Summary
It is extremely simple to obtain a Maine Medical Marijuana Card – Dr. Weedy. Simply read the information below, verify your eligibility, and begin the online application process. Apply right away!
State program supported on
November 2, 1999
Application Online
No
Requirement of MD Evaluation
Yes
Validity of Cards
12 Months
Registration Fee of Patient
$0
Phone
(207) 287-3282
Official Government Website:
Maine.gov
Fee Range for consultation
$49-$200
Important Purchasing Limits
Every 14 days, a maximum of 2.5 ounces of marijuana flowers; HARVESTED MARIJUANA, 8 pounds.
Cultivation At home
Yes
Minimum Age Limit
18 years of age
History Of Legalization Of Medical Marijuana
The legalization of marijuana has had a long and colorful history in Maine. After Massachusetts, it was the second state to outlaw the drug in 1913. Maine was ahead of the curve for almost 25 years. In the end, cannabis was outlawed throughout the country under the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937.
Maine became the third state to decriminalize small-scale cannabis possession in 1976. The “Maine Medical Marijuana for Specific Illnesses” statute (also known as Question 2) was then approved by 62% of the state in 1999. With a qualifying condition diagnosis, it made cannabis legal for medical use.
Obtaining an ME medical card used to be a difficult process. However, the state recently made changes that made the process faster and simpler than ever. Indeed, approval can now be obtained online within minutes. Learn everything you need to understand about getting a medical marijuana card in Maine in this guide.
Maine Clinical Weed/Marijuana Regulations
When it comes to adult-use cannabis possession restrictions, the state of Maine ranks among the best in the nation. Adults over 21 can now legally possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana. After this point, if you have more than 2.5 ounces but less than eight ounces, you can spend up to six months in prison.
If you are found with more than a pound of marijuana, you could face serious jail time. A five-year prison sentence could be handed down if you are found guilty of this crime.
In the meantime, selling any quantity of cannabis without a license could land you in jail for a year. Adults are permitted to cultivate no more than three plants, but anyone caught cultivating four or more faces up to a year in prison.
When recreational marijuana is readily available, you might wonder why medical marijuana should be legalized. After all, there is no higher possession limit permitted by Maine medical marijuana laws.
At least, many people believe that. In fact, patients taking MMJ can only consume 2.5 ounces of prepared marijuana. They can, however, have up to eight pounds of cannabis harvested. Additionally, recreational marijuana users in Maine can grow twice as many mature plants as medical marijuana patients. A caregiver can also cultivate significantly more plants, as we’ll see in a moment.
People can use MMJ over the age of 18, but recreational users must wait another three years. At last, you can utilize your Maine MMJ card to buy marijuana in states with correspondence programs. Here is how to get a medical marijuana card in Maine now that you know some of its benefits.
How to Apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in Maine
Fortunately, applying for an MMJ card in Maine requires only a few steps and the right documentation and certification.
Step 1: Contact a ME Healthcare Professional and Set Up a Consultation
You receive a state-issued valid card in other MMJ programs. In Maine, this is not the case. All things being equal, your doctor is no doubt answerable for assessing and inspecting your clinical records. Additionally, they determine your eligibility.
The following are the only things you need to bring to the doctor’s office for your initial MMJ consultation:
Evidence of residence in Maine
The majority of individuals use a valid Maine driver’s license.
A legal method of payment
This is for the consultation fee with the doctor. Most Maine marijuana doctors accept major credit and debit cards. However, prior to the visit, many will require payment.
Documents from your medical history
You are required to bring copies of your medical records indicating that one of the valid qualifying conditions has been diagnosed. If you don’t, the MMJ doctor probably won’t give you a certification that same day. Their office will give you a Medical Release Form, and they will also help you get your records from previous doctors’ offices. **
**All healthcare providers are required by a 2004 federal law to provide patients with a copy of their medical records within 15 days of a formal request. What happens if the office says something different or won’t release the documents? If that is the case, you can let them know that you will report them to the Maine Medical Board by telling them and writing it down. You are not required to justify your request for a copy of the records.
Step 2: Create an account with the Maine State Government
Your doctor then enters their Access Code and License Number into the Medical Marijuana Certifications Online Services to create an account. Finally, they issue a certification for medical marijuana. This may occur within hours of your initial consultation on occasion.
However, you shouldn’t expect every physician in Maine to issue you with certification. Even though the law says marijuana can be used for recreational purposes, not all doctors think it’s a good idea. Many MMJ doctors in Maine are happy to consult with you if your primary care physician is against cannabis.
Step 3: Visit a Marijuana Store or Dispensary
The “Tamper Proof” MMJ Certificate will be printed by the physician’s office once you are determined to be a qualified patient. Cannabis can now be purchased legally from a licensed dispensary in the state.
Your doctor will ask you how you want to get your medication. There are three choices:
- Utilize a designated caregiver
- Grow your marijuana
- Purchase it from a licensed dispensary
In ME, who is eligible to apply for a medical marijuana card?
You must be at least 18 years old, a resident of Maine, or a Visiting Qualifying Patient with a qualifying condition to apply for a medical marijuana card in ME. Out-of-state candidates should have their Vault ID Card from their home express, a personal ID, a certificate from their home state, and a duplicate of the meeting qualifying supplier certificate got in Maine to get MMJ.
ME MMJ Card Prices
The MMJ card does not cost anything, but this does not mean that the ME medical marijuana card is free of charge. A consultation with a doctor should cost you between $100 and $200.
ME MMJ Card Qualifying Conditions
A diagnosis from a licensed Maine medical professional is required for each qualifying condition. You should likewise give documentation of the conclusion in your clinical records. The following conditions are included on the current ME medical marijuana card qualifying list:
- PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
- ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease)
- Alzheimer’s disease, cachexia (wasting syndrome)
- Cancer
- Crohn’s disease
- Glaucoma
- Hepatitis C (active form)
- HIV
- seizure disorders
- severe muscle spasms (including MS)
- severe nausea
These are the only conditions that can be interpreted as chronic pain. In that capacity, patients “faking” the disease is a risk. Maine responds to this by establishing a procedure for diagnosing chronic pain. It states that documented pain that “has not responded to conventional therapy” for more than six months is the definition of the condition.
How much time does it require to get a ME medical marijuana card?
After scheduling a consultation and receiving approval from a doctor, you will receive a valid written certification that a medical professional must sign on tamper-proof paper. The Office of Cannabis Policy provides this specialized paper to physicians without charge. The provider ought to send you the certificate by mail within seven to ten days if you complete an online consultation.
How Do I Renew My Medical Card in Maine?
The validity of your Maine MMJ card is one year from the date of issue. At least 30 days before the card’s expiration date, you (or a caregiver for you) must get in touch with the doctor who issued it to request a new one. If you renew on time, there is no fee in Maine; however, you must pay for a further consultation.
To show that you are still eligible, you must return to the physician or nurse practitioner with your medical records. Your primary caregiver pays a $10 renewal fee. The annual visit to the doctor will be the same price as the initial fee.
Additional Information Regarding the ME Medical Marijuana License Process
The MMJ program in Maine is not always simple. The following is important information for applicants.
What Sorts of Cannabis Can I Purchase in ME? Medical marijuana card in Maine
In Maine, you can purchase a wide range of goods once you have an MMJ card. Marijuana flowers, edibles, concentrates, pre-rolls, cartridges, topicals, and other products are all available for purchase.
How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Maine
Online services like leaf well make getting your MMJ Card online quick and easy. In fact, you don’t need to leave your house to get it. It only requires a few minutes to register online, and you should be able to speak with a doctor almost immediately. The certificate will be sent to you in the mail if they decide you qualify for an MMJ card. After that, any marijuana dispensary in Maine is open to you.
Can my child be registered for medical marijuana in Maine?
In Maine, applicants under the age of 17 are qualified to apply for an MMJ card. In any case, such patients need the assent of a parent or legitimate watchman to continue, and this capable grown-up must likewise go about as the minor’s guardian.
Where Could I, at any point, Buy an MMJ in Maine?
Eight medical marijuana dispensaries provided services to various regions of the state before the state’s recreational cannabis legalization. Dutzendes of MMJ and recreational dispensaries are currently open, and many more are likely to open soon. In any case, a large portion of them sell grown-up utilized weed.
Until the Office of Marijuana Policy finally opened the application process for new medical marijuana dispensaries in 2021, the limit of eight MMJ dispensaries was in effect. Since three of the original eight businesses had switched to the adult-use program at that point, there was a dire need for new MMJ dispensaries in Maine.
At the beginning of the program, a dispensary could only be accessed by the patient and their primary caregiver. However, anyone over the age of 21 can enter now that recreational cannabis is legal. A parent or legal guardian must accompany a minor to a dispensary during their initial intake appointment. The majority of Maine dispensaries have price structures that aim to make marijuana accessible to all patients.
Kindly note that MMJ and grown-up use Maryjane can’t be bought from a similar dispensary. MMJ dispensaries and caregiver retail stores can only sell cannabis products to patients with valid MMJ cards unless the business has changed its license or established a separate retail location.
How much marijuana can I purchase and possess?
You can buy up to 2.5 ounces of prepared dry cannabis flower every 14 days, based on your doctor’s advice. Additionally, you can have up to eight pounds of marijuana in your possession. Last but not least, the maximum amount of cannabis concentrate that can be owned is five grams.
Can a medical marijuana card be used to grow marijuana in Maine?
Yes, you are allowed to grow up to six cannabis plants in your own home. In the event that you lease, talk with your property manager prior to endeavoring to develop. Additionally, caregivers can cultivate a great deal more plants on behalf of a patient.
Where Can I Put My MMJ to Use?
It is against the law to use marijuana in public places. Therefore, you must consume weed only on private property for recreational or therapeutic purposes.
Does Maine accept medical marijuana cards from other states?
Yes. Patients from other states can use the Maine MMJ program if they have a valid certificate from their home state. Additionally, they must have a valid ID.
What are the rules for caregivers?
A person who is authorized to cultivate medical marijuana and supply it to qualified medical patients is known as a registered caregiver. A caregiver can now serve as many MMJ patients as they want.
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services requires registration from each and every patient. Patients receive individualized guidance and assistance from caregivers. In Maine, caregivers can only be people over the age of 21 who haven’t been convicted of a drug offense that makes them ineligible.
Marijuana can be owned and grown by a licensed Maine caregiver on your behalf. This is the case as long as they are registered with the state and have a valid identification card.
Besides, not at all like many states, Maine permits you to have a second essential guardian under the accompanying conditions:
- The primary caregiver is the patient’s parent or legal guardian, and the patient is a qualifying minor (under 18).
- When an adult patient becomes incapacitated, the patient’s healthcare power of attorney or legal guardian becomes the primary caregiver.
- A hospice or nursing home has the patient registered.
A maximum of 2.5 ounces of marijuana may be in possession of primary caregivers. In addition, they can cultivate an unlimited number of seedlings, 60 immature cannabis plants, and up to 30 mature plants.
A $31 fee is required to conduct a criminal background check for caregivers who cultivate. The maximum number of plants can be grown for $1,231 per year, including the $31 background check fee and the $1,200 plant cultivation fee.
In Maine, caregivers can sell or buy MMJ plants from other caregivers. Also, as an MMJ patient, you can give up to 2.5 ounces to another MMJ patient if they don’t already have any.
What if I misplace my Maine medical card?
If you lose or need a new card for any reason, it will cost you $25.
When was medical marijuana made legal in Maine?
One of the pioneer states in the United States to establish a medical marijuana program was Maine. On November 2, 1999, 62% of electors said “OK” to Address 2, legitimizing weed in the state. In 1976, Maine became the third state in the United States to legalize and accept the possession of a small quantity of marijuana. This was a long time ago.
In 2009, LD 250 guaranteed that the ownership of up to 2.5 ounces was a common infraction. Finally, in 2016, 50.26 percent of voters in Maine approved Question 1, which would have made recreational marijuana legal. However, four years later, sales did not officially begin until October 2020.
How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Portland
Many doctors are willing to issue certification, making obtaining an MMJ card in Portland simple. Find a city-based dispensary specializing in medical marijuana once you have your MMJ card.
MMJ Cards for Veterans in ME
PTSD and chronic pain are two conditions that must be met to obtain MMJ in Maine. Check to see if any clinics offer discounts on consultations for military personnel.
