Nevada voters legalized medical marijuana in the 2000 election. Historically, getting a Nevada medical marijuana card involved jumping through a lot of hoops, including waiting in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles; however, the state updated the process at the end of 2016, and most recently in July of 2017, making it a little easier on patients. Continue on to learn the current process of how to get a Nevada medical marijuana card.
Determine if Your Condition Qualifies for Medical Marijuana
Before you start the process of obtaining your Nevada medical marijuana card, you should determine if medical marijuana is a good solution for your medical condition. Nevada has outlined chronic or debilitating medical conditions that qualify for medical marijuana in NRS 453A.050. These include:
- AIDS
- Cancer
- Glaucoma
- Cachexia
- PTSD
- Persistent muscle spasms, including, without limitation, spasms caused by multiple sclerosis
- Seizures, including, without limitation, seizures caused by epilepsy
- Severe nausea
- Severe pain
If your medical condition is not listed, it is also possible to petition the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services requesting that a particular disease or condition be included among the diseases and conditions that qualify as chronic or debilitating medical conditions in accordance with NRS 453A.050. For more information, please reach out to a local NV Medical Marijuana Office.
Find a Doctor
To get a medical marijuana card, you will need to find a medical marijuana doctor, who is licensed in Nevada, to recommend it for your condition. You can choose to talk to your primary care provider about a recommendation, but most people opt to meet with a medical marijuana doctor instead. In Nevada, you can get an online medical marijuana recommendation from a licensed medical professional utilizing a service like PrestoDoctor or go to an evaluation center in person. The convenience of same day appointments and video chat makes the online option quite popular.
If you choose to have your appointment online, ensure that you speak with a medical professional via video or phone to get a recommendation. Otherwise, you will be violating medical marijuana telemedicine guidelines and laws.
Submit your Application to the Nevada State Health Division
To start that process, you will need to register for an account with the Nevada State Medical Marijuana Portal. The portal will require you to scan your Nevada ID in order have access to the portal and application. Once you have access, you can download the state application. If you have your evaluation through PrestoDoctor, you can simply download the application and email it to PrestoDoctor support. They will then have the doctor complete the Attending Healthcare Provider Statement, and email it back to you.
As of July 2017, the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health made changes to the state application, no longer requiring the notarization of certain forms. The last step is to scan the front and back of your driver’s license onto the last two pages of the application, and then scan all documents onto your computer, upload to the portal, and pay the application fees.
The recent updates to the state application included reducing the state fees. Now, you can pay either $50 for your Nevada medical marijuana card to be valid for 1 year, or $100 for your Nevada medical marijuana card to be valid for 2 years. Once these steps are complete, click “Submit”.
Option: Submit Application Through Mail/In Person
Many people opt to submit their application online through the Nevada State Portal; however, you do have the option to submit in person in Carson City or Las Vegas, or mail it in to Carson City. If you do choose to apply in person, or via mail, be sure to request the Healthcare Provider Statement with the doctor’s original ink signature, rather than a scanned online copy.
Once all of your materials are submitted to the state of Nevada, it will take about 24-72 hours to process if you do it online. Once your application is processed, you will receive an email with your temporary Nevada medical marijuana card. Your official medical marijuana card will arrive 10-14 days later. If you do the process in person or via mail, it could take longer.
For more details on this portion of the process, please visit our Nevada Information page.
Use Your Medical Card at a Dispensary
After you receive your medical marijuana card, you are able to use it to purchase medical marijuana at a Nevada dispensary for one year or two years, depending on which option you chose on your state application. While you are waiting for your official medical marijuana card to arrive in the mail, you can print out and use your temporary card that was emailed to you after your application was submitted.
You will need to have your recommendation renewed every year, or every 2 years (depending on which option you chose on your state application). If you come back to PrestoDoctor, they will discount your appointment by $20!
What About Recreational Marijuana Purchasing?
Yes, recreational cannabis use was passed for the state of Nevada this previous November, and sales of recreational cannabis started in some dispensaries this June. However, there are still many benefits to having a medical card in Nevada.
Currently, you must be at least 21 in order to purchase recreational cannabis, while you only need to be 18 to purchase cannabis with a medical card. Additionally, there is a 10-13% sales tax that is added to all recreational cannabis purchases. If you have a medical card, you are exempt from paying the special recreational taxes on your cannabis products, which can significantly lower the cost!
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Ready to start the process of getting your Nevada medical marijuana card? Sign up with PrestoDoctor for a medical marijuana consultation with a licensed physician in Nevada, now!
