Washington Cannabis Laws 2026: What's Legal, and Why You Still Can't Grow

Washington voters approved medical cannabis in 1998 and recreational cannabis with Initiative 502 in 2012, the same day as Colorado. Licensed stores opened in July 2014. The Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) regulates the market.

Is weed legal in Washington?

Yes, for adults 21 and older. Bring a valid ID showing you're 21+. Visitors can buy too.

How much can you have?

Product	Adults 21+
Flower	Up to 1 ounce
Concentrate	Up to 7 grams
Solid edibles	Up to 16 ounces
Infused liquids	Up to 72 ounces

More than 1 ounce, up to 40 grams, is a misdemeanor, and more than 40 grams is a felony.

Where can you use it?

Private property, with the owner's permission. Using cannabis in public is a civil infraction with a $50 fine. Using it in a car is illegal. Washington has no licensed consumption lounges. Landlords can ban smoking.

Can you grow cannabis at home?

Not unless you're a registered medical patient. Washington is one of the few legal states where home growing is a felony for adults without a medical authorization. Registered patients can grow a limited number of plants. A 2026 bill (SB 6204) to allow adults to grow up to 6 plants died in the Senate, the latest in more than a decade of failed attempts.

Medical cannabis in Washington

Patients with an authorization from a health care practitioner can register in the state's medical database at a medically endorsed store. Registered patients skip sales tax, can buy more, and can grow at home.

Taxes on cannabis in Washington

Adult-use purchases carry a 37% cannabis excise tax, one of the highest in the country, plus state and local sales tax. Registered medical patients don't pay sales tax.

Driving and work

• Driving: Driving with 5 nanograms or more of active THC per milliliter of blood is a DUI.
• Work: Since 2024, most employers can't refuse to hire someone just because a pre-employment test found non-psychoactive THC metabolites. Employers can still ban use and impairment at work.

Old marijuana convictions

People can ask courts to vacate past misdemeanor cannabis convictions for adult possession, and the governor offered pardons for many of them.

Is anything changing in 2026?

No. The home-grow bill died, and possession limits and taxes haven't changed.

Federal law in 2026

Federal law still treats recreational cannabis as illegal. In April 2026, the federal government moved marijuana sold under a state medical license (and FDA-approved cannabis medicines) to Schedule III, but adult-use cannabis is still Schedule I. That means it's still banned on federal land and can't legally cross state lines, even between two legal states.

Separately, a federal ban on intoxicating hemp products takes effect in two steps: synthetic and converted cannabinoids like delta-8 lose their legal status on November 12, 2026, and naturally derived hemp THC (THCA flower, hemp delta-9 edibles and drinks) on December 11, 2026.

Where to buy legally

Browse dispensaries in Washington in our directory, including Seattle, Bellingham and Vancouver.

---

Last reviewed October 8, 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, so check the official sources below before you rely on any detail.