Are you a Maryland resident looking for information about how to become a medical cannabis patient in MD? Getting a medical cannabis card is easier than you think! In just 4 steps you can be on your way to obtaining a medical card and enjoying legal cannabis. Here’s what you need to know about how to become a medical cannabis patient in MD.
How to Become a Medical Cannabis Patient in MD
Maryland has been accepting medical cannabis patients since 2017. And while their registration process may be a little more difficult than in some other states, it’s really not that hard to obtain a card. The 4 steps to obtaining medical cannabis in Maryland are:
- See if you have a qualifying medical condition
- Register with the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC)
- Get a written certification from a doctor that is registered with the MMCC
- Visit a dispensary (like Green Goods!) and purchase your medical cannabis
Maryland Qualifying Medical Condition
The very first step is to determine whether you have a qualifying medical condition that will allow you to obtain a medical cannabis card in Maryland. Here are the conditions that will qualify you for medical cannabis in Maryland:
- Anorexia
- Glaucoma
- Cachexia
- Severe Pain
- Severe Nausea
- Wasting Syndrome
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Severe or persistent muscle spasms
- Chronic Pain
- Seizures
If you have a condition for which other medical treatments have been ineffective, and for which cannabis can be reasonably expected to relieve symptoms, you may also qualify for treatment with medical cannabis.
Registering With The Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC)
Minors under the age of 18 must be registered by an adult caregiver and caregivers registering a minor must be over the age of 21. Caregivers must also register with the MMCC before trying to register the minor they are overseeing.
Before you start the registration process, you should gather the required documents and photos. To register, you will need:
- Electronic copy of a valid US government-issued photo ID (state driver’s license, passport, military ID, state ID card)
- Electronic copy of valid proof of address from within the last 90 days (Utility bill, bank statement, property tax bill, mortgage statement, credit card bill, car insurance policy, residential rental contract, government correspondence, selective service card)
- Electronic copy of a recent photo (ideally a passport photo)
- The last 4 digits of your social security number
Registering a minor requires extra forms, one of which has to be notarized, so it’s important to carefully go over all requirements before trying to register in order to make the process as smooth as possible.
Get Written Certification From a Registered Provider
Once you’ve registered online, your next step will be to obtain a certification from a doctor/provider that is registered with the MMCC. You are expected to have a ‘bonafide patient-provider relationship with the provider and they must approve of the use of medical cannabis for the treatment of your condition. In order to complete the process, the provider must use the patient’s MMCC-issued ID number in order to issue the certification through the MMCC’s online registration system.
Visit Green Goods
Certified? There’s no need to wait. After registration you will be able to print a temporary MMCC patient ID card you can use to obtain cannabis at a local medical cannabis dispensary. If you would like to designate a caregiver to legally obtain cannabis for you, you can do so through the MMCC patient registry.
Looking for a Fredericksburg, MD medical cannabis dispensary? Come down to Green Goods on West Patrick St. We’re open 7 days a week to provide medical cannabis patients with the best legal cannabis products in Maryland. Come by and take advantage of our daily deals or check out our online menu right now to place an order for pickup.
