FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

DO I QUALIFY FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA?

Under the California Compassionate Use Act of 1996 (Section 11362.5 of the Health and Safety Code) Californians have the right to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes where that medical use is deemed appropriate and has been recommended by a physician who has determined that the person’s health would benefit from the use of marijuana in treatment of, but not limited to:

• Anorexia

• Anxiety

• Arthritis

• Cancer

• Chronic pain

• Depression

• Glaucoma

• HIV / AIDS

• Migraines

• Muscle Spasms

• Seizures

• Spasticity

• Severe Nausea

• Any debilitating illness where the medical use of marijuana has been recommended by a physician or any other illness for which marijuana provides relief.

WHAT ARE THE AGE LIMITS TO QUALIFY?

18 OR OLDER:

• Patients may qualify for the use of medical marijuana under the recommendation of a licensed medical health professional.

MINORS (Under 18):

• Minors may be evaluated with permission from / accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or primary caregiver.

• Patients under 18 may qualify for the use of medical marijuana under the recommendation of a licensed medical health professional.

CAREGIVERS:

• A parent, guardian or person 21 or older authorized by the patient’s parent or guardian.

PRIMARY CAREGIVERS:

• Must be at least 18 years of age, unless the primary caregiver is an emancipated minor or the parent of a minor child who is a qualified patient. 

• A person who is consistently responsible for the housing, health, or safety of a qualified patient. 

• Individual may be the owner, operator or employee of an appropriately licensed clinic, facility, hospice, or home health agency. 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A MEDICAL MARIJUANA RECOMMENDATION?

• LARGER POSSESSION & CULTIVATION LIMITS:

  • Patients (and caregivers) can carry up to 8oz of flower or concentrate, as opposed to recreational users who are limited to 1 oz.

  • Registered patients (and their caregivers) may possess / grow up to 6 mature or 12 immature plants.

• TAX DEDUCTIONS:

  • In California, medical marijuana users pay less tax than recreational users. When buying marijuana, medical marijuana patients can save up to 25% on taxes.

  • Patients who use cannabis for medical purposes pay only the excise tax plus a municipal cannabis company tax for a total tax rate on cannabis that ranges from 15% to 19.75%, as opposed to recreational users who pay retail and excise taxes ranging from 27.5% to 40.75% depending on the municipality.

  • Local taxes on the cannabis industry can vary from 5 to 15%, but some dispensaries will pay this tax on behalf of their MMJ clients. Ask your local dispensary for clarification on their practices.

• EXCESS DISPENSARY ACCESS:

  Patients who use medical cannabis also have access to goods in dispensaries with a higher percentage of THC, therefore you have exclusive access to a wider range of products that may be medical only. Visit www.leafly.com to search for a list of dispensaries in your area.

AS A MEDICAL PATIENT HOW MUCH CAN I LEGALLY CARRY?

• POSSESSION:

  Patients can carry up to 8oz of dried marijuana or concentrate, as opposed to recreational users which can only have up to 1oz of dried flower and 8 g of concentrate - with the exception of patients who possess a Grower's Exemption Form. See below for more info.

• CULTIVATION:

  Registered patients (and their caregivers) can possess up to six mature or 12 immature plants and eight ounces of dried cannabis - with the exception of users who possess a growers exemption letter.

GROWERS EXEMPTION FORM:

Patients who require access to a larger quantity of medical marijuana due to their medical condition can apply for a Grower's Exemption form. Inform your doctor that you will need this certificate during your evaluation. Once approved, you will receive this letter along with your regular MMJ certificate upon checkout. Read below for additional information:

• Patient cannot possess a Growers Exemption form without first being approved for the regular MMJ certificate. Physician must match on both letters of certification.

• Growers Exemption can be acquired after initial approval of MMJ, but is only applicable in conjunction with your MMJ certificates dates of validity.

• Must be Renewed after 1 year of approval.

• Allows cultivators to grow up to 99 plants at once.

WHEN TRAVELING:

CAN I USE MY CALIFORNIA MEDICAL MARIJUANA RECOMMENDATION OUT OF STATE?

Your recommendation can be used out of CA depending on the laws specific to whichever state you are traveling to. Always be sure to check the laws, limits and regulations ahead of time before traveling out of state.

Check here for a full state by state list of rules and regulations.

• CAN I FLY WITH MEDICAL MARIJUANA PRODUCTS WITHIN CALIFORNIA?

  If you are a Medical Marijuana patient, the TSA has officially stated that medical marijuana products which contain no more than 0.3 percent THC on a dry weight basis or that are approved by FDA are permitted in both carry-on and checked bags.

• WHEN FLYING OUT OF STATE DO THE SAME RULES APPLY?

  The LAX Marijuana policy clearly states APD officers (who are California Peace Officers) have no jurisdiction to arrest individuals if they are complying with state law. However, airport guests should be aware that Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening stations are under federal jurisdiction. Also, passengers should be aware that marijuana laws vary state by state and they are encouraged to check the laws of the states in which they plan to travel.

• HOW ABOUT OUT OF THE COUNTRY?

  No. Under federal law, you cannot take any form of cannabis on an international flight.

DO I NEED THE STATE ID CARD / HAVE TO REGISTER WITH THE STATE?

No you do not. Participation by patients and primary caregivers in the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) Medical Marijuana Identification Card Program (MMICP) is not mandatory. If you would still like to register with the state there are still steps you will need take. Additional information is as follows:

• A written recommendation from a physician (such as ours) is mandatory to prove that a patient is qualified for medical marijuana.

• You will need to fill out the CDHP’s Application/Renewal Form which is available in our office for an additional fee of $10. Upon request it will be provided signed and approved with your Medical Marijuana Recommendation upon approval by the doctor at checkout.

• You must reside in the California county where the application is submitted. When submitting with your local California Department of Public Health office you must provide your MMJ recommendation along with your MMICP application, identification, and any other mandatory documentation.

• Once you have your current documentation gathered, please contact the health department​ in your county​ of residence to make an appointment. You can check here for a list of county health departments and their contact information.