- How Do I Know if I Qualify?
- What you Need to Start the Process of Obtaining your Maryland Medical Cannabis Certification
- The Steps to Obtain Your Cannabis License
- Are you Ready to Utilize Plant Medicine?
If you are a Maryland resident, you may already know that cannabis was legalized in the State for medical patients in 2018, so the question remains, how to get medical marijuana in Maryland?
Unlike many states, Maryland allows children under the age of 18 to get a medical license with the help of a guardian. This process makes Maryland a refuge state for many parents who battle the need for pharmaceutical drugs.
How do I know if I qualify for a Maryland Medical Marijuana Card?
The list of qualifying conditions for a Maryland medical marijuana card is not vast but does provide a starting point for those facing serious illness, disease, or disability. If you have proof of Maryland residency and have at least one of the following conditions diagnosed by a medical professional, you qualify:
- Cachexia
- Anorexia
- Wasting syndrome
- Severe pain
- Severe nausea
- Seizures
- Severe or persistent muscle spasms
- Glaucoma
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Chronic pain
- Other painful and chronic medical conditions that have not been successfully treated with other medications
If you don’t see your particular ailment or illness on this list, you may still qualify for medical marijuana in Maryland based on the other requirements. Additional conditions that come with persistent pain include cancer, depression, and migraines.
What you need to start the process of obtaining your Maryland Medical Cannabis Certification
If you have qualifying conditions for a medical card in Maryland and would like to apply, there are a few things you need to gather before you begin.
- You will need:
- A valid email account
- A scanned or electronic copy of a valid Maryland photo ID
- A letter from the Attending of Hospice Record (AOHR) provider on hospice letterhead.
- An electronic copy of a recent photo (like a passport photo)
*Note from the MMCC strongly recommends using a free, highly-rated passport photo app widely available for download via the App Store, Google Play Store, or anywhere apps are available. - The last four digits of your social security card
Unfortunately, if you are an out-of-state patient, the state of Maryland has suspended the review of applications by the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission at this time, so there is no process for how to get medical marijuana in Maryland. Therefore, applicants who live outside the State may not access medical cannabis at Maryland-licensed dispensaries.
This process is relatively consistent with most medically legal states. Still, in some states with adult-use laws (like California), you must not prohibit out-of-state patients from accessing cannabis from licensed dispensaries.
The Steps to Obtain Your Cannabis Licence:
1. Step One: Collect and prepare the necessary documents:
You must have the required information and documents in an electronic format ready for upload before starting the application process for how to get medical marijuana in Maryland. It will help to prevent you from feeling stressed or needing to start and stop the application process.
- Collect the documents mentioned above in an electronic form
- Complete and submit an application for an account on the MMCC website under the patient’s section.
- You will need to click a verification link that will be sent via email immediately.
- Once approved, you can log into your MMCC account and select a caregiver.
You will still need to obtain a valid certification from a doctor to purchase cannabis. Your account with MMCC is valid for two years. There is no fee to get medical marijuana in Maryland.
2. Step Two: Visit with a Doctor
Now that you have created an account with MMCC, you are ready to find a provider that can give you a written certification.
- Find your doctor. Heally makes it easy to connect to a Maryland physician licensed to recommend marijuana in your local area & make an appointment.
- The provider will confirm that you suffer from one of the qualifying conditions for a medical card in Maryland listed previously.
- If eligible, your provider will give you a written certification that can be used to purchase cannabis at a licensed dispensary in the process for how to get medical marijuana in Maryland. Your written certification will be valid for one year from the signing date.
3. Step Three: Choose a dispensary and plan your trip
Now that you have both your MMCC account and your written certification from a certified provider, you are ready to purchase cannabis from a licensed Maryland dispensary. You will need your patient ID number with you when you visit.
- You will need to bring your documents. Be sure to bring your written certification and a valid Maryland photo ID when you make the trip.
- Plan your trip to the dispensary. Be sure to do this step within four months of receiving your certification. If nothing is dispensed within 120 days, your certificate will become invalid, and you will have to obtain another one.
- Find a local dispensary and make the trip (or send one of your approved caregivers). You can find a list of licensed dispensaries on the MMCC website.
4. Step Four: (Optional) Get your State ID Card
This next step is optional but will make it easier when going to a dispensary. Suppose you’d prefer to keep your documentation simple. In that case, a State Cannabis ID card can be obtained from the MMCC used in place of a written certification and valid Maryland photo ID when purchasing from a licensed dispensary.
The patient ID card can be purchased for $50 from the MMCC once a patient has it. Use the filename registered and received a written certification. An MMCC ID card is not required to get medical marijuana in Maryland.
Keep in mind that it may take several weeks to receive your confirmation. Therefore, the MMCC suggests that you wait to contact the office until it has been more than 45 days since you submitted your application.
Are you ready to utilize plant medicine?
You’re finally on your way to utilizing cannabis as medicine. The process is thorough and takes a concentrated effort. Still, thankfully this system has been set up to allow you to use the help of caregivers and doctors who have opted into consulting about cannabis.
Heally works with cannabis doctors in the state of Maryland to schedule visits in your local area. If you have questions about how to get medical marijuana in Maryland or whether you have a qualifying condition for a medical card in Maryland, contact us at support@getheally.com.
