North Dakota Medical Marijuana Program Overview:

On November 8, 2016, North Dakota passed Measure 5 (North Dakota Compassionate Care Act) allowing for the establishment of a legal medical marijuana program in North Dakota. Registered patients suffering from qualifying medical conditions will be able to access the medicine from up to ten compassion centers that will be authorized to grow, process and dispense medical marijuana within the state. A Medical Marijuana Division within the North Dakota Department of Health (Department) has been tasked to regulate the program.

Read the entire North Dakota Century Code Chapter 19-24.1
Read the North Dakota Medical Marijuana Program Rules and Regulations

Regulating Department: The North Dakota Department of Health, Division of Medical Marijuana

Qualifying conditions:

Patient Info: In order to qualify as a patient, you must have a qualifying debilitating medical condition (please see above), have an original written certification from your healthcare provider, have a bona fide provider-patient relationship, pay a nonrefundable $50 application fee (may be waived for applicants under the age of 19). Patients must submit a complete application to register as a MMJ patient with the state, application submission platform on the Department’s website.

Medical Marijuana Businesses (Compassion Centers):

Manufacturing Facility (grower/producer): Up to Two (2) licenses for manufacturing facilities will be issued. A Manufacturer licensee will be authorized to produce, process and to sell usable marijuana to dispensaries. There is a non-refundable $5,000 application fee to submit a proposal (application) and a $110,000 certification fee upon issuance of license.

Dispensary (retail store): Up to eight (8) dispensary licenses will be issued. A Dispensary licensee will be authorized to dispense usable marijuana to registered qualifying patients and caregivers. There is a non-refundable $5,000 application fee to submit a proposal (application) and a $90,000 certification fee upon issuance of license.

Zoning: All manufacturing and dispensing facilities shall not be located within one thousand (1,000) feet of the property line of a preexisting public or private school. All entities applying to become a registered compassion center must obtain local zoning approval.

Program Timeline:

November 8, 2016 – North Dakota passed Measure 5 (North Dakota Compassionate Care Act) allowing for the establishment of a legal medical marijuana program in North Dakota.
May 16, 2018 – Department selected 2 manufacturers to cultivate and produce medical marijuana.
July 10, 2018 – Department to begin accepting applications for Dispensary Licenses in Bismarck and Fargo regions
August 7, 2018 – Deadline to submit applications for Dispensary Licenses in Bismarck and Fargo regions
October 12, 2018 – Deadline to submit applications for Dispensary Licenses in Grand Forks and Williston regions
February 26, 2019 – Deadline to submit applications for Dispensary Licenses in Devils Lake, Dickinson, Jamestown, and Minot regions
March 1, 2019 – The state’s first dispensary opened to the public, providing patients access tomedical marijuana
May 22, 2019 – The state’s second dispensary, Strive Life Grand Forks, opens to registered patients and/or caregivers