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New York City, NY's medical program was established under the Compassionate Care Act, signed in 2014 and operational in 2016, and recreational cannabis was legalized through the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) in 2021. Both programs are regulated by the Office of Cannabis Management and Cannabis Control Board, with medical patients accessing cannabis through registered organizations and adults purchasing from licensed dispensaries. As of July 22, 2026, updated Part 113 regulations further expanded patient access, extended certification length, and introduced reciprocity for out-of-state medical patients.

• Patients must be New York residents with valid medical cannabis cards issued by the state, or out-of-state patients with a valid medical cannabis authorization from their home state.
• Recreational marijuana use is legal for adults 21 and older in New York.
• Home cultivation of cannabis is allowed for medical patients and recreational users.
• Medical program allows up to 5 designated caregivers per patient.
• Medical patients may possess up to a 60-day supply as determined by their practitioner, or up to 3 ounces of cannabis and 24 grams of concentrate, whichever is greater.
• Your New York City, NY medical marijuana card is valid for up to two years from the date it is issued (extended from one year under the July 2026 Part 113 update).
• Out-of-state medical patients can present their home-state authorization to purchase medical cannabis from Registered Organization dispensing facilities in New York, without needing a New York patient registry ID card.
• Only licensed dispensaries with official state decals can legally sell cannabis.

2014 – Medical Program Established

• New York enacted the Compassionate Care Act, legalizing medical cannabis with limited qualifying conditions and restricted product forms for certified patients. The program became operational in 2016.

2021 – Adult-Use Legalization

• Governor Cuomo signed the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), legalizing recreational cannabis and expanding the medical program significantly.

2021–2022 – Program Implementation

• Office of Cannabis Management and Cannabis Control Board established to oversee both medical and adult-use programs with a social equity focus and community reinvestment.

2022 – First Adult-Use Licenses

• State approved first Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) licenses, Adult-Use Conditional Cultivator licenses, and Adult-Use Conditional Processor licenses.

2026 – Part 113 Modernization

• The Cannabis Control Board adopted updated Part 113 regulations effective July 22, 2026, extending patient certifications to up to two years, updating possession limits and establishing reciprocity for out-of-state medical patients at Registered Organization dispensaries.

New York City, NY law establishes different marijuana possession limits for medical patients and adult-use consumers. Under the July 2026 Part 113 update, medical possession limits now use a "greater of" standard.

• Adults may possess up to 3 ounces of cannabis flower and 24 grams of concentrate outside their homes, with up to 5 pounds storage at home.
• Medical patients and caregivers may possess up to a 60-day supply as determined by their practitioner, or up to 3 ounces of cannabis and 24 grams of concentrate, whichever is greater.
• Medical patients and recreational users can grow up to 3 mature and 3 immature plants per individual, with a maximum of 12 plants (six mature and six immature) per household.
• All home cultivation of cannabis must be secured and inaccessible to minors.
• Purchases require a valid New York City medical marijuana card for New York medical patients, a valid out-of-state medical cannabis authorization for reciprocity patients, or a government ID for recreational consumers.