Recreational cannabis has been legal in Washington State since voters passed Initiative 502 in November 2012. Sales started in July 2014. As of today, adults 21 and over can buy, possess, and consume cannabis under specific rules. Here's the practical version.
Who can buy
You must be 21 or older with valid government-issued photo ID at every visit. Driver's licenses, state IDs, passports, military IDs — any of those work. Vertical IDs (issued to people who were under 21 at issuance) trigger a two-employee verification at the counter, even if the customer is now over 21.
There's no medical-card requirement for recreational purchases. Patients with a Washington Department of Health (DOH) medical authorization get specific tax exemptions but the same products are available either way.
How much you can buy
Washington caps a single recreational transaction at:
- 1 ounce of usable cannabis flower
- 7 grams of concentrate (wax, shatter, rosin, live resin)
- 16 ounces of solid cannabis-infused product (or 72 ounces in liquid form)
These are per-transaction caps — the state does not track total purchases across stores. Our POS hard-blocks anything over the cap; that's compliance, not a glitch.
Where you can buy
Only state-licensed retailers — every dispensary in Washington holds a WSLCB retail license. Buying from anywhere else (including out-of-state delivery, "underground" sources, or unlicensed dispensaries operating in tribal lands without a WSLCB compact) is illegal under state law.
Seattle Cannabis Co. is licensed under WSLCB #426199. We're at 7266 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118 — Rainier Valley, between Columbia City and Seward Park.
Where you can consume
This is where most people slip up:
- Allowed: in your private residence (if you own it, or your landlord allows it)
- Not allowed: in public spaces, in your car (open or closed), at the workplace, in stores, in parks, on tribal land without permission
- Not allowed at the dispensary: the parking lot, the sidewalk, your car parked outside — all "on premises" under WSLCB rules
Cannabis lounges and consumption sites do not exist in Washington as of 2026. State-level legalization for on-site consumption has been proposed multiple times but hasn't passed.
Hotels and short-term rentals (Airbnb, VRBO) often prohibit cannabis use; check your rental agreement.
Driving + impairment
Washington's DUI law applies to cannabis. The legal threshold is 5 ng/mL of active THC in the blood. There is no "medical exemption" for driving while impaired. Edibles peak 2-3 hours after consumption and can stay above the legal threshold for many hours after that — plan ahead.
Federal law
Cannabis remains a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law. Practical implications:
- Federal land (national parks, federal buildings) — illegal regardless of state law
- Air travel — TSA's stated policy is to defer to local law, but federal law applies in airports + on flights
- Federal jobs + federal financial aid — disqualifying in many cases
- Banking — most national banks won't process cannabis transactions, which is why most dispensaries (including ours) are cash-only
Medical patients
Washington's medical cannabis program (RCW 69.51A) gives qualifying patients tax exemptions and access to higher purchase caps. To qualify, you need a written authorization from a healthcare provider for one of the listed conditions. The Washington DOH issues a recognition card ($1) that unlocks the tax exemption.
How to buy
The simplest path:
1. Walk into any licensed dispensary with valid ID
2. Browse the menu (or order online ahead at our /menu)
3. Pay cash at the counter (most dispensaries are cash-only; we have an ATM on-site)
4. Walk out with your purchase in tamper-evident packaging
That's it. No referral. No waiting period. No quota.
Visit Seattle Cannabis Co. · Browse the live menu · First-time customer FAQ