Explore the 7 Benefits of Having a Medical Marijuana Card in a Rec State
With 15 states and counting having legalized the use of medical and recreational marijuana for adults, it’s quite easy to understand why not as many people are interested in Medical Marijuana (MMJ) cards as before. You might be tempted to follow suit in terms of ditching the idea of getting an MMJ card until you realize that you are missing out on a few benefits in the process.
This is especially if you consider that there are lots of differences between recreational and medical marijuana. If you have been wondering what the benefits of having an MMJ card despite being in a recreational state are, read on to find out:
1. Higher limits and the ability to grow marijuana
If you are buying marijuana for recreational use, there is a strict limit as to how much you can purchase for recreational use. MMJ cardholders, on the other hand, are not as limited as other users are. Take, for example, California where recreational users are allowed to purchase only 1 ounce of marijuana every day whereas medical marijuana users can acquire up to 8 ounces in a day.
You not only get to bring more cannabis home by having an MMJ card, but you also get to enjoy the benefit of possessing greater quantities of cannabis. In Nevada, for instance, while recreational users are allowed to possess only 1 ounce of cannabis, medical users have the bar set to 2.5 ounces at a time.
As if that is not enough, medical marijuana cardholders enjoy the benefit of being able to grow more cannabis plants at home compared to recreational users. In California, recreational users can only grow a maximum of six plants at a time, with only 3 out of 6 being mature. Those who hold an MMJ card in such a state can request to grow more than 6 plants, in contrast. Patients can also obtain a 99 plants growers recommendation.
2. Lower costs
With a marijuana card, you can save a lot of money courtesy of being able to find the same product at reduced prices than if you were not in possession of a card. That’s in consideration that after the legalization, several states implemented some changes that saw the prices of products meant for recreational use shoot by huge margins due to taxes.
As such, if you purchase recreational marijuana on a regular basis, you are going to have to spend a lot more money than if you had an MMJ card in your wallet. Keep in mind that the taxes on recreational marijuana can go as high as 15-37% depending on one’s state. On the other hand, only standard taxes are applicable to medical marijuana products.
In Colorado, for example, the sale tax on marijuana/marijuana-infused products for recreational use was raised to 15% from 10%, while medical marijuana was exempted from the tax. With different states either exempting or lowering the amount of tax levied on medical marijuana/products, you can be sure to save a little bit more if you are in the possession of an MMJ card.
3. Stronger potency
Users who possess medical marijuana cards have the access to medical marijuana with greater potency levels as opposed to users without a card. That’s in consideration that almost every retailer of cannabis for recreational uses has to adhere to the set limits when it comes to potency levels.
While this might vary from one state to another, it’s widely known that medical marijuana users often require greater potency levels of CBD or THC to suit their symptoms.
Take the example of potency limitations in California where recreational users are limited to using edible products with no more than 100mg of THC and tinctures or lotions with no more than 1000mg of THC. In the same state, medical users enjoy a higher limit of the potency level with the amount in lotions being allowed to go up to 2000mg of THC.
4. Lower age restrictions
To use cannabis for recreation purposes, you have to be 21 or older in a majority of the states. Cannabis consumption or possession is illegal if you are under this age but not if you are using it for medical reasons. In most states, the medical users of cannabis who are aged 18 and above can use it to meet their medical needs as long as they satisfy all the requirements.
There are some instances where users with an age of below 18 are allowed access to a marijuana card even though they have to do this through a caregiver. When it comes to the use of marijuana as medicine, there are almost no age restrictions.
5. Better legal protection
In a majority of states where the use of marijuana is legal, there are special laws that have been put in place to protect MMJ cardholders. In California, for instance, Proposition 215 protects caregivers and patients with such cards from being convicted of unlawful possession or cultivation of marijuana as opposed to users without cards.
As you can expect, however, you have to meet the set limits or you’ll be breaking the existing laws in which case there will be no protection. Basically, a medical marijuana card is supposed to exempt you from various limitations based on the approval and recommendation from your physician. Such exemption can apply to purchase, possession, and cultivation limitations.
Users often ask whether having an MMJ card increases their chances of being fired. Well, in a majority of cases, that can change depending on the employer. There are lots of states where medical marijuana users have employment rights to protect them from unlawful work dismissals. It’s advisable, however, to seek more clarification from a legal professional about this.
6. Access to medical-only cannabis dispensaries
By being in possession of an MMJ card, you can easily shop for the recommended products based on your condition from medical dispensaries. Even in the states where recreational users are allowed to do so freely, there are medical dispensaries that are only accessible to MMJ cardholders.
The main benefit behind this is that such medical users can access a wider array of products, professional support, and strains. Since there are so many products with different properties, medical users can find it confusing to decide which product to acquire. In such situations, having an MMJ card can prove useful since you will get assistance from a cannabis coach or medical doctor.
7. Inter-state travels are easier
If you are traveling to a state that offers reciprocity to your home state, you should be in a position to enjoy almost the same benefits that you enjoy in your home state. This means being able to use, possess, and/or purchase cannabis for medical use with your out-of-state MMJ card.
This can help a lot if you are traveling to a different state for medical reasons such as seeing a specialist. Since it is illegal to cross state lines with cannabis, you will want to make sure that the state you want to travel to can accept your home state MMJ card.
Here is a list of the states where the use of an out-of-state MMJ card is allowed:
- Arizona (possession only)
- New Hampshire (possession only)
- Missouri (possession only)
- California
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Oklahoma
- Maine
- Hawaii
- Arkansas
- Alaska
- Colorado
- Michigan
- Illinois
- Rhode Island
- Massachusetts
- Washington
- Washington D.C.
How an MMJ card works
Just a few years ago, the process of getting an MMJ card was long and daunting. In addition to being a physically tiring process, it was required that you get approval from the right authorities which was emotionally tiring at times.
Thanks to the internet, this process has become easier now in a majority of the states that allow telemedicine. All your need is a single click of a button, to get your card delivered to your location. It goes without saying, however, that you are still required to get some approval even though the process is not as complicated as before.
One of the major concerns that potential MMJ card owners have is the medical confidentiality of the cards. Such individuals are especially interested in finding out whether their insurance will get alerted when they decide to get a card. Well, the answer to such a question is not one that has a definitive answer.
The answers to questions about confidentiality vary from one state to another. In this light, your best course of action would be to seek assistance from a healthcare provider based in your state so that you can get a reliable answer.
How to buy Cannabis legally in the United States
Depending on the state, you might be required to meet certain medical conditions to qualify to apply for an MMJ card.
Qualifying conditions for medical marijuana
Since almost every state has a different medical marijuana program, it is not uncommon to find that the list of qualifying conditions is different as well. In such a case, only patients with certain medical conditions that qualify are allowed to apply for the use of medical marijuana.
To know whether you qualify, it is recommended that you read through your state’s list. As you do that, however, keep in mind that the qualifying conditions are often updated especially when new conditions are approved.
It’s good that you know that there are times when you might have qualified even though your condition is not listed. For this reason, it’s always important to consult a medical marijuana doctor for clarification and advice.
Here are some of the most common medical conditions that qualify in the majority of states:
- Anxiety
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Arthritis
- Arteriosclerosis
- Cancer
- Cachexia/wasting syndrome
- Chronic pain
- Depression
- Dialysis & kidney disease
- Epilepsy/seizures
- Gout & Arthropathy
- Glaucoma
- Insomnia
- Inflammation
- Multiple sclerosis
- Night terrors
- Nausea
- PTSD
- Pneumonia
- Sciatica
- Tinnitus
- Vertigo
With different online platforms where you can sign up and find a doctor as well as get some assistance in getting a card, you have no reason to avoid owning an MMJ card. Besides, the different benefits of owning a medical marijuana card make your efforts worth the while.
Conclusion
It’s, without a doubt, pleasant to see how different states all over the U.S., as well as different countries worldwide, are committed to ensuring that medical marijuana becomes accessible to those who need it. Not only that, but you can also access rec marijuana depending on your state.
Despite this, it’s almost obvious that medical marijuana is associated with more benefits, which is one of the main reasons why getting an MMJ card is a good decision. Before you decide to use CBD, however, it is recommended that you speak to a doctor with the necessary qualifications and experience so that you can follow the right path.
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