Know before you go

District of Columbia

Initiative 71 permits limited adult possession and home cultivation. It does not itself establish a general adult-use retail market.

Adult possession allowed; medical retail separate

Sources reviewed September 30, 2026. Coverage: selected statewide rules, not all legal questions.

Adult possession age21 or olderOfficial source

PossessionUp to 2 ouncesOfficial source

Home cultivationUp to 6 plants, no more than 3 mature, for personal use; requirements applyOfficial source

Initiative 71 took effectFebruary 26, 2015Official source

Details worth checking

Public consumption is prohibited. Federal property has separate rules, especially important in Washington, D.C.
A permitted gift must not involve payment or exchange. Medical purchases have separate ABCA registration and licensing rules; possession permission does not authorize every seller.

Official sources

Regulators & contacts

Agency information checked September 30, 2026.

D.C. Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA)

Licenses and regulates the medical cannabis market and monitors licensee compliance. Its medical retail framework is separate from the District’s adult personal-possession rules.

Director Fred Moosally, listed on the agency’s official page.

202-442-4423

899 North Capitol Street NE, Suite 4200B, Washington, DC 20002

D.C. Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) — official information and contact routes

Cardcierge

Medical cannabis card information, registration, published fees, and evaluation providers for District of Columbia.

View medical card information

General information, not legal advice. Laws, effective dates, and local policies change. Confirm the applicable rules with official sources before acting.