Maine voters approved the legalization of recreational marijuana in 2016, but the program still hasn’t launched four years later. If you have a legitimate medical need for marijuana and you’ve been avoiding becoming a patient because “recreational sales are on the way,” you should probably still opt for that medical card. Recent developments indicate that recreational sales are still a long way off.
Why a Maine Medical Marijuana Card Is Still Essential
Last June, Maine adopted a set of official rules for recreational businesses. Then, earlier this year, the state issued its first conditional licenses. Though these developments showed great promise, there are still no recreational retailers in the state. The goal was to get the program underway this spring, but then COVID-19 happened. Suddenly, businesses in the state were halted, new licenses were put on hold, and the economy took a dive.
And now, to make matters even more complicated, there are multiple lawsuits making their way through the courts—all because of the state’s complicated residency requirements. Initially, businesses had to be owned and maintained by Maine residents. This rule was ultimately dropped, but businesses are now suing the state to have it reinstated. This is likely to postpone recreational options even longer.
If you suffer from a medical condition that may benefit from marijuana treatment, it’s no longer prudent to sit around waiting for recreational dispensaries. We just don’t know when they’ll be available. By opting for a medical marijuana certification, you can start accessing treatment right now.
Recreational availability aside, there are additional benefits to becoming a medical marijuana patient. Medical patients can be under 21 years of age whereas recreational sales are restricted to buyers 21 and over. Medical marijuana patients aren’t subject to the agricultural tax required of recreational customers. And when recreational dispensaries do open, medical customers will have access to the greatest selection, as they’ll be able to purchase from both medical and adult-use dispensaries.
How to Get a Maine Medical Marijuana Card
To obtain a Maine medical marijuana card, the first step is to schedule an appointment with a state-licensed physician. You can visit a physician in person at a clinic, or you can apply to receive your Maine medical marijuana card online.
Because Maine allows telemedicine evaluations, it’s easy to speak with a doctor from home using your computer or mobile device. Just come prepared with your medical records, as you’ll need an official diagnosis of a condition that would benefit from medical marijuana. Maine no longer maintains an official list of qualifying conditions, but common conditions include cancer, HIV/AIDS, epilepsy/seizures, chronic pain, persistent muscle spasms, glaucoma, and intractable headaches.
If the physician approves your recommendation, they’ll register you with the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Program and issue your official tamper-proof certification. In many cases, the whole process can be completed in a single day.
You can schedule your appointment through Green Health Docs. We’ll connect you with a state-licensed physician who provides telemedicine evaluations, and we’ll help you to obtain your Maine medical marijuana card. If our physicians can’t certify you, you get your money back.
Get started today if you have a medical need, and stop waiting in vain for recreational sales.
Leave a Reply