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A Massachusetts patient younger than 18 is called a pediatric patient. The rules are stricter than for adults. Two certifying providers have to certify, a parent or guardian has to approve and is the personal caregiver, and the patient cannot enter a dispensary without that caregiver. This page lists each rule with the Commission page or regulation, and no medical judgment.
A Massachusetts patient younger than 18 is called a pediatric patient. The rules are stricter than for adults. Two certifying providers have to certify, a parent or guardian has to approve and is the personal caregiver, and the patient cannot enter a dispensary without that caregiver. This page lists each rule with the Commission page or regulation, and no medical judgment.
| Rule | What it says | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Providers | Two certifying providers, one of them a pediatrician or pediatric specialist | Register as a New Patient |
| Parent or guardian | Must approve; is identified as the Personal Caregiver | Register as a New Patient; 935 CMR 501.015(5) |
| ID | The patient does not need a separate government ID | 935 CMR 501.015(5)(e) and 501.140(2) |
| At the dispensary | The patient cannot enter without their caregiver | 935 CMR 501.140(2) |
| Possession | A caregiver may not let the patient possess marijuana when not in the caregiver's presence | Register as a New Caregiver |
935 CMR 501.010(11) lets two Massachusetts-licensed certifying physicians certify a patient younger than 18, at least one of whom is a board certified pediatrician, pediatric subspecialist, oncologist, neurologist or family physician. The Commission page says one must be a pediatrician or pediatric specialist. The regulation covers a debilitating life-limiting illness, and also a condition that is not life-limiting if the physicians make a further determination. For that second case, 935 CMR 501.010(11) requires a discussion with the parent or legal guardian, the guardian's written consent and documentation in the medical record and certification.
The Commission FAQ for providers repeats these conditions. This page does not say which conditions qualify. Your providers decide. AC does not recommend any certifying provider.
For a patient under 18, 935 CMR 501.015(5) requires an attestation from a parent or legal guardian granting permission, and a designated Personal Caregiver who is the parent or legal guardian. The Commission has a Parent Caregivers page. It says parents who want to enroll their child must receive certifications from two Massachusetts certifying providers registered with the Program, then submit a pediatric application, which it says is available online.
The Commission page lists different links depending on your situation: a new parent or guardian of a newly registered pediatric patient, a new parent of a current pediatric patient, or a parent who already has an account.
935 CMR 501.140(2) says patients younger than 18 do not have to have a separate means of identification to enter a Medical Marijuana Treatment Center, and that a patient younger than 18 cannot enter without their caregiver. A second personal caregiver is possible: the regulation lets a visiting nurse, personal care attendant or home health aide serve as a second caregiver for a patient younger than 18.
A pediatric patient renews every year like any patient, with a valid certification. The Commission pages do not describe a step for the day the patient turns 18. Ask the Commission how the registration carries over. See the page on medical card at 18 for the age lines.
Two. The Commission says one of them must be a pediatrician or pediatric specialist.
The patient's parent or legal guardian, according to the Commission and 935 CMR 501.015(5).
No. 935 CMR 501.140 says a Qualifying Patient younger than 18 cannot enter without their caregiver.
The Commission Parent Caregivers page says the pediatric application is available online.
Read on October 31, 2026. The state can change its rules, so confirm on its pages before you act.
This page explains how a state program works. It is not medical or legal advice, and it makes no claim about what marijuana does for any health condition. Ask a health professional about your health.
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