Medical cannabis patients in the state of New York have now been given even more rights. Recently, the state of New York dropped its list of qualifying conditions and allowed medical professionals to recommend cannabis for anything they see fit. To add to this, the state of New York just announced that medical cannabis patients are allowed to grow cannabis at home. The NYS Office of Cannabis Management announced the breaking news on Twitter with a tweet saying, “BREAKING: Medical Home Grow has been approved! Certified medical cannabis patients and designated caregivers in New York will now be able to harvest immature and mature cannabis plants.”
The new home grow laws for medical cannabis patients will allow them to grow up to six cannabis plants at one time. Three can be mature, and three can be immature. This means that three can be in the flowering stage, and three must be in the seedling or vegetative stage. Medical cannabis patients in the state will be allowed to possess up to 5 lbs. of cannabis that is produced from their home cannabis grow. The new law allowing medical cannabis patients to grow their own plants at home goes into effect on October 5th of, 2022.
The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) executive director Chris Alexander was quoted telling the media that the OCM has “prioritized patient access in this program,” and that “it’s going to continue to be a priority.” Mr. Alexander went on to tell the media, “I’m just really excited that we’re able to provide this more affordable option to patients to get access to that medicine.”
Green Can Cost Lots of Green
Purchasing cannabis can be very expensive, as anyone who consumes it knows. According to one dispensary in New York, the average patient spends between $80 and $100 on their first visit. Some products can range as much as $350, such as an ounce of premium cannabis flower. The amount of money a consumer spends on their cannabis greatly depends upon two factors. One is how much cannabis they consume, and the other is what they’re paying for it. When purchasing cannabis, consumers have options. Budget weed, mid-grade, and top shelf. Budget weed is trim shake and, for the most part low, quality cannabis. Mid-grade is much more appealing, offering enhanced flavor and potency. The top shelf is the most potent and flavorful of it all. This is cannabis that has been cultivated, harvested, and cured to perfection.
So, as you can imagine, the type of cannabis you buy and the frequency at which you buy it can begin to add up. A quarter a week or 7 g of cannabis each week will average you between $50 on the low end and upwards of $100 or more on the high end. Assuming you consume a quarter sack each week, you will need 52 quarters to get you through a year. On a low end, that’s $2,600 a year, and on a high end, that’s $5,200 a year.
In comparison, growing cannabis at home, you can easily average 2 oz per plant. This means you could harvest 6 oz or more from three plants. Those 6 oz contain 24 quarters. This can be produced in four months’ time, equaling up to three harvests per year. That totals 72 quarters per year, enough for you to supply yourself with more than a quarter bag each week. The initial cost of setting up your grow will pay for itself within the first few successful grows. Full spectrum LED lighting offers home growers energy-efficient options for cultivating cannabis at home. These energy-efficient lights have low energy consumption and heat output making them an excellent choice for indoor grows and small areas such as closets, grow tents, or small rooms.
The more you grow, the more you know. This means the more grows that you successfully complete, the better your knowledge of cultivating quality cannabis will become. You will learn tips and tricks to increase yield, potency, and flavor, all the while producing superb quality cannabis for a fraction of the price of purchasing it from licensed cannabis dispensaries.
Save Green on Your Green By Growing Your Own at Home
If you spend $600 on your first grow setup and successfully produce 6 oz of cannabis, you’re already saving a lot of money as a medical cannabis patient. Before you know it, you’re gross setup has paid for itself, and you’re spending less than $25 a quarter to grow quality cannabis at home. Some people work the science down to spending as little as 50 cents per gram on growing at home. This means a quarter bag would cost them around $3.50 to produce. The total cost you spend will depend on the quality of your grow setups, such as the tent, lighting, nutrients, and other factors involved in cultivating cannabis at home. One thing that is for sure, is medical cannabis patients in the state of New York that choose to grow their own medical cannabis at home can absolutely save money while producing incredibly high-quality cannabis.
If you have never grown cannabis before, don’t be intimidated. There are a lot of different methods and techniques for cannabis cultivation. The best thing you can do is get your hands dirty and start your own grow. There are countless forums and groups across social media where you can find everyone’s input about your cannabis grow. The great thing about being a legal cannabis patient in a state like New York is you have the freedom to post pictures of your grow and ask questions openly without the fear of prosecution.
Growing cannabis at home isn’t for everyone. Not everybody has a green thumb, the space, time, or desire to learn. There is still great news for these folks. Regulators in the state of New York approved 10 more cannabis processor licenses bringing the total to 25 licenses being approved in the last 30 days. This means more growers producing products helping to create competition in the newly budding cannabis industry across New York. Regulators predict that taxes collected from cannabis across the state will generate over $1.25 billion dollars between 2022 and 2028.
If you live in the state of New York, becoming a medical cannabis patient is easier than it’s ever been. All you have to do is make an appointment with a state-certified MMJ doctor to receive your medical cannabis recommendation. After you receive your recommendation, you submit your application to the state to become a certified medical cannabis patient. Medical cannabis patients are finding relief from conditions such as stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, chronic pain, and much more. Are you ready to become a medical cannabis patient in the state of New York?
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 another qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment before undertaking a new healthcare regimen. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
