It is a common misconception that you must get a cannabis card in Sacramento in order to legally buy marijuana nearby.

Because both medical and recreational types are legal for purchase, a card isn’t required, however, there are some major benefits associated with having one. Let’s take a closer look at what a medical cannabis card is, what business owners should know about medicinal cannabis, the advantages of having a card, and how you can apply to get one. 

What A Cannabis Card Is & Cannabis Prescriptions in Sacramento 

Thanks to the passing of the Compassionate Use Act (Proposition 215) by voters in the state of California in 1996, patients have been able to legally obtain a cannabis prescription in Sacramento using a medical marijuana card. Marijuana cards are state-issued identification cards that are given to individuals who need cannabis to treat medical issues. To obtain a card, both you (the patient) and your physician must agree that marijuana would be a beneficial and effective form of treatment for your conditions.

Once cannabis has been recommended by a doctor, an application is filled out, and the state of California must then review and approve it. You can then expect to receive your cannabis card in the mail. This card contains the following information:

• Your picture
• Your ID number
• A verification website
• Date of expiration
• The Department of Health’s phone number
• The state in which you can use this card (California, in this instance)

To fill your cannabis prescription in Sacramento, you’ll need your marijuana card present. There are plenty of benefits of having a cannabis card. We’ll get into those a bit later, but first, let’s discuss what cannabis cards mean for business owners.

The Business Implications of Cannabis Cards

If you own a cultivation, retail, processing, or other marijuana supply chain company within California, it’s important that you first understand the legalities and major differences between medical marijuana vs. recreational marijuana. If you’re looking to cater your marijuana business towards medical users who carry an MMIC (Medical Marijuana Identification Card), here are some important things to keep in mind:

Licenses

There are many different types of medical marijuana business licenses available in California. To become authorized to test, sell, process, or grow medical marijuana, you’ll need the license that suits your company best.

Retail

If you already do or are planning on selling recreational cannabis, that doesn’t mean you can’t get involved in the medicinal world. Many dispensaries in California sell both recreational and medical marijuana to consumers. Note that you will need to obtain the appropriate licenses required to distribute medicinal marijuana. You may also want to separate your store into two sections — one side for medical patients, and one for recreational shoppers. Having a more medical-like environment on one side will help assure patients that they are receiving the care, attention, and privacy they deserve.

Also, if you want to run a successful cannabis retail store, your employees should know about all of the legalities surrounding the differing quantity sizes allowed for purchase by recreational or medical consumers.

Quality

Typically, medical marijuana is known to be of better quality than recreational because it has to undergo vigorous testing and has much stricter legal restrictions surrounding it (you can read more about the differences between medical marijuana vs. recreational marijuana here). This ensures that the cannabis is the right strength, quality, and dose to properly treat clients.

With that said, if you want your company to focus on providing high-quality medical weed to processors, distributors, or consumers with an MMIC, your best bet is to make sure that your final product comes from Sacramento cannabis clones that have superior genetics to keep up with medical weed standards. This ensures that you are providing the card-holding crowd with the highest quality medicinal marijuana every time!

For those of you who don’t own a cannabis company, but are curious about why you would want to have a cannabis card, let’s take a closer look at some of the key benefits.

Using high-quality clones can contribute to better medicinal cannabis

Benefits of Having a Marijuana Card in Sacramento

If you are 21 and older, you can walk into any dispensary and purchase the authorized amount of weed, so getting a cannabis card in Sacramento might seem unnecessary. The truth is, though, these cards offer unique benefits—some lesser-known than others!

Here are the key advantages of having a marijuana card for valid, medical reasons:

Age

The laws in California clearly state that you must be 21 and older to buy weed legally for recreational purposes. However, if you are 18+ (and sometimes younger, in certain circumstances) and have a condition that could be treated with cannabis, you can sidestep this law. Once you have a recommendation from a physician, you can apply to get your card (more on that below) and can purchase medicinal marijuana in Sacramento.

Larger Quantities

This benefit is two-fold. Not only does having a marijuana card allow you to buy (or have more weed on hand) than recreational users, you can actually grow more plants too. Patients with MMIC cards can possess up to six mature marijuana plants (or 12 immature ones) and carry around 8 ounces at any time.

Tax & Other Legal Exemptions

Because owning a cannabis card allows you to have access to more marijuana, you’re also legally allowed to retrieve weed that’s been confiscated by law enforcement. Additionally, as a medical patient, you’d be exempt from having to pay sales taxes on weed as it is as a prescription.

Conditions & Availability

Weed can be a beneficial, natural supplement prescribed to relieve afflictions of all kinds, including chronic pain, cancer, or even arthritis. Because the medical marijuana scene in California has a longer history than others, it has become quite accessible. It’s not hard for you to find vendors in Sacramento that have the quality of weed, product, or specific strain you’re looking for to help.

How to Get a Cannabis Card in Sacramento

Now that you’re aware of some of the key benefits, let’s go over what’s required to get a cannabis card in Sacramento and things to consider once you have one.

Applying For A MMIC

If you’d like to get your hands on a Medical Marijuana Identification Card in Sacramento, you’ll need to first apply for one. Whether you’re of legal age (21), a minor, or a caregiver, you can use this checklist to help guide you through the process. Once you’re ready to start, you can find an application packet at the Sacramento County Office of Vital Records.

For a successful application, you’ll need:

• Proof of residency
• Proof of identification
• Written consent from your doctor stating that marijuana would be beneficial for your medical needs
• Your doctor’s contact information
• $100 for the card fee (or less based on your insurance type)

Once you have successfully completed your application, you’ll typically have to wait around 35 days or so to receive your card in the mail.

Pro tip: Make sure you have all of the documents needed to ensure a smooth application process. If anything is missing, you will be contacted and your card could take much longer to be processed because of the delay.

Once you have your MMIC card, you’ll be able to follow your doctor’s advice easily and can start benefiting from the many advantages of medicinal marijuana.

Final Thoughts

Overall, getting a cannabis card in Sacramento is not necessary to purchase, grow, or use marijuana. However, it definitely has its advantages and could really be worth your while if you’re younger than 21, or suffer from any type of illness or pain where marijuana could significantly help.

As a cannabis company in Sacramento, it’s important to understand the differences between medical and recreational marijuana, what that means for your business, and how you can successfully serve patients with a card.

Whether you’ve decided that applying for a cannabis card would be the right decision, or you’re a business owner who wants to help patients find relief with high-quality medicinal cannabis, we wish you luck and success!

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