Marijuana has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. Although there was a period in the US’s history where cannabis was outlawed for all purposes, more and more states are beginning to accept its potential for medicinal uses.
To legally use it, you’ll need to secure a medical marijuana card in your state. However, getting a card comes with a handful of other benefits you may not have realized.
Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
Let’s take a look at everything you need to know.
1. Access to Higher THC Dosage
Depending on the medical condition(s) that you’ve been diagnosed with, you may find that products with a higher concentration of THC are better forms of treatment. Fortunately for those who have a medical marijuana card, medicinal cannabis often has higher levels of THC.
Without a valid card, you would only be able to obtain marijuana for recreational use from an official location. By contrast, this recreational marijuana would have significantly lower THC due to government regulations. The smaller amounts of THC present in this recreational cannabis is something to keep in mind if you find that products with lower THC concentrations aren’t potent enough to treat your medical conditions
2. Ability to Grow Your Own
Under the right circumstances, residents who have a medical marijuana card are permitted to grow individual plants within their own homes. In some states, only those who have a card are allowed to grow at all.
Having a medical marijuana card will allow you to save costs on marijuana products, but cultivating plants is a therapeutic practice for most people.
You’ll also be able to ensure that you always have medicinal cannabis available when you need it, eliminating the worry of running out of available treatment.
3. Fewer Restrictions on Possession and Purchase
A medical marijuana card is an official declaration that you need cannabis to alleviate your medical conditions. It’s only natural that cardholders are permitted to have higher quantities of marijuana in their possession.
When compared to recreational users, this amount is often exponential. For example, recreational users in some states may only possess a single ounce, while medical marijuana users may be able to possess eight or nine ounces.
4. Discounts at Most Dispensaries
Although marijuana is relatively affordable at dispensaries, this cost can grow fairly quickly if your condition requires a significant amount to treat. Fortunately, though, most dispensaries offer discounts to those who have a valid medical marijuana card.
This discount also applies to different types of cannabis products, such as edibles, concentrates, etc.
A common practice for cardholders is to grow most of their marijuana themselves, and then purchase any extra that they need for treatment at a discounted rate from dispensaries. For those who require large quantities for treatment, this can save a notable amount of money.
5. Greater Variety to Choose From
In general, states are more accommodating of medical marijuana as opposed to recreational marijuana. Most municipalities are given the option to either allow or disallow the presence of recreational marijuana dispensaries in their cities. Having limited dispensaries available to patients could cause someone who was isn’t a cardholder to have drive significant distances to find the closest dispensary.
As you can assume, this can quickly prove to be an issue for people with certain conditions, such as those that prevent them from driving. Having more reliable access to medical treatment is often enough of a reason to justify obtaining a medical marijuana card.
6. Lower Age Regulations
One of the most imposing regulations for those who seek cannabis from a dispensary is the age minimum. In general, you have to be at least 21 years old to purchase marijuana from these locations.
Those who have a valid medical cannabis card can make purchases from a dispensary long as they’re at least 18 years old.
While this factor doesn’t come into play, it can be life-changing for someone in their late teens with a medical condition (such as epilepsy) that medical cannabis treatment can help alleviate.
7. Tax Exemptions
One of the primary issues that dispensaries face is notably high sales tax on marijuana products. This higher taxation directly translates into a higher price for customers.
However, medical marijuana cardholders end up paying less because the sales tax is lower on medical cannabis products.
When combined with the growing your marijuana and the general discounts that you receive for purchasing medical marijuana, you’ll find that this form of treatment is more than affordable.
8. Legal Protection
Even in states where recreational marijuana is legal, many people can still find themselves uncomfortable with possessing and using it. Unfortunately, this can sometimes deter people who need it for treatment from purchasing it.
A medical marijuana card is immediate media proof that you’re legally allowed to possess cannabis to treat a medical condition. As long as the amount on your person doesn’t exceed the limits imposed by the law, you should never encounter any legal issues.
Getting a Medical Marijuana Card Will Improve Your Quality of Life
With the above information about getting a medical marijuana card in mind, you’ll be well on your way toward taking full advantage of its benefits.
Want to learn more about how we can help? Feel free to get in touch with us today to see what we can do.
