How Much Does a Medical Marijuana Card Cost?
- Fact-checked by Dr. Desiree Granados
The US states that offer medical marijuana programs currently allow for the use of cannabis to treat those with certain qualifying medical conditions. Medical marijuana is legal in certain states if it is prescribed by a doctor who has come through training and met the requirements to become registered. But how much does a medical marijuana card cost?
To obtain a medical marijuana card, you must meet certain qualifications depending on your state’s program’s guidelines. The cost of obtaining a card varies from state to state, but generally ranges from $25 to $300. States that have lower fees also offer fewer or more limited qualifying conditions. It is estimated that the cost of a medical marijuana card in states with low fees is about half the price in states with high fees.
The annual fee for maintaining your medical cannabis registration card ranges from $100 to $400 per year. This allows patients to enjoy protection in being able to possess, grow, and consume medicinal quantities of cannabis.
The state medical cannabis card does not erase existing marijuana laws, however. Instead, it provides an affirmative defense against prosecution, provided you followed all of the rules. Step out of line, and you’re in felony territory. But typically, police will leave a cannabis consumer alone once they see a valid card. (Yes, jail is possible even if you’re only one day past the expiration date.)
Costs Vary State to State
If you live in one of the states in which medical marijuana is legal, the cost of obtaining a card varies depending on where you live. For example, if you live in California, it costs about $200 to get your card. The cost for getting your card in Oregon is $100. However, if you live in Minnesota or Michigan, it costs $200 just to apply for the card, but $100 each year after that.
Being deemed qualified for a medical marijuana card is huge. The benefits include the fact you don’t have to pay state taxes, federal income taxes, or sales tax on your purchases of cannabis. You can also legally possess up to 2½ ounces of marijuana, grow as many as 12 plants (though none may be mature), and associate with other licensed users.
You would also need to know that there are some not-so-good points about having a card, though. For instance, if you hold one, it will show up on drug tests at work. So what happens when they find out? Depending on which state you live in, the workplace could fire you along with possibly arresting or prosecuting you through legal means. Also keep in mind that for some reason or another, many companies along with colleges require drug tests. So, if you get one of these jobs, it would be wise to not get a card at all.
It is essential for someone living in a medical marijuana state to know these pros and cons so they can make an informed decision about whether or not they should get a card.
Membership Has its Privileges
The benefits of holding a medical marijuana card are extensive. A medical marijuana card allows the patient to have a higher purchase amount of marijuana, more frequent fills, and less hassle when attempting to use their medicine. It also ensures that the patient’s information is kept private so no one else will know they are using it for treatment or be able to access their records.
A study completed in California shows that after the state enacted Proposition 215, otherwise known as the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, it saw a significant decrease in overall pain level scores. More specifically, they saw a decrease of more than three points on an eleven-point scale for chronic pain sufferers.
This means that since it is estimated there are approximately 100 million chronic pain sufferers in the US alone, marijuana could be used to treat several conditions which would affect more than 10% of our total population.
Looking at back and neck pain levels – which are some of the highest rated chronic pains Americans suffer from – the study also showed that since California enacted Proposition 215, using marijuana to treat these conditions has become safer than prescription medications.
The cost of holding a medical marijuana card varies from state-to-state and you need a valid form of identification as well as a recommendation from your physician. The benefits of holding a medical marijuana card include easier access at dispensaries and lower prices than non-cardholders. It costs an average of less than $200 for an application fee with renewals every year or two depending on where you live. After that you will be paying monthly fees which vary according to the state you live in.
How we reviewed this article:
- Department of Cannabis Control California
https://cannabis.ca.gov/consumers/medicinal-cannabis/
Current Version
November 26, 2021
Written By
Jake Peter
Fact-checked By
Dr. Desiree Granados
Editorial Process
Our Editorial Process
Jake Peter received his journalism degree from Emerson College and has been writing content for the Sanctuary Wellness Institute since 2021. He is passionate about all things cannabis.
