As of right now, there are over 30 states in the United States that have legalized the medical use of marijuana through a process of applying for and obtaining a medical marijuana card. While there is a lot of discrepancy from state to state on what types of conditions qualify for using medical marijuana, it is nice that more and more people are able to turn to cannabis as a treatment option for their chronic diseases or pain.
Some people who are lucky enough to live in a state that has legalized medical marijuana will know how great it is to be able to take advantage of these programs. However, it is widely known that the process for obtaining and renewing a medical marijuana card is extremely strenuous and full of bureaucracy.
To get your own medical card, you have to jump through hoops and meet with doctors and fill out forms, and it can be a really stressful time for people who are already dealing with a lot physically and mentally. Not only that, but you have to meet with your doctor or primary care physician everytime that you want to renew your medical marijuana card, and this can get old really quickly.
Some states are getting to the point where they are legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes, meaning that anyone over the age of 21 can legally buy and use marijuana within the state's guidelines. So what does that mean for people who have previously been relying on their medical marijuana card to get cannabis? Should they just throw the card out the window? Well, there actually may be some good reasons for you to hang on to your medical marijuana card, even after recreational cannabis has been legalized in your state.
One important aspect of the medical marijuana industry is that medical dispensaries are considered an essential service. This means that in the face of some unforeseen that shuts down a lot of businesses and services, essentially businesses like medical dispensaries will remain open. However, cannabis dispensaries that are not licensed to distribute medical marijuana are not considered essential. This means that if we ever have to shut down again, you will have a tough time finding a place to buy cannabis if everything is shut down.
Keeping your medical marijuana card ensures that you can always turn to the medical dispensaries to get your monthly allotment of cannabis. If you do not have your medical card but are in great need of marijauna, you may be out of luck. If you rely on cannabis to help with chronic pain and other health conditions, it may be important for you to have that assurance of a medical dispensary at all times.
Another reason for why you should hang on to your medical marijuana card comes in the form of taxes. There are now 14 states that have legalized recreational cannabis, which is the legalization of adults over the age of 21 to use and buy marijuana. However, numerous government programs have been put into place to collect tax revenue from the marijuana industry.
However, some states do not have a tax put on medical marijuana if recreational marijuana is also legal. Instead, the tax money from the recreational cannabis industry is also paying for the medical marijuana industry. This means that you can potentially pay a lot less in taxes (or nothing at all) when buying medical marijuana from a medical dispensary instead of from a recreational one. This could potentially save you a lot of money in the long run, so I highly recommend hanging onto that medical marijuana card!
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