Yes, there is a marijuana dispensary in Portsmouth for registered medical marijuana patients. Virginia, the home state of Portsmouth, enacted the Virginia Drug Control Act to permit patients with physicians’ certifications for medical cannabis use to purchase medical marijuana from licensed dispensaries.
Currently, there are no recreational cannabis dispensaries in Portsmouth. Even though Virginia legalized recreational marijuana for persons aged 21 years and older in 2021 with the passage of the Virginia Cannabis Control Act, the sale of adult-use marijuana will not begin until mid or late 2024. For retail sales of cannabis to start, the Virginia General Assembly must reapprove marijuana sales and promulgate a regulatory framework for recreational cannabis retail sales. Afterward, Portsmouth may choose to allow or prohibit the operations of dispensaries in the city.
Yes, there is a medical cannabis dispensing facility in Portsmouth. The Virginia Drug Control Act empowers the Virginia Department of Health to divide the Commonwealth into five Health Service Areas with one cannabis pharmaceutical processor per service area. Each cannabis pharmaceutical processor may operate up to five cannabis dispensary facilities. Portsmouth is in Health Service Area V and has one cannabis dispensary facility.
No, Portsmouth residents cannot buy recreational weed from online dispensaries. Retailing recreational cannabis in all forms is illegal in Portsmouth until mid-2024. However, medical marijuana patients with Virginia medical cannabis cards may purchase medical cannabis from online cannabis dispensaries in Portsmouth and have such orders delivered to them. There are no restrictions on the forms or types of marijuana products that medical marijuana patients can purchase online from licensed medical marijuana dispensaries in Portsmouth.
When a medical marijuana patient visits a cannabis dispensary in Portsmouth, they must present their written certification and a government-issued identification card. They must also bring cash, as credit cards are not accepted. There are no recreational marijuana dispensaries operating in Virginia, including Portsmouth.
The following are some of the dispensary laws in Portsmouth:
The Cannabis Control Act contains laws regarding adult-use cannabis in Portsmouth, and they include the following:
The following are the medical cannabis laws in Portsmouth:
Beginning July 1, 2022, medical marijuana patients no longer require medical marijuana registry cards to purchase medical marijuana from registered cannabis dispensaries in Virginia, including Portsmouth. They only need to present valid written certifications from registered medical providers and government-issued identification cards. The Virginia Board of Pharmacy maintains a list of approved medical practitioners that can issue certifications.
However, a medical marijuana patient in Portsmouth may still apply for a medical marijuana registry card from the Board of Pharmacy. They can apply online via the board’s online application portal. They must submit a written certification for the use of medical cannabis, proof of age, a copy of a government-issued identification card, proof of residency, and pay a non-refundable application fee of $50. Medical marijuana registration cards are mailed to successful applicants within 60 days of submitting them.
Adults aged 21 years and older in Portsmouth may consume weed in private locations, including residences, restaurants, hotel dining areas, offices or ballrooms for private parties, and chartered or recreational boats. However, they are prohibited from consuming marijuana on federal lands and public places such as parks, schools, and religious grounds.
Medical marijuana patients can buy medical marijuana from registered medical marijuana dispensaries in Portsmouth by presenting a government-issued identification card and a physician written certification. They need to hold cash as cannabis dispensing facilities in Portsmouth do not accept credit or debit cards. The dispensary will review the registry database to verify that the patient is still within their monthly purchase limit before dispensing cannabis.
In Portsmouth, high-quality medical marijuana costs an average of $100 per 7 grams, while medium-quality medical cannabis costs an average of $70 per 7 grams.
The most popular strains of cannabis in Portsmouth include Monkey berries, White Widow, Cherry Gorilla, Diablo OG, Northern Lights, Honeydew, Chemdawg, and Kushberry.
No, smoking marijuana in public is prohibited in Virginia, including Portsmouth.
Adults aged 21 years and over in Portsmouth may possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana in any form in public. Medical marijuana patients and caregivers in Portsmouth may possess up to 4 ounces of botanical cannabis and up to a 90-day supply of cannabis products in public.
No, it is illegal to ship cannabis in Portsmouth. Cannabis remains illegal at the federal level and cannot be shipped across state lines.
Yes, medical marijuana patients with valid physicians' written certifications can order cannabis online in Portsmouth. However, it is illegal to order recreational marijuana online in the city as retail sales of recreational cannabis remain illegal.
No, there are no 24-hour dispensaries in Portsmouth.
Tourists cannot use recreational marijuana dispensaries in Portsmouth as recreational marijuana dispensaries are not yet operational in Virginia. Furthermore, Virginia does not have medical marijuana reciprocity with other states. Hence, tourists with medical marijuana cards from other states cannot purchase marijuana from cannabis dispensaries in Portsmouth.
Yes, a medical marijuana patient needs a government-issued identification card to purchase marijuana at any licensed dispensary in Portsmouth.
The only licensed cannabis dispensary in Portsmouth as of January 2024 is the Cannabist.
Yes, cannabis dispensing facilities in Portsmouth scan patients’ identification cards to verify their identities. Adult-use dispensaries are not yet operational in Portsmouth.
There is only one medical marijuana dispensary and no recreational cannabis dispensary in Portsmouth.
Because of the prohibition of cannabis at the federal level, cannabis dispensaries in Portsmouth cannot accept credit cards. Purchases can only be made with cash.
There is only one medical marijuana dispensary in Portsmouth for medical cannabis patients to purchase from. Medical marijuana patients may visit the cannabis dispensing facility several times a day as long as they are still within their purchasing limits.
No, medical marijuana dispensaries in Portsmouth do not take health insurance because marijuana is illegal in the U.S.
Yes, medical marijuana dispensaries in Portsmouth are mandated by law to track how much weed medical marijuana patients buy..
Yes, medical cannabis dispensaries in Portsmouth are accessible to medical marijuana patients aged 18 years and over. Medical marijuana patients below 18 years must be assisted by their parents or legal guardians to purchase medical marijuana.
Portsmouth’s cannabis regulator’s contact information is listed on the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (CCA) website.
Portsmouth residents can report illegal cannabis activities at (757) 393-8014. Furthermore, illegal cannabis activities within Portsmouth boundaries can be reported to the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Portsmouth Police Department at (757) 393-8536. In addition, the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (CCA) takes reports of illegal marijuana activities in Virginia, including Portsmouth, via email.