New Medical Cannabis Authorization Form required by September 1, 2026

This is an important update for healthcare practitioners (HCPs) who authorize the medical use of cannabis. Starting September 1, 2026, the updated version of the Medical Cannabis Authorization Form (PDF) will be required. Last year, the Department of Health (DOH) made updates to the form to include no longer identifying the specific patient condition and for the HCP to acknowledge that the first office visit must be in person.

Please use the updated form as soon as practicable. If you have stock of tamper-resistant paper on an older form, you may use it until the September 1^st deadline.

For more information about authorizing medical cannabis, see the DOH's Medical Cannabis - Healthcare Practitioners webpage and FAQ. You’ll find topics such as:

• Your legal requirements for authorizing medical cannabis.
• Tamper-resistant paper requirements specific to medical cannabis authorizations.
• Medical Cannabis Authorization Guidelines
• Guidance for a Valid Medical Cannabis Authorization Form

If you have any questions, please contact MedicalCannabis@doh.wa.gov.