Michigan Medical Marijuana Card

Is Medical Marijuana Legal In Michigan?

Yes, medical marijuana is legal in Michigan. On November 1, 2008, Michigan voters passed Proposal 1 to legalize the medical use of cannabis, and the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act (MMMA) was enacted to regulate the production and use of medical marijuana. The MMMA became effective on December 4, 2008. In 2016, the law was amended to allow for the sale of medical marijuana by licensed dispensaries called provisioning centers. The MMMA established the Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA), formerly Marijuana Regulatory Agency, to administer the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program (MMMP) in the state.

How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Michigan in 2024

Qualifying Conditions for Medical Card in Michigan

Per the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, a person must be diagnosed with at least one of the qualifying debilitating medical conditions by a physician to be registered as a medical marijuana patient in 2024:

• Cancer
• HIV/AIDS
• Nail patella
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C
• Agitation of Alzheimer's disease
• Crohn's disease
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
• Colitis
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Spinal cord injury
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Arthritis
• Parkinson's disease
• Chronic pain
• Tourette's disease
• Cerebral palsy
• Autism
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• A medical condition or its treatment that causes one of the following:
• Severe and chronic pain
• Cachexia
• Seizures
• Severe nausea
• Severe and persistent muscle spasms

Can I Apply For A Medical Marijuana Card In Michigan Online?

Yes. A qualifying medical cannabis patient in Michigan can obtain a certification from a state-licensed physician via telehealth and, afterward, apply for a medical marijuana card online using the LARA portal.

How Do I Register With The Michigan Medical Marijuana Program?

Eligible persons can register with the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program (MMMP) online or use paper applications. Typically, an individual must have at least one qualifying medical condition and be at least 18 years old to be able to enroll. A qualifying patient who is under 18 years must designate a caregiver when filling out their application. An applicant must have a medical evaluation within the last six months from a licensed Michigan physician certifying them for medical cannabis to be able to register with the MMMP. The CRA provides further information on enrolling in the MMMP.

Do I Need To Be A Michigan Resident To Get A Medical Marijuana Card?

Yes. Anyone applying for a Michigan Medical Marijuana Program Registry Card must be a resident of the state and must provide a document as evidence of residency.

What Is The Cost Of A Michigan Medical Marijuana Card?

The Michigan medical marijuana identification card costs $40. Online applicants can pay via electronic checks, debit cards, and credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, and Discover are accepted). Those submitting mail applications can pay the fee via check or money order made payable to the "State of Michigan-MMMP". There are no additional fees for caregivers, and there is no provision for reduced fees for patients on financial aid. It costs $40 to renew a medical marijuana card in Michigan.

What Do You Need When Visiting A Medical Marijuana Dispensary In Michigan?

Medical marijuana patients must present the Michigan Medical Marijuana ID cards to licensed provisioning centers (medical marijuana dispensaries) when they want to buy medical marijuana products. Patients, who have received approval emails from the MMMP, but are yet to receive their MMMP ID cards, can use those emails and government-issued identification cards to buy medical marijuana products. The approval email is valid for 15 days from the day the application was approved. Provisioning centers will inspect MMMP ID cards or approval emails before selling medical marijuana to patients. Prescriptions are not needed to purchase medical marijuana in Michigan.

The MMMA limits the amount of medical marijuana a patient can buy to 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana in a day. Note that, there is 1 ounce of usable marijuana in 16 ounces of marijuana-infused products in solid form, or 36 fluid ounces of marijuana-infused products in liquid form, or 7 grams of marijuana-infused products in gaseous form.

Caregivers can buy marijuana products for their patients from provisioning centers by presenting their MMMP cards and government-issued photo identification cards. They can buy up to the daily medical marijuana limits for each patient under their care.

Who Can Prescribe Medical Marijuana In Michigan?

Persons interested in applying for the Michigan medical marijuana identification card must be certified by physicians. The certifying physician must be a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathic medicine and surgery with a valid license to practice in Michigan. The State of Michigan does not provide a list of approved physicians for its medical marijuana program. Physicians are at liberty to register with the MMMP or abstain.

The Michigan Medical Marihuana Act mandates an in-person consultation with a physician for an applicant to be certified as qualified to join the MMMP. A physician recommending a patient for medical marijuana treatment must fulfill the following conditions:

• Review the patient's relevant medical records and evaluate the patient's current medical condition
• Create and maintain records of the patient's medical condition
• Has reasonable expectation to provide follow-up care to the patient for monitoring the efficacy of the use of medical marijuana
• Notify the patient's primary care physician of the patient's medical condition and intention to certify the use of medical marijuana for the patient
• Explain the risks and potential benefits of medical marijuana to the patient

Can A Minor Get A Medical Marijuana Card In Michigan?

Yes, minors can get medical marijuana cards in Michigan provided their parents or legal guardians consent in writing to serve as their caregivers. They must also consent to be responsible for overseeing their medical marijuana dosages. The law requires that two physicians certify the use of medical marijuana for a minor seeking to join the MMMP. They must also explain the risks and potential benefits of using marijuana to the minor's parents/legal guardians.

Can You Get A Medical Marijuana Card At 18 In Michigan?

Yes. Minors turning 18 can look forward to getting their Michigan medical marijuana cards as adults. They can apply for their cards as soon as they turn 18 without requiring the consent of their parents or legal guardians.

How To Renew Your Michigan Medical Marijuana Card

A medical marijuana identification card is valid for two years and must be renewed within 90 days of its expiry date. The expiry date is written on the MMMP ID card. A caregiver's MMMP ID card expires the same day as the patient's MMMP ID card.

The steps required to renew an MMMP ID card are the same as those for new applications. Medical marijuana patients without caregivers can renew their medical marijuana cards online via the CRA website. Minors and adults with designated caregivers can renew their MMMP ID cards by completing and submitting the MMMP Application packets and the MMMP Minor Application packet (for patients under 18) respectively.

Can You Grow Medical Marijuana In Michigan?

Section 4 of the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act permits medical marijuana patients and their caregivers to grow marijuana in their homes. Medical marijuana patients can grow up to 12 marijuana plants at home. However, caregivers can grow up to 12 marijuana plants for each patient under their care. The MMMA allows a caregiver to register up to five medical marijuana patients. Therefore, a caregiver with five medical marijuana patients can grow up to 60 marijuana plants at home.

The MMMA provides the following conditions for home cultivation of marijuana:

• Marijuana plants must be grown indoors
• The plants must not be visible to the public
• The plants must be grown in a secured facility

Michigan: Benefits Of Having A Medical Marijuana Card In A Recreational Marijuana-Legal State

The benefits of having a medical marijuana card in Michigan include the following:

• A medical marijuana card allows a minor who is a registered medical patient to access medical cannabis with the assistance of their parent or a caregiver
• A medical cannabis cardholder in Michigan who has a caregiver can grow more marijuana plants at home than a recreational weed user. A caregiver can grow additional 12 marijuana plants on behalf of the medical cannabis patient under their care
• With a medical marijuana card, a registered medical cannabis patient can save some money as they pay less taxes on marijuana purchases and often enjoy exclusive discounts
• A medical marijuana cardholder in Michigan will get preferential treatment over a recreational cannabis shopper at any state-licensed dispensary

Does Michigan Allow Medical Marijuana Patients To Designate Caregivers?

Yes, the MMMA allows medical marijuana patients to designate caregivers. A person designated as a caregiver must be aged 21 years or older, and must not have been convicted of a felony in the preceding 10 years. Moreover, the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act prohibits a person that has been convicted of a felony involving violent crime or illegal drugs from being designated as a caregiver even if the conviction was over a decade ago. The state mandates parents or legal guardians of minors to serve as their caregivers. Medical marijuana patients must submit complete application packets indicating they will require caregivers and the details of the caregivers. If a patient already has an active MMMP ID card, they must complete and submit the Add or Change Caregiver form.

Caregivers cannot have more than five medical marijuana patients under their care. Caregivers are issued medical marijuana cards alongside patients who designate them as their caregivers. In Michigan, caregivers cannot independently apply for medical marijuana ID cards. However, they can remove patients from their lists by completing and submitting Remove Patient forms. Patients can also change their caregivers by submitting Add or Change Caregiver forms.

Michigan Medical Marijuana Reciprocity

Licensed marijuana dispensaries in Michigan can accept medical marijuana cards issued in some states with medical marijuana reciprocity. They include the following:

• Louisiana
• Hawaii
• Oklahoma
• Maine
• New Hampshire
• Nevada
• Arizona
• West Virginia
• Washington D.C
• New Mexico
• Rhode Island
• New Jersey

Are My Medical Marijuana Records Private?

Yes, patients' medical marijuana records in Michigan are supposed to be private in Michigan per the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). However, a few exceptions are stipulated in the HIPAA Privacy Rules. Medical cannabis records may be disclosed for national priority purposes, including disclosure to employers and law enforcement agencies.

Does Insurance Cover Medical Marijuana In Michigan?

Health insurance plans do not cover medical cannabis in Michigan.

What Is The Medical Card Limit In Michigan?

With a Michigan Medical Marijuana Program Patient Registry Card, a person can purchase up to 2 ounces of medical marijuana daily, subject to a maximum of 10 ounces per month.

Can You Go To A Dispensary Without A Medical Card In Michigan?

Michigan marijuana laws require a person to present a medical marijuana card in order to purchase medical cannabis products at state-licensed dispensaries.