Get Your Medical Marijuana Card in Massachusetts

Medicinal cannabis, or medical marijuana, is a therapy that has garnered much national attention in recent years. Massachusetts became the eighteenth state to legalize medical marijuana in 2012. As of 2010 almost 10% of Massachusetts residents had used marijuana in the past month, and almost 16% had used marijuana within the past year. Now, patients with qualifying conditions can purchase from registered marijuana dispensaries.

A doctor’s recommendation is all you will need to purchase medical marijuana in Massachusetts. If you are not registered in MMP yet, register HERE. Send your number to your doctor in your portal or via email and you are complete. A physical card is optional but if you would like a hard card, you can order one from the state after your doctor has uploaded your information into the patient portal.

Patients must meet certain eligibility requirements, and receive certification from a health-care provider before they can receive their program certification and access to the registry. Medical marijuana program registration must be renewed annually by both patients and caregivers. Patients must also maintain active certifications from both their original health-care provider and the medical marijuana program.

Qualifying Conditions in Massachusetts

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s disease
• Cancer
• Crohn’s disease
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C
• HIV/AIDS
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson’s disease
• Other conditions that severely limit one or more major life functions

Any other condition for which a doctor has determined the patient’s major life functions are negatively affected

MA MMJ Application Process

1. Obtain a physician’s certification that confirms the patient suffers from at least one qualifying medical condition.
2. Once certified, health care providers will create a personal identification number (PIN) to register with the program.
3. Provide a valid state-issued identification card to establish proof of Massachusetts residency, as well as a recent photo that conforms to registration guidelines.

Registering a Caregiver in Massachusetts

Registered patients have access to consume, possess, and grow cannabis, as well as purchase a 60-day supply of medical cannabis from any state-licensed dispensary. There are medical marijuana delivery services available, and a designated personal caregiver may transport medical cannabis from a licensed dispensary or the grow site to a registered patient.

Requirements: Registered patients who require assistance obtaining or using medical marijuana may designate a primary caregiver. Prospective personal caregivers must first register with the medical marijuana program. Caregivers must be at least 21 years old and may only provide care for one (1) patient. An employee of a hospice, nursing, or medical facility; or a visiting nurse, personal care attendant, or home health aide providing care to a qualifying patient, may serve as a designated caregiver, including to patients younger than 18 as a second caregiver.

Caregiver Application Process

1. Obtain the patient’s PIN via their current medical marijuana program portal account.
2. Complete the program application.
3. Provide a valid state-issued identification card to establish proof of Massachusetts residency, as well as a recent photo that conforms to registration guidelines.
4. Pay $50 for a registration card, which is required for caregivers.

Home Cultivation

Any individual above 21 years of age may grow up to six (6) plants per person or up to twelve (12) plants per household in their home. Medical marijuana patients ages 18-20 are also permitted to grow up to six (6) plants in their home. And plants must not be visible to the general public.

A qualifying medical marijuana patient with a hardship cultivation registration may cultivate a limited number of plants sufficient to maintain a 60-day supply solely for that patient’s use. He or she may apply for a hardship cultivation registration if the patient can demonstrate that his or her access to a registered medical dispensary (RMD) is limited by:

• Verified financial hardship
• Physical incapacity to access reasonable transportation (an inability to use public transportation or drive oneself), lack of personal caregiver with reliable transportation, or lack of RMD that will deliver to the patient’s or personal caregiver’s primary address
• Lack of an RMD within a reasonable distance of the patient’s residence and lack of an RMD that will deliver marijuana to the patient’s or personal caregiver’s primary address

To obtain hardship cultivation, a registered qualifying patient shall submit:

• A nonrefundable registration fee (unless waived due to financial hardship)
• Information supporting a claim that access is limited to one or more of the above circumstances
• An explanation including a lack of feasible alternatives to mitigate limitations claimed
• A description and address of the single location that shall be used for the cultivation of marijuana, which shall either be the registered qualifying patient’s or personal caregiver’s primary residence
• A written explanation of how the qualifying patient will cultivate marijuana
• A description of the device or system that will be used to ensure security and prevent diversion of the marijuana plants being cultivated
• Written acknowledgment of the limitations on his or her authorization to cultivate, possess and use marijuana for medical purposes

The Department shall review and approve or deny an application for a hardship cultivation license within 30 calendar days of receipt of a completed application.

Possession Limits

The DPH has defined a 60-day supply as

• 10 ounces, or 283.5 grams, of dry flower; or
• 1.5 ounces, or 42.5 grams, of cannabis concentrates or resin

Adults 21 and older, as well as patients and their caregivers, are allowed to possess 10 ounces, or 283.5 grams, of cannabis inside their homes, and less than one ounce (1 oz.), or 28.35 grams, in public. Question 4 also allows adults to grow up to six (6) cannabis plants per person and up to twelve (12) cannabis plants per household in their homes.

Qualifying patients may apply for hardship registration if they wish to cultivate their own cannabis, or have a caregiver grow on their behalf. The DPH has not specified a maximum number of plants that may be grown. However, there should be no more than what is necessary to meet the patient’s individual needs based upon a certified physician’s recommendation. Patients who opt for personal cultivation cannot purchase cannabis from a licensed dispensary.

While medical and adult-use cannabis are now legal in Massachusetts, both patients and consumers still face penalties for violating what is allowable under state law. Specifically, public consumption of cannabis will result in a fine of $100, and possessing an open container of cannabis in a car will result in a fine of $500.