What Is The Difference Between State Issued Card And Medical Marijuana Recommendation In California?

What is the Difference Between State Issued Card and Medical Marijuana Recommendation in California? With the cannabis industry continually evolving, it’s easy for its laws to get confusing. In 1996, California passed prop 215, the Compassionate Use Act, as the first state to legalize medical marijuana. With California’s 2016 approval of prop 64, the California Marijuana Legalization Initiative, cannabis is officially and legally recreational in the golden state. So, what do you do with your old doctor’s recommendations? And do you need the state issued medical marijuana card you keep hearing about? Both are valid and legal way to get the greens. Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about state and medical marijuana cards and their differences. These are called “State-Issued Cards,” or in California’s case a “California Medical Marijuana Identification Card” aka CA MMIC - and they aren’t common. According to the California Department of Public Health, in the fiscal year of 2017/2018, a total of 6,842 people were issued a CA MMIC in a state of more than 39 million residents.

This could be because a CA MMIC is not required, and if you are 21 or over, you can simply walk into a dispensary with your driver’s license and purchase. Under state law Senate Bill 420, any person with a valid CA MMIC card has legal protection and the right to possess, grow, and transport marijuana within their state as long as they are compliant with SB420. Since these cards are state backed, they are stored in a state database, and can be verified by law enforcement. The card is not only protected by state law, but also by federal HIPAA privacy laws. Purchasing from only medical providers allows access to more dispensaries, and also assures that you receive quality products with more potency, which ultimately means more effective treatment of your medical condition. Can carry as much as medically required. Can grow more than 6 plants. Can buy up to 8 oz of cannabis, 12 plants per day, concentrated forms of cannabis, that are double the strength of recreational use.

The limit on THC in topicals is 2,000 milligrams per package. The limit for THC in edible products is 100 milligrams per package, for medical and recreational customers alike. The limit for THC in edible products is 100 milligrams per product, for medical and recreational customers alike. Patients with a valid CA MMIC can purchase cannabis at the age of 18 versus being 21 for recreational use. Not to mention the additional time and costs you might come to when obtaining the necessary information to obtain a CA MMIC, like a doctor’s recommendation. Receive a doctor’s recommendation, aka a “Written Documentation of Patient’s Medical Records” form from your physician for medical marijuana. It is the full size sheet with the doctor’s wet signature. Turn in completed and accurate application. Provide proof of identity, such as a valid driver’s license or identification card or other valid government-issued photo ID card. Provide proof residency in County, such as a current and valid California motor vehicle registration, rent or mortgage agreement, or utility bill. This proof must have patient’s name bearing current physical address within the county.

Your photo will be taken at your scheduled appointment. Once completed, your card will be mailed to your home address. The process time is about 35 days and you must renew your CA MMIC annually. Note: CA MMIC is not applicable for those on felony probation. In California, a doctor can recommend cannabis for medical purposes for adults 18 years or older. To help clarify the Medical Board of California released guidelines for the recommendation. The doctor’s recommendation, also known as a “Medical Marijuana Recommendation Card” (MMRC), has been around since 1996 through Prop 215 and is far more common than the state issued MMIC. The misconception is that it’s not actually a card, or at least a card is not required in California. All you need is a doctor’s recommendation letter. CA MMIC because there is little difference in the transaction at the register except for a minor tax exemption. According to the Marijuana Policy Project, it is estimated that 1.5 million Californians have a doctor’s recommendation, which comes on a standard sheet of paper. Card optional and not required.

The MMRC is also one step to obtaining the CA MMIC, without all of the state issued benefits. A medical marijuana recommendation allows patients under 21 years of age to obtain cannabis for medical purposes. If you are in the dead zone for recreational (18 to 20 years) and have a medical reason for use, you can get it. And, are not required to go through the additional step of a government issued card. Just be sure to visit a “medical” cannabis dispensary that honors MMRC. Since these cards are not state backed and not verifiable in a database, it’s possible that if a patient is carrying more than the recreational amount, law enforcement can detain or even arrest the patient until the recommendation is verified. Bruce Margolin, a leading marijuana attorney and director of the L.A. National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, shared that a doctor’s recommendation can still get you arrested.