This summary is not a substitute for legal advice.
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Medical authorization and dispensing
A licensed Louisiana clinician’s written recommendation is your authorization. There is no state patient ID card, registration, or application, and state patient fees are $0. Pharmacies may dispense up to 2.5 ounces of raw flower per patient every 14 days.
Unauthorized possession and recreational use
Recreational use remains illegal. Under the ordinary simple-possession rule in R.S. 40:966(C)(2), possession of 14 grams or less carries a fine of no more than $100. Larger amounts and repeat convictions involving more than 14 grams can carry jail time. These are unauthorized-possession rules, separate from lawful medical dispensing, and special school-zone penalties can apply.
Home cultivation
Home cultivation is not permitted under Louisiana’s medical marijuana program.
2026 school-zone statute
Act 305 of 2026 adds enhanced penalties for controlled-substance violations involving smoking, vaping, or other abuse on school property, within 2,000 feet of it, or on a school bus. It requires an underlying controlled-substance violation; it is not a blanket ban on every authorized patient within that distance.
For a school-zone violation that also constitutes marijuana possession under R.S. 40:966(C)(2), Act 305 allows imprisonment, with or without hard labor, for up to one year and an additional fine of up to $1,000. The ordinary $100 small-possession rule should not be treated as the maximum penalty for conduct covered by this separate statute.
Employment
Review your employer’s policy before making workplace decisions. Legal protections depend on your employer, job, and circumstances; consult a qualified Louisiana attorney about your situation.
Travel and federal law
Cannabis remains illegal under federal law. Do not assume another state recognizes a Louisiana recommendation, and do not transport cannabis across state lines.