Before obtaining a medical marijuana card, patients must first receive a certification from a doctor. The physician must state that the patient may benefit from the use of cannabis to treat a debilitating condition.
In addition to having higher purchase limits, medical users receive priority regarding customer service and product availability.
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Adults 18 years and older
Although recreational marijuana requires a valid state ID to purchase, you can obtain a medical marijuanas card in CT, at the age of 18. If you are a minor, you can designate a caregiver to apply. Once you have a card, you can grow your marijuana plants or purchase it from dispensaries. It also allows you to travel to other states that have reciprocity agreements.
Participants were randomly assigned to the immediate card acquisition group (which received a medical marijuana card before their baseline visit) or a delayed card acquisition group, which was told they could only receive a card after completing the study (12 weeks after randomization). Sociodemographic information, medical history, and psychiatric diagnoses were collected at screening and screening and follow-up visits. Marijuana use, quantity, and frequency; sleep quality; depression, anxiety, and pain symptoms were assessed daily in smartphone diaries. Participants continued their ongoing medical or psychiatric care throughout the trial.
Results showed that MM cardholders across all health condition groups used more marijuana and reported more problematic and risky use than those without cards. However, MM card holders did not report more significant depressive, anxiety, or pain symptoms than the no-card group. This finding suggests that obtaining an MM card may not protect against CUD, especially when young adults have no apparent motive for getting a card.
Minors
In states where medical marijuana is legalized, minors can participate in the program with the consent of a parent or legal guardian. In addition, they are required to register a caregiver on their behalf. The caregiver can purchase, grow, and administer the medication to the patient. In addition, the caregiver must be at least 21 years old and have a valid state driver’s license or identification card.
While prior studies have broadly compared those who use MM for medical purposes and recreational users, this study is the first to examine how young people’s symptom functioning varies within and between groups based on endorsement of conditions. Moreover, this study is the first to assess whether MM card holders report more problematic use than those who do not have an MM card.
The results showed that MM card holders endorse significantly more symptoms in both the physical health and behavioral health domains than those who do not have an MM card. In contrast, the MM group does not report more depressive symptoms or sleep problems than non-cardholders, and there are no significant differences between the groups in terms of their frequency of use. These findings suggest that it may be helpful for a physician to probe why a patient is obtaining an MM card and to determine if they are experiencing problematic use.
Patients with a medical condition
Many people who use cannabis for medical reasons find that it alleviates their symptoms, such as pain, nausea, anxiety, and depression. In addition, marijuana is often used as an alternative to opioids in reducing chronic pain after surgery. It is also safer and less addictive than opiate drugs and does not cause the side effects that are associated with NSAIDs, such as kidney problems and ulcers.
This single-blind, pragmatic RCT enrolled patients from clinical sites who sought cannabis products to improve insomnia, pain, and anxiety or depressive symptoms. They were randomly assigned to obtain a card immediately or wait 12 weeks. Both groups were allowed to choose the cannabis products and doses they preferred. However, a physician’s recommendation was needed for them to purchase the product. This restriction ensured the trial could be evaluated within a real-world system for physician recommendation, product regulation, and distribution.
The study found that individuals with MM cards developed more quickly than those without. Still, they did not experience more significant symptoms in all domains tested, including psychiatric and physical health. It suggests that the motive for using cannabis may not protect against CUD, but it does influence the amount of cannabis consumed. Those who reported multiple conditions used more cannabis than those with a single condition, but the difference was not statistically significant.
Taxes
Medical marijuana is a legitimate medicine that has been proven to treat a wide variety of conditions. However, some people worry about hefty taxes on the drug. Fortunately, a marijuana card is an excellent way to cut out these expenses. The cards also protect in case of legal trouble, as a physician’s stamp of approval backs them.
Having a cannabis card allows you to take advantage of tax breaks on your medicinal purchases. This is especially useful if you use health flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, or employer-sponsored reimbursement arrangements (HRAs). These accounts allow you to pay for qualifying medical expenses with pretax dollars. However, you must ensure the medical cost is related to your symptoms.
Another benefit of a cannabis card is priority access to medical marijuana. When the market experiences a shortage, medical users are usually given priority at dispensaries. This is one reason why getting a medical card as soon as possible is essential.
