Medical cannabis cards, med cards, or MMJ cards for short are available in dozens of states for qualifying patients. Having a medical cannabis card allows patients to access legal cannabis in their state. It may also give them access to legal cannabis in other states. Through a process known as reciprocity, cannabis patients with a state-issued valid ID and medical cannabis card may be eligible to purchase cannabis in other states using their state’s med card. Some states require out-of-state med card holders to purchase a temporary med card in the visiting state. Other states simply accept out-of-state MMJ cards.
Medical cannabis is legal in 39 states. Recreational cannabis is legal in 18 states. Before long, cannabis will be legal virtually everywhere. However, for the time being, it is still questionable when it comes to the legality of cannabis, even legal cannabis. Just because cannabis is legal doesn’t mean everything about it is legal. For example, you are not supposed to travel over state lines with cannabis. This is considered illegal and could possibly land you in some trouble. Making sure you have a valid med card is extremely important. In some instances, having a valid med card could also prevent you from having unwanted legal complications. There are also other benefits to keeping your med card up-to-date.
Don’t Let This Happen to You!
Imagine you’re at work, and it’s Friday; you’re ready to hit the dispensary to get your medicine for the weekend. Just before it’s time for you to get off work, your boss comes and asks you to stay just a little while longer because another employee is going to be late. Now you’re stuck at work waiting on someone else to get there. It feels like forever before they finally arrive, and you get to leave work for the weekend. None of that matters now because you’re off and on your way to getting your meds.
You cut it close, but you made it to the dispensary with 15 minutes to spare before they closed. As you go inside to get ready and make your medical cannabis purchase, you pull out your med card. Suddenly a flash of anxiety hits you. You remember about two weeks ago; your budtender told you that your med card would be expiring soon and to make sure that you get your renewal taken care of. You remember saying to yourself that you were going to do that right away. Then life happened.
Upon a quick inspection of your medical cannabis card, you realize that you, in fact, forgot to renew it! Your med card is expired. In some strange, hopeful attempt, you still hand it to the budtender. They take a look at the expiration date and give you that look. They hand you your card back and tell you that it is expired and that they cannot legally sell you anything. Now, not only can you not buy your medicine for the weekend, but you may also have downtime waiting for a new med card before you can purchase medicine again.
This is a situation that you may think might not happen to you, but it happens more than you probably realize. You never know when it could be you. There are some easy steps to take to avoid this conundrum.
Keep Your Medical Cannabis Card Valid
When it comes to keeping your state-issued medical cannabis card or MMJ card valid, you will want to set reminders for renewal time. It is always a great idea to look at your medical cannabis card and see when it expires. In today’s world, there are many different ways to help you remember things like the expiration dates of important documents such as bank cards or your medical cannabis card. Adding a reminder to renew your medical cannabis card a month or two before its expiration date to a calendar is a great idea. In fact, it’s not a bad idea to add it to several calendars. Write it on your big calendar at home. Add it to your calendar on your phone. You can even set reminders using AI with Google Hubs, Amazon Alexa, or similar devices.
Also, when you visit a dispensary, and your med card is close to expiration, they will typically let you know about it. If this happens, take it as a red flag that it’s time for you to go and renew your med card. When you hear reminders or your calendar notifies you that it is time for renewal, act on those notifications and start the renewal process immediately. Different states and different med cards have different time frames for expiration. In Oklahoma, when you are issued a state medical cannabis card, it is valid for two years. You cannot start the renewal process until 30 days before the expiration date of your med card. However, once you have started the renewal process and receive your state approval, you may purchase cannabis by showing them your information on the OMMA website. In some states, you’d have to wait until you receive your new physical copy of your valid state-issued medical cannabis card. It’s always a great idea to know what the laws are pertaining to med card renewals in your state and to stay on top of deadlines regarding the expiration of your medical cannabis card.
The Importance of a Valid State Issued MMJ Card
Having a valid state-issued medical cannabis card is very important. Especially if you live in a state that only has access to medical cannabis and you want to legally have access as well. If you are caught with cannabis in a state that only allows for medical cannabis, and you don’t have a med card, you could find yourself in serious trouble. The perception of cannabis has shifted greatly over the last decade. That still doesn’t mean that perception has shifted to a positive note with everyone. According to the United States federal government, cannabis is still a schedule 1 drug. This means that you can still get busted for it, especially in states that still strictly prohibit its use, such as Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, Kentucky, Kansas, or other archaic states.
Having a valid state-issued medical cannabis card means you have legal access to purchasing cannabis. It also offers you a certain level of protection. In most states, medical cannabis patients are allowed to possess a certain amount of cannabis or cannabis products on them. Having your medical cannabis card is the difference between you being able to carry your meds legally or having to risk carrying them illegally or not at all.
Is Getting Your Med Card Renewed Hard?
Getting your med card renewal is easier than you think. It is one of those things that will take a little bit of your time, but as you already know, it is more than worth it. There is a certain peace of mind that comes with having a valid state-issued med card. Especially when you’re a medical cannabis patient. Medical cannabis patients embrace the therapeutic attributes of cannabinoid therapies for a multitude of reasons. Some people look to medical cannabis to help them manage symptoms of nausea, loss of appetite, and chronic pain. Some look for help managing the symptoms of anxiety, stress, and PTSD. Whatever the reason, life is not the same without their medicine. This is the reality and truth of millions of cannabis patients nationwide.
Make sure that you stay vigilant about the expiration date on your med card. When it’s time to renew your med card, rest easy knowing that it can easily be done by making an appointment to receive your medical cannabis card recommendation from a state-licensed physician. In some states, you will have to visit your doctor at their office. In other states, you can receive your med card renewal by visiting your doctor online from the comfort of your home, office, job site, or anywhere with a strong internet connection. Set notifications and reminders. Act on them. By doing so, you can prevent yourself from being in the situation of having an expired medical cannabis card.
Disclaimer: The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained in this article is for informational purposes only. No material from this article is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment before undertaking a new health care regimen. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
