How To Get A Medical Cannabis Card In Maryland
We understand that obtaining a written certification can feel overwhelming; however, the process is actually very easy and straightforward. This section helps to simplify the process of MCA registration in Maryland, gives more context to the MCA patient registry, and will get you headed in the right direction.
The first step is going to mmcc.gov to register online as a patient. You will be required to submit a photo along with your registration, so please click this link for more details.
After registering online, you will need to wait to receive an approval email from the Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA). Once you receive your approval email, you must bring your unique patient ID, which is found in your approval email to a certifying medical professional who is registered with the MCA. For more information concerning certifying medical professionals, please go to the MCA website.
Carrying a patient ID card in Maryland is mandatory. You may choose to log into the registry after receiving a written certification and order a patient ID card for $25. Be sure to have your credit or debit card available for payment. The patient ID card will be mailed to you following completion of this process.
NOTE: As stated on the MCA website, “Provider certification will expire within 120-days if medical cannabis has not been purchased from a Maryland licensed dispensary. Patient must be both registered with MCA and have an active certification in order to purchase cannabis.”
Becoming a State-Authorized Patient in Maryland
It is important to note that process for adult and minor patients to engage the MCA patient registry and obtain a Maryland medical cannabis card are different and require different registration processes. You may click on the links below to begin to process at the MCA website:
- Registration for Adult Patients (Over 18 Years of Age)
- Registration for Minor Patients (Under 18 Years of Age)
- Registration Process for Caregivers serving Adult Patients (Over 18 Years of Age)
- Registration Process for Caregivers serving Minor Patients (Under 18 Years of Age)
Note: By law, minor patients are required to have at least one caregiver at all times. Those caregivers must either be the minor patient’s parents or the minor patient’s legal guardians and in either case, they must be 21 years and older. The caregiver is required to register with the MCA prior to registering the minor patient.
Qualifying Conditions for Medical Cannabis in Maryland
Any Maryland resident whose provider recommends medical cannabis as a treatment option for a qualifying medical condition is eligible to register with the Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA) as a patient. As specified by the MCA, the following medical conditions qualify a patient for a medical cannabis prescription:
- Cachexia
- Anorexia
- Wasting Syndrome
- Chronic or Severe Pain
- Severe Nausea
- Seizures
- Severe or Persistent Muscle Spasms
- Glaucoma
- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Additionally, the MCA recognizes that any condition that is severe, for which other medical treatments have been ineffective, can be considered as well – if those medical conditions can be “reasonably expected to be relieved by the medical use of cannabis”¹.
You can read more about each of these conditions right here on our website by clicking the button below.
¹mmcc.maryland.gov. (2017). Patient FAQ. [online] Available at: http://mmcc.maryland.gov/Pages/patients_faq.aspx [Accessed 15 Oct. 2017].
