Your Ultimate Guide to Getting Elevated in Washington D.C.

There are few people in this country who could benefit more from getting stoned and chilling out than our political leaders in the Nation’s Capital, I have to imagine if we hotboxed Congress we would get full legalization faster. In the meantime here’s all you need to know to navigate the confusing landscape of D.C.’s current cannabis policy so you hit that joint and forget about politics.

Recreational Cannabis: Initiative 71

While D.C. does not have recreational cannabis in the usual sense, if you are at least 21, you can still visit an I-71-compliant store and obtain cannabis products legally. Passed by an overwhelming majority in 2015, Initiative 71 was a ballot measure allowing D.C. individuals to possess up to 2 ounces of cannabis products, consume cannabis on private property, and cultivate plants in their homes. While you can’t technically buy it from a legal dispensary you can visit an I-71 shop which will sell you a t-shirt or baseball card that will include a cannabis product as a “free gift”. This workaround is less than ideal but better than nothing and given D.C.’s complicated status as part city, part federal property, full legalization is likely still a ways off. 

Medical Cannabis

Medical cannabis first became legal in The District of Columbia in 1998 however it was delayed significantly by congressional orders, and it wasn’t until 2013 that the first medical cannabis purchase was made. Now medical cannabis is highly accessible in the district. D.C. has recently loosened the requirements to receive a medical cannabis card by allowing individuals to “self-certify” their medical needs in place of receiving a written recommendation from a physician. The usual $100 application fee is currently being waived so of-age D.C. residents can apply for a medical card for no charge and they will receive a conditional card which can be used immediately while they await approval. Visitors from out of state can also apply to receive temporary medical cards to use while in D.C. for $30 which will last for 30 days.

Medical vs I-71

So between the I-71 shops and the medical dispensaries which is better? In general, it depends on how you look at it, in D.C. the I-71 shops are abundant you can find a dispensary on basically every block however the quality and price are incredibly inconsistent, I’ve heard experiences at certain shops where I buy a half-ounce of high-quality bud for a really good price other times they’ll charge you $60 for an eighth that was grown in some guys basement. The key issue with the I-71 shops is beyond compliance with the gifting law there is no regulatory oversight, and no one checking quality or consistency when I shop at I-71 stores. I really only buy flowers because edibles and concentrates have too much room for error or inaccurate labeling. 

On the other hand, medical is not perfect either, while the process of getting a card is fairly straightforward and painless it's still more effort than simply showing your ID and purchasing, however many medical dispensaries will help you through the process of getting a card on-site. The key advantage to medical is that you know exactly what you’re getting and you know it is high-quality but there are fewer of them and the best one in my experience (Takoma Wellness) is at the far edge of the city, but they do deliver. Main takeaway if you’re gonna be in D.C. for a while I think it's worth getting a med card, but if you’re just looking for a quick pre-roll or a little bud stick to the I-71 shops.