There are 100,000 certified medical marijuana patients in Massachusetts, the highest number of patients using medical marijuana since the drug was legalized for medical purposes in 2012. 

The number of patients using medical marijuana has grown steadily during the pandemic, thanks in part to temporary regulatory changes that allowed new medical marijuana patients to have their first visit through telehealth. Consumers also flocked to the medical marijuana side as recreational dispensaries were shut down for two months during the height of the pandemic. 

The growth of the program will likely continue, given recently enacted higher limits around how many patients a person designated as a caregiver can grow plants for.  Regulators last year increased the allowed ratio to five patients for every caregiver, up from one patient for every caregiver. Under the new rules, caregivers are also able to seek a waiver for more than five patients.

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