The term ‘medical marijuana certification’ is a point of confusion for many people, especially those who live in states where recreational marijuana is legal. Sometimes, you may hear the term ‘medical marijuana card’ use instead, but the two are essentially the same thing.
For those who are looking to use marijuana for medical purposes, it is worth spending a little time understanding these terms. You need to know how to obtain a medical marijuana certification or card to use cannabis in this way. In fact, an MMJ certification is also useful for people who live in states where marijuana is recreationally legal and easy to purchase. But in states where it’s legal for medical use only, like Mississippi, the only way to obtain cannabis is through MS medical marijuana card.
Having access to medical marijuana rather than just the products that are sold for recreational use offers a number of benefits. Having a medical marijuana card opens up the possibility of purchasing marijuana from many more places and in larger quantities. Plus, it often comes at a cheaper cost than the recreational stuff.
Let’s take a deep dive into what medical marijuana certification means and how those who are eligible can obtain it.
How Is Medical Marijuana Different from Recreational Marijuana?
Recreational marijuana is still not legal in every state, meaning that without a medical card, it is not possible to purchase cannabis even for medicinal reasons. In order to obtain medical marijuana in these states legally, it has to be purchased through a certified dispensary, where you require a medical marijuana certification to shop there.
In states where marijuana is legal, medical dispensaries still exist, with some doubling as recreational stores as well. There are often differences between what dispensaries can sell and the quantities they are allowed to trade based on whether they are a medical dispensary or a standard one.
Having medical marijuana certification allows those who hold an MMJ to purchase larger quantities and often also higher strength products. This makes medical marijuana certification a must-have for anyone looking to use marijuana to manage long-term health conditions.
Who Can Apply for Medical Marijuana Certification?
The rules on who can and cannot apply for medical marijuana certification vary based on the state in which they reside. While every state has a list of medical conditions that allow someone to qualify, there are a few conditions that are commonly recognized in most localities.
Medical conditions that are typically accepted include epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, Crohn’s, and multiple sclerosis.
Before being able to start the application process, the individual intending to apply must obtain recognized proof of their condition. This is unfortunately often not as simple as asking your regular doctor for evidence. Most states require a certified doctor to carry out an assessment and confirm that the individual has the condition they claim to have.
There are many valuable resources online, such as ‘medical marijuana doctors near me‘ that help people find certified doctors and start the process of obtaining medical marijuana certification.
How to Apply for Medical Marijuana Certification
After receiving confirmation of a medical condition from a certified doctor, the next step will be to fill out a state application and pay any relevant fees. At this point, the process varies a great deal based on the state.
States that have legalized recreational marijuana tend to have a much simpler and quicker process. Applications are checked, and assuming they meet all of the relevant requirements, a medical marijuana card will be issued.
In other states, the process can sometimes be a little bit more complicated and require further checks and confirmation of the medical condition in question.
Where Is a Medical Marijuana Certification Valid?
When someone applies for medical marijuana certification, they do so within their home state, and that state is issuing the card. This, unfortunately, means that a medical marijuana card is only valid within the state where it was issued.
For those who travel out of state on a regular basis and rely on medical marijuana every day, this can be problematic. It is also not legal to take marijuana on domestic flights. Medical cards are also not recognized on the federal level, which means that people cannot simply stock up before traveling and take enough with them for the trip.
How to Obtain Medical Marijuana After Receiving Certification
After receiving certification and a medical marijuana card, there are a number of options regarding how to purchase marijuana.
Perhaps the easiest option is to locate a medical dispensary store close to home. Employees within the store will be used to guide medical customers and can often provide some advice as to what is likely to be the best option. It can also sometimes be possible to sign up for regular orders, making the process much easier in the future.
Another option is to find an online retailer that specializes in medical marijuana. Again, when shopping online, it is sometimes possible to sign up for regular orders, helping to make the process as simple as possible.
