If you live in Massachusetts and use cannabis, you may have asked yourself if it’s worth it to invest in a medical marijuana card. Let’s weigh the pros and cons.
Pros:
- No taxes on medical cannabis. You will save quite a bit of money by not paying the 17-20% tax on recreational products.
- Discounts and sales are more widely available in the medical market, whereas recreational dispensaries are not technically allowed to offer discounts.
- You can use your MA med card in a few other states, including Maine and Rhode Island. Maine offers extremely competitive pricing for med card holders.
- Medical patients are prioritized over recreational shoppers. You’ll typically find more product availability, shorter lines, and a more professional experience.
- You can find products with higher potency than the 5 mg limit that recreational users have on single servings of edibles.
Cons:
- A med card does cost a few hundred dollars per year in fees.
- You could potentially run into issues if you hold a medical card and also want to own a gun.
- You will need to keep up with renewing your certification with your healthcare provider, as well as registration with the program (annually) and your program ID card (every three years).
- Having your card will not grant you immunity from being fired if your employer does not allow you to use cannabis.
- Depending on where you live, there may not be as many medical dispensaries as there are recreational. Here on Outer Cape Cod, locals drive as far as an hour and a half to stock up at the nearest medical dispensary.
Taylor Sieg – CCC Product Specialist
