19th March 2024
Health

How to Get a Maryland Medical Marijuana Card

Maryland is one of 33 states that allow medical marijuana as a treatment for certain medical conditions. State law is very clear regarding how dispensaries can and cannot sell medical marijuana to patients. Needless to say Maryland is not a state that allows freewheeling. In fact, Maryland cannabis laws are quite strict.

For starters, doctors in Maryland cannot issue medical marijuana ID cards. Only the state’s Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC) has the legal authority to issue the cards. Maryland regulators have developed a 3-step process for obtaining a card. If you believe medical marijuana is appropriate for you, follow the steps outlined below.

1. Apply with the State

Obtaining medical marijuana in Maryland begins with an application process. Some state documents also refer to registration but note that registration and application are one in the same. Also note that you must make application online and that you must have a valid and accessible e-mail account in order to be successfully registered.

You will also have to submit a photograph that will be attached to your ID card in much the same way as the photo attached to your driver’s license. Your photograph must be passport quality. It must also have been taken within the last six months and show your full face unobstructed by sunglasses, a hat, etc.

Once the application is complete, you must wait to receive state approval and your official state-issued ID number. Once that arrives, you can move on to step two.

2. Obtain a Doctor’s Certificate

Being registered with the state does not instantly give you access to medical marijuana. In Maryland, medical cannabis use has to be approved by a doctor registered with the MMCC. That means you must make an appointment to see a registered doctor for an evaluation. If you need help finding a registered doctor near you, a service known as Veriheal can help. Veriheal is an online enterprise specializing in connecting Maryland medical cannabis patients to physicians.

The doctor you choose will have to take a look at your full medical history and conduct his or her own evaluation. Should the doctor agree that medical marijuana is appropriate in your case, you will be issued a certificate attesting to that doctor’s approval. Now you are ready to proceed to step three.

3. Complete Your Registration

Your final step is to complete your registration by giving the state the information contained on your certificate. To do so, login to the state’s Patient Registry website using the same credentials you chose when you first registered. Logging in to your account will prompt you to enter a limited amount of information.

Here you will also purchase your ID card. No, it is not free; the card itself costs $50 and is mailed directly to you. The Patient Registry accepts all major credit cards and debit cards.

Photo ID Cards Are Optional

One last thing for you to know is that photo ID cards are optional in the state of Maryland. Even though we included obtaining an ID card in the third step, you do not have to purchase one if you don’t want to. Instead, you can take a copy of your doctor’s certificate when you go to a state-licensed dispensary.

Maryland medical marijuana laws make it fairly straightforward to obtain cannabis for medical purposes. Again, remember that doctors in Maryland cannot issue medical marijuana cards. Only state regulators can issue them. Do not fall for scams trying to get you to buy a Maryland medical marijuana card without going through the three-step process described in this post.