THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA IDENTIFICATION CARD PROGRAM BENEFITS (MMICP)

California Medical Cannabis Info

Are you considering getting a medical cannabis card?

We know it seems confusing. Here are some facts to consider when deciding whether a cannabis card is necessary:

Recreational Rules

Since recreational cannabis legalization in California in 2018, adults 21 years or older have access to cannabis without a medical recommendation or a cannabis card. Current California regulations limit recreational purchases to a daily limit of; one ounce of cannabis, 8 grams of concentrate, and six immature plants. These purchases would also include sales tax, excise tax, and any other cannabis taxes levied by their respective county or city.

Medical Rules

California DPH Card Issuances

Medical cannabis cards issued by California Department of Public Health (DPH) will allow patients 18 years and older to purchase up to 8 ounces of cannabis and 12 plants daily. These purchases are exempt from CA SALES TAX but are NOT exempt from any other taxes (excise and city/county).

The DPH card costs $100 for most patients, $50 for patients on MediCal or Medicare, and in and in some counties the card is free to indigent patients. Here is a link for more information on this program.

Medical Rules

Verified Doctors & Other Card Issuances

Unlike recreational, card-carrying medical cannabis patients may be 18 years and older. Verified doctors’ recommendations and medical cannabis cards will allow those patients 18 years and older to purchase up to 8 ounces of cannabis and 12 plants daily. These purchases, however, will not exempt them from any tax.

If you are using cannabis medically, do the math and figure out if the amount of tax that you’re spending in a year outweighs the cost of a medical cannabis card and how much you need to purchase at any one given time to manage your health. This will help determine whether the card will be useful or not..

More questions? Email us at info@apothecarium.com

So how do you get an MMICP card?

They are issued by the county health department where you reside. Here’s what you need to do to get one:

Fill out this application
Bring the application, a medical recommendation from your Primary Care Physician, and a government-issued ID with your current address to your county’s department of health.
San Francisco residents can bring their paperwork to 101 Grove St. office #105, Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 1-4pm. The standard fee for SF residents is $100, for those on Medi-Cal or MediCare the fee is $50. More details on their website.
Live outside of SF? Here’s a list of county health departments. Contact them for more information.