Maryland is one of 29 states that have legalized medical marijuana. However, obtaining it is not as simple as getting a prescription from your doctor and going to a pharmacy or your neighborhood pot dealer. And, unlike some states, Maryland doesn’t allow you to grow your own for medical or other purposes. You must purchase your medical marijuana from a state-licensed dispensary. And you’ll have a few legal hoops to jump through first.
Registration and ID Card
Before you can get your “prescription” from a doctor, you have to register with the Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC). When you register, you’ll get a patient number. Then you go have to go to a doctor who is also registered with the MMCC. Your doctor will need your patient ID number. Your doctor then issues your certification for medical cannabis. Technically, it’s referred to as “certification” not a “prescription”.
Once you get your certification from the doctor, you can take that and any government issued ID, such as your driver’s license, to a dispensary and legally purchase your medical marijuana. However, obtaining an ID card from MMCD is highly recommended. It costs $50 but gives you the legal protection you need if you get “caught” with your doctor-certified marijuana product.
Qualifying Medical Conditions
In Maryland, only certain medical conditions qualify for legal medical marijuana use. Those include:
- Anorexia
- Cachexia
- Wasting syndrome
- Severe or chronic pain
- Severe nausea
- Seizures
- Severe or persistent muscle spasms
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Diseases and conditions that are chronic or debilitating to the point that you are admitted to hospice or receiving palliative care
If you are considering medical marijuana, please learn more about medical marijuana laws in Maryland.
