At this time, recreational marijuana is still prohibited in many states. In the 11 states where it is legal, there are still restrictions on how much a person can possess. But are the rules different for medical marijuana products possession? The answer is yes. There are different regulations for individuals who use medical marijuana (MMJ) to help them treat medical conditions. Here’s what you need to know about how much MMJ product you can legally have at any one time.

What are the MMJ possession laws?

The laws on how much MMJ product you can possess vary greatly from state to state. Generally, MMJ cardholders can grow and possess greater amounts of MMJ product than people using who are using it recreationally. This is because individuals need to have enough product on hand at any given time to treat the symptoms of their health issues. These people also require greater amounts of product because they can find it harder to get to dispensaries in person, and often need a variety of strains or types of products in order to treat their condition.

How many MMJ tinctures can I legally possess?

Cannabis tinctures are alcohol-based marijuana extracts. They’re usually administered by putting a drop under your tongue. You can begin to feel the effects in about 15 to 45 minutes (with a peak high at around 90 minutes). In the states where medical marijuana is legal, there is a range of what is permitted for possession of tinctures or other cannabis concentrates. Some states have no limit (like California), while others have a higher amount you can possess (like 20 ounces in Georgia). In New York, you are allowed to have a 30-day supply of the MMJ products you need. However, the majority of states where medical marijuana is legal have a limit of around 2.5 ounces. Check the law in your state so you know how many MMJ tinctures you can have legally before you purchase anything.

Image by Margo Amala on Unsplash: The amount of MMJ edibles you can possess varies from state to state.

How many MMJ edibles can I legally possess?

The law on MMJ edibles possession also differs from state to state. In states where marijuana usage is illegal, edibles (items like candies, baked goods, etc.) are also still prohibited. However, they are allowed in states who have legalized either recreational or MMJ usage. These limits technically fall under the same amounts as the concentrates listed above. For example, in Oklahoma, you are permitted to have up to 72 ounces of edible products on your person in public. You also have the option of purchasing cannabis oil or making it at home to use in your edibles so that you can stay under the legal limit in your state. Because each state is so different, it’s a good idea to check your specific state’s requirements before you stock up on edibles or before you decide to make them at home.

How many MMJ vape liquids can I legally possess?

Cannabis vape liquids involve heating marijuana flowers or concentrates to a temperature that turns the active compounds into vapor. They can then be smoked in vape pens or vaporizers, which allows you to feel the effects typically within just minutes. As stated above, the amount of MMJ liquid concentrate you can possess at any one time varies by state. Typically, MMJ patients are permitted to have larger amounts of vape liquids because they need it to treat a medical condition.

How can I get an MMJ card?

In order to get an MMJ card and to access its many benefits, you’ll need to have a qualifying medical condition. These can include a large variety of conditions such as:

• Eating disorders (like anorexia)
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Arthritis
• Cachexia (wasting syndrome where a body becomes weakened due to chronic illness)
• Cancer
• Crohn’s disease
• Chronic migraines
• Chronic pain
• Seizures (from epilepsy or other seizure conditions)
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Multiple sclerosis
• Muscle spasms
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Schizophrenia
• Severe nausea

Image by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash: Many physical symptoms can be alleviated through the usage of MMJ products.

If you have a medical condition that causes physical or emotional symptoms that significantly impact your day-to-day life, you could benefit from using MMJ products. In order to see if you will qualify for an MMJ card, you can head to MMJRecs. We’ll connect you virtually with a doctor who can assess your medical history to see if you could benefit from using MMJ products. We can then get you all set up with an MMJ card that you can show when purchasing your MMJ products at dispensaries.

It might take some experimenting when you first start out using MMJ products, because you’ll need to determine which types of products and dosages best help your symptoms and fit your personal preferences. It’s always wise to stay under the legal limit so that you’re not taking more than the recommended dose, and so you won’t have any legal issues if you’re stopped and questioned by law enforcement at any point. To stay on the safe side, do your research on what the legal limits are for each type of MMJ product in your state before you purchase anything. That way you can be sure that you’re staying under the legal limit while still being able to purchase the MMJ products you need to help you feel better.

Featured image by Kimzy Nanney on Unsplash

1. Get your MMJ card

Your first step should be to obtain your own cannabis card. If you don’t know of a doctor who can prescribe medical marijuana to you, head to MMJRecs for either a phone or online consultation with a medical board licenced physician. They’ll determine if you’re a good candidate for MMJ and can help you get your official cannabis card to use to purchase your MMJ products.

2. Locate an MMJ dispensary near you

Once you’ve received your card, you can find an MMJ dispensary near you by using online services like WeedMaps. Sites like this one allow you to search by city for the closest location near you. If you can’t find an MMJ dispensary in your area, there are some businesses that even offer delivery services, so you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your home to stock up on MMJ products.

Staff at your MMJ dispensary should be professional, knowledgeable, and helpful.

3. Check out the staff

A great way to see if an MMJ dispensary is legitimate or not is to evaluate the staff. All employees and the onsite doctor should be knowledgeable, professional, and helpful. If the staff isn’t able to answer your questions about MMJ products, it’s probably not a very reliable dispensary. They should be able to speak about the background of the products as well, including where they came from and how they were grown. The staff’s professionalism can also tell you a lot about how the dispensary is run and if they’re following the proper regulations. This means that the dispensary should always ask for your cannabis card and a photo ID. The staff should also be able to help you become educated about products you’re trying out (including giving you reading material so you’re well-informed).

4. Make sure you like the atmosphere

A proper MMJ dispensary should remind you of a hospital or pharmacy – professional, well-organized, and clean. It’s also a good sign if you feel supported and welcome at your MMJ dispensary. If your dispensary is in an unsafe neighborhood, has lots of security, or has staff that isn’t friendly, it’s probably not a great fit, and you’d be better off trying out a different location.

5. Must have high-quality products

Your dispensary will only be worthy of you as a customer if they sell the best MMJ products. A good dispensary will have clear policies that ensure you’re getting high-quality medical marijuana, like food safety regulations for their edibles. In fact, well-run dispensaries should have edibles that are made in a safe, clean kitchen (like any establishment that makes and sells food to the public). If products are not grown onsite, the dispensary should be able to vouch that it’s grown with safety protocols that prevent any mold or contaminants from affecting the products. The dispensary you choose should also carry the specific MMJ products or strains you need to treat your physical symptoms. The best dispensaries sell indicas, sativas, and hybrid blends of cannabis, as well as alternative forms of marijuana (including edibles, balms, tinctures, and inhalants), so you can find what works best for you. Check with dispensary staff or their website to make sure they carry what you’re looking for. It can also be helpful to read reviews online (like on Leafly) of different MMJ products to determine what fits your needs.

Products at your chosen dispensary should be high-quality and prices should be within your budget.

6. Consider if the products are in your budget

It can be really helpful to set a budget for yourself before you head to a dispensary to purchase MMJ products. Sites like Wikileaf can help you compare prices ahead of time, so you’ll know if you’re getting the most bang for your buck. You can even set a price range for yourself, and the site will let you know about dispensaries in the area that fit within that range.

7. Check privacy and patient’s rights

To make sure you’re dealing with a professional MMJ dispensary, check their privacy and patient’s rights policies before you make a purchase. You’ll want to make sure your information is being protected, and a high-quality dispensary will guarantee that your info is never shared with outside parties without your permission. Because good dispensaries are run like health care offices, the staff should consider your privacy rights to be of high importance.

8. Watch out for these red flags

If you end up just trying out a new MMJ dispensary, but aren’t sure if it’s the right fit or not, make sure to keep your eyes open for these red flags:

• Big, colorful signs: the dispensary should look similar to a hospital or pharmacy
• Smoking inside the facility: unless there’s a separate smoking lounge, no one should be using the products in view of other customers
• Lots of security: a reputable dispensary won’t need considerable security
• Random hours: dispensaries should have consistent hours that are always posted – unpredictable hours are a sign that the dispensary is sketchy

Don’t get overwhelmed with picking a good MMJ dispensary. Just follow these tips, and you’ll be able to select a dispensary that can help with all of your medical marijuana needs.

Researchers have known for quite some time that medical marijuana can be greatly beneficial in treating the symptoms of a number of conditions (including anxiety, cancer, glaucoma, migraines, etc.). This fact was validated even further by a recent study that showed that a stunning 93% of elderly patients who used MMJ products saw improvements with their health.

The study, published in The European Journal of Internal Medicine, showed that patients over the age of 65 who used medical cannabis showed reduced pain levels – without experiencing any adverse side-effects. The researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and the Cannabis Clinical Research Institute at Soroka University Medical Center documented what happened when elderly patients used MMJ to treat symptoms from illnesses like cancer, Parkinson’s, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions. The patients who participated in the study consumed the medical marijuana in different ways. About 33 percent used cannabis-infused oils, 24 percent used smoking products, and six percent used vaporization methods. Every patient received a prescription for their medical marijuana items.

The results of the Israeli study (conducted with 2,732 patients) demonstrated that after six months using medical marijuana products, the patients reported less pain and an improvement in the quality of their day-to-day lives. A majority of the patients noted that their pain levels (on a ten-point scale) went from an average of eight to four. More than 70 percent of the patients said they saw a moderate to significant improvement with this treatment. Very few prescription medications can boast these types of findings.

There are many ways that elderly people can benefit from using medical marijuana.

This study came at the perfect time for researchers. Professor Victor Novack MD from the BGU Faculty of Health Sciences (FOHS) said, “While older patients represent a large and growing population of medical cannabis users, few studies have addressed how it affects this particular group, which also suffers from dementia, frequent falls, mobility problems, and hearing and visual impairments.” This means that these findings are even more relevant to researchers looking at the benefits of MMJ on the elderly population.

One of the most significant aspects of the study showed that after six months, more than 18 percent of the MMJ users had reduced or completely stopped using opioid analgesics (also known as narcotics or painkillers). Patients who relied more on medical marijuana than these medications also reported feeling few to no side effects. The most common MMJ side effects were reported to be mild symptoms of dizziness or dry mouth. This indicates that elderly patients could begin to rely more on MMJ products for the treatment of their symptoms, which could greatly decrease their usage and dependence on prescription narcotics.

With the elderly population making up a significant segment of the MMJ community (around 14 percent in the US), this research could help convince more individuals over the age of 65 to consider using medical cannabis to help more effectively treat their symptoms. Because this population is also more likely to be on a fixed budget, they could benefit from buying MMJ products because there’s no sales tax in certain states, and they would have the freedom to grow their own plants if they didn’t want to buy them from a medical dispensary. Those on a tight income could also see significant savings if they’re able to trade in their prescription drugs for medical cannabis. For example, most seniors spend on average about $3,000 every year on medications. Those who purchase MMJ products usually only spend about $650 annually – which could be a huge help to those who are struggling financially.

More and more elderly people are realizing the benefits of using MMJ products in conjunction with, or even instead of, traditional prescription medications.

Senior citizens who have some fears about using medical marijuana should remember that it’s actually safer to use than most prescription medications. There are additional positive effects that marijuana can provide, including relief from liver inflammation, lupus, irritable bowel syndrome, etc. Additionally, people don’t have to worry about getting addicted to marijuana. Medical marijuana can also be ideal for treating some illnesses that hit the elderly population the hardest, including arthritis, Alzheimer’s, joint pain, and depression.

If seniors are worried about “getting high,” there are also some products called CBD (or cannabidiol) that contain some of the helpful aspects of marijuana without the psychoactive effect. CBD products (while not as potent as medical marijuana products) can still help ease pain and inflammation, reduce anxiety, and increase mental focus. People who are suffering from a decreased appetite can also benefit from MMJ products, because they have been found to reduce nausea and stimulate appetite. Additionally, seniors suffering from insomnia can also use medical cannabis products to improve their sleep habits.

With further research in the future, it’s likely that more and more studies will demonstrate the true advantages of using medical marijuana to decrease symptoms of illnesses and diseases among the elderly population.