applica>on%process.%Following%some%ques>ons%about%the
process,%the%second%phase%was%completed%in%June%2014.
The%rst%dispensary%opened%a%year%later%%about%one%year
and%eight%months%aSer%enactment.

Nov.%2008

April%4,%2009

N/A%%Law%does%not%include%state%dispensary%registra>ons. Implementa>on%of%the%pa>ent%and%caregiver%ID%card
program%took%about%ve%months.

May%29,%2014

June%1,%2015

On%Sept.%5,%2014,%the%health%department%issued%a%request
for%applica>ons%for%manufacturers.%Lehers%of%intent%were
due%by%Sept.%19.%The%department%%registered%two
manufacturers%by%Dec.%1,%2014.%Pa>ents%were%allowed%to
apply%for%ID%cards%in%June%2015,%and%the%rst%dispensary
opened%on%July%1,%2015.

Nov.%2004%voter%ini>a>ve

Dec.%14,%2004

N/A%%Law%does%not%include%state%dispensary%registra>ons. Implementa>on%of%the%pa>ent%and%caregiver%ID%card
program%took%42%days.

The%health%department%issued%a%preliminary%draS%of%rules%in
Aug.%2014,%less%than%three%months%aSer%the%law's%passage.
A%second%draS%was%issued%on%Sept.%5,%2014,%and%a%no>ce%of
expedited%rulemaking%%along%with%the%proposed%rules%
was%published%on%Oct.%6.%The%department%approved%two
manufacturers%on%Dec.%1,%%about%seven%months%aSer%the
law's%passage.%Pa>ents%were%able%to%apply%for%ID%cards
about%a%year%aSer%enactment,%and%the%rst%dispensary
opened%a%month%later.

June%2001:%pa>ent%registry
Oct.%1,%2001
legisla>on;%June%2013:
dispensary%and%cul>va>on%law

Medical%marijuana%business%rules%were%nalized%on%April%1, The%implementa>on%of%the%pa>ent%and%caregiver%registry
2014.%Nevada's%Division%of%Public%and%Behavioral%Health
took%under%four%months.%More%than%a%decade%later,%rules
issued%provisional%approval%to%medical%marijuana%businesses were%craSed%10%months%aSer%the%dispensary%law%was
on%Nov.%3,%2014.%The%law%allows%the%crea>on%of%66
enacted.%The%health%department%issued%preliminary
dispensaries%and%200%produc>on%facili>es.%As%of%July%2015, cer>cates%in%Nov.%2014,%less%than%a%year%and%a%half%aSer
dispensaries%are%not%yet%open.
the%dispensary%bill%became%law.

July%23,%2013

Pa>ent%and%caregiver%registry%rules%were
approved%on%June%25,%2014.%However,%pursuant
to%the%opinion%of%the%state%Ahorney%General,
the%health%department%is%not%yet%accep>ng%ID
card%applica>ons.%

In%Oct.%2014,%the%Department%of%Health%and%Human%Services Dispensary%(ATC)%rules%were%provisionally%approved%about
issued%regula>ons%for%the%processing%of%applica>ons%for%four 15%months%aSer%the%law's%passage.%Preliminary%dispensary
non^prot%alterna>ve%treatment%centers%(ATCs)%to%grow%and registra>ons%were%issued%one%year%and%11%months%aSer%the
sell%marijuana%to%pa>ents.%The%state%approved%three
law's%passage.%Pa>ents%are%s>ll%not%allowed%to%apply%for%ID
businesses%to%operate%four%ATCs%in%June%2015,%ve%months cards%as%of%July%2015.
aSer%the%January%2015%deadline.%They%are%expected%to%open
in%2016.

$New$Jersey

Jan.%2010

Aug.%9,%2012

Regula>ons%were%issued%in%Nov.%2010,%but%were%rejected%by
the%legislature.%They%were%revised%in%2011,%and%six
alterna>ve%treatment%center%(ATC)%licenses%were%issued%in
March%2011.%However,%the%rst%ATC%did%not%open%un>l%Dec.
6,%2012.

$New$Mexico

April%2007

July%6,%2007%(ini>ally%temporary%ID%cer>cates The%rst%licensed%producer%registra>on%was%issued%in
were%available)
March%2009,%less%than%two%years%aSer%passage.%Four%more
were%licensed%in%Nov.%2009,%and%20%were%licensed%in%2010.

Although%New%Mexico%was%the%rst%state%to%license%larger^
scale%cul>va>on%and%dispensing,%its%rules%were%nalized%and
the%rst%producer%was%licensed%in%less%than%two%years.
Twenty^three%licensed%producers%are%currently%licensed%in
the%state.

$New$York

July%5,%2014

Registry%iden>ca>on%cards%will%become
eec>ve%on%the%laher%of:%a)%18%months%aSer
enactment;%or%b)%when%the%superintendent%of
state%police%cer>es%the%>tle%can%be
implemented%in%accordance%with%public%health
and%safety%interests.

The%Department%of%Health%issued%regula>ons%in%April%2015.
Applica>ons%for%registered%organiza>ons%were%due%in%June
2015,%11%months%aSer%the%law's%enactment.%Dispensary
licenses%have%not%yet%been%issued,%as%of%July%1,%2015.

The%department%issued%regula>ons%within%nine%months%of
the%law's%enactment.%It%accepted%dispensary%applica>ons%11
months%aSer%enactment.%However,%pa>ents%are%not%yet
allowed%to%apply%as%of%July%2015%%a%year%aSer%enactment.%%

Nov.%1998;%Aug.%2013:
dispensary%law

May%1,%1999

Dispensaries%already%existed%upon%the%passage%of%the%state Implementa>on%of%pa>ent%and%caregiver%ID%cards%took%just
law%in%2013,%but%they%were%not%clearly%authorized%by%law%or under%six%months.%More%recently,%the%rst%dispensaries
regulated.%%The%rst%dispensary%licenses%were%issued%in
were%licensed%about%seven%months%aSer%the%dispensary%law
March%2014,%about%seven%months%aSer%the%dispensary%law passed.
passed.

Jan.%2006;%dispensaries
authorized%in%June%2009

March%31,%2006

Compassion%center%regula>ons%were%nalized%in%March
2010.%Three%applicants%were%approved%on%March%15,%2011,
less%than%two%years%aSer%the%laws%enactment,%but%Gov.
Chafee%halted%implementa>on%and%had%the%law%revised.%The
rst%dispensary%opened%on%April%19,%2013.%As%of%July%2015,
there%are%three%dispensaries%open%in%the%state.

$Nevada

$New$Hampshire

$Oregon

$Rhode$Island

$Vermont$

$Washington

Passed%May%2004;%eec>ve
Oct.%26,%2004
date%July%1,%2004;%dispensaries
authorized%on%June%2,%2011

Due%to%re>cence%by%Gov.%Chris%Chris>e,%along%with%mixed
signals%from%the%federal%government%in%2011^2012,
implementa>on%was%slow.%It%took%nearly%four%years%for%the
rst%dispensary%to%open.

Implementa>on%of%the%pa>ent%and%caregiver%ID%card
program%took%under%three%months.%The%health%department
was%expected%to%issue%compassion%center%registra>ons%in
Sept.%2010.%However,%it%maintained%that%none%of%the
applicants%qualied,%so%it%restarted%the%applica>on%process.
ASer%approving%three%compassion%centers%on%March%15,
2011,%Gov.%Lincoln%Chafee%reversed%course%on%May%2,%2011,
aSer%receiving%a%leher%from%the%U.S.%ahorney.%In%response,
the%law%was%revised,%and%the%rst%center%nally%opened%in
April%2013.

The%Department%of%Public%Safety%began%accep>ng%dispensary Implementa>on%of%the%pa>ent%and%caregiver%ID%card
applica>ons%about%a%year%aSer%the%dispensary%law%was
program%took%ve%months.%The%legislature%passed%a%law
approved%and%approved%two%dispensaries%three%months
authorizing%the%licensing%of%four%dispensaries%in%May%2011.
later.%The%rst%dispensary%opened%in%June%2013.%As%of%July
The%Department%of%Public%Safety%began%accep>ng
2015,%there%are%four%dispensaries%opera>ng%in%the%state.
dispensary%applica>ons%13%months%later%%on%June%4,%2012
%and%approved%the%rst%two%dispensaries%in%Sept.%2012.
The%rst%dispensary%opened%in%June%2013,%about%two%years
aSer%the%laws%passage.

Nov.%1998.%Further%legisla>on N/A%%ID%cards%are%not%required%in%the%state%of N/A%%Law%does%not%include%state%dispensary%registra>ons. Washington%currently%has%no%medical%marijuana%program%to

clarifying%rules%related%to
Washington.%However,%star>ng%July%2016,
implement.%However,%the%state%has%implemented%an%adult
medical%use%was%passed%in
pa>ents%who%sign%on%to%the%voluntary%registry
use%marijuana%law,%which%includes%growers,%processors,%and
April%2015.
will%be%given%special%privileges%including
retailers.%The%law%passed%in%Nov.%2012,%and%the%rst%stores
increased%possession%limits.
opened%in%July%2014.