Cannabis consumers rejoiced at the passage of Proposition 64, which legally allows you to use and buy recreational marijuana in California. However, those with medical marijuana recommendations in 2018 still have a clear advantage in terms of purchasing options, pricing, and overall convenience.
Basically, a cannabis card in 2018 broadens your choices as a medical cannabis patient and reduces legal restrictions.
California Medical Cannabis Laws
In 1996 Proposition 215 permitted doctors to recommend cannabis to California residents with one or more legitimate qualifying conditions. These patients are legally allowed to buy, consume, possess, and/or cultivate cannabis for their own medicinal use.
Twenty years later in 2016, Proposition 64 now allows limited recreational cannabis use, possession, and cultivation. But it’s not without its restrictions.
This is great news for medical and recreational consumers alike. Both cannabis industries are experiencing a rapid economic growth spurt that’s only expected to thrive.
Benefits of Medical Cannabis Recommendations in 2018
Here are ten great reasons why you still need a medical cannabis card in 2018.
1. Recreational cannabis is scheduled to be available no sooner than January 2018. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll actually be available in January. Licensing will likely take several months or longer. Until then, medical cannabis dispensaries are your only bet.
2. Even if they do sprout, each city and county has their own jurisdiction to decide whether or not to allow recreational cannabis sales. That’ll force you to find and drive to the closest rec shop that can accommodate. Plus the product selection and quality won’t be as vast as medicinal marijuana products.
3. Medical cannabis patients don’t have to pay recreational sales taxes, which can be as high as 45%.
4. While recreational cannabis use isn’t legally allowed in public, medicinal cannabis card holders can use MMJ products where legal on-site consumption is permitted.
5. Medical cannabis patients can grow as much marijuana they need in a 100 square feet, while recreational consumers can only have up to six plants. Should you require more, ask about a cultivation license in California.
6. As a patient you can use as much cannabis necessary to ease your condition(s) and possess up to eight ounces at a time. For recreational users, the possession limit is only one ounce of flower or eight grams of concentrates.
7. The legal age restriction is relaxed for medical cannabis consumers, just 18 years old. Recreational users have to wait three more years until they’re at least 21 years of age.
8. MMJ card holders have access to a convenient medical cannabis delivery service that’ll bring MMJ products to your door in an hour or less.
9. Card holders who live with children aren’t at risk of being convicted of child endangerment for using medicinal cannabis. This is especially important during custody battles.
10. Medicinal cannabis card holders with previous marijuana-related convictions can petition to have those charges dropped.
