How Much Does Medical Marijuana Cost? The Prices Explained
If you hadn’t noticed, millions of people are currently using cannabis because their doctor prescribed it to them. Medical marijuana is now legal in 33 states and the District of Columbia. However, you must have a license to buy and must be at least 21 years old.
Educate yourself on how much you should expect to pay, and ways that you can save money so that you can feel more comfortable with making a purchase. Most new patients do not know medical marijuana cost averages, but this is a great place to start!
Read on to learn more.
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According to Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), there are over 4,000,000 registered medical marijuana patients in the United States. As that number increases, so does the production, and the hope is that costs will start to go down.
No matter what the cost, medical marijuana is worth the price because the product is tested and proven to be of a certain quality standard. Plus, it is legal, and so easy to access. Patients also love that there is such a variety of products, and forms that dispensaries sell it.
How much should you expect to spend on your next purchase? That depends on what quality you are looking for, and how much you want to buy. A very small amount which would be enough for a few servings in a bowl or one-two joints would be one gram and could cost you between $8-$25.
Prices will fluctuate greatly depending on the quantity, quality, potency, form, and location of the dispensary. The following prices are estimates based on averages from across the country, from the low end-high end.
If you are new to the world of medical marijuana, you may not know how much you should/can buy at once. The amount you can buy at once varies state to state.
Most states allow cardholders to purchase one ounce per day. At the time of purchase, your card may be scanned, or your information entered into the system, which documents your purchase, and can be referenced from other dispensaries in the state to prevent patients from over purchasing.
The question of how much you should buy at once will depend on you and your preferences. If you intend on using marijuana every day, or several times per day, you will purchase more than someone who uses less often. You should never need more than once ounce in a day.
Depending on potency, and the way your body processes marijuana, this will dictate the serving size. If you consume or use marijuana often, your tolerance level could be higher than others. If your tolerance level is up, you will need more marijuana to feel the effect.
Do weed terms confuse you? Terms may not mean anything to you and can be misleading if you are not familiar with serving sizes. While there is a universal way to measure marijuana, several factors influence the serving size.
Use this handy smoke calculator to give you a visual aid, and help you understand serving sizes better. How you smoke marijuana provides your body with a different potency from the same product. Smoking a joint will not be as effective as smoking a bowl or bong.
If you know anything about shopping and brand names, you know that prices can often be marked up simply because of the brand name that a product has. Medical marijuana is no exception.
Major companies may charge top prices simply because the brand name is well known, and the product is recognized as being of good quality. Other than brands, patients may go for a certain product because of the strain (type) of bud.
Prices of medical marijuana vary greatly depending on what part of the country you are in. Are you in a touristy area that where pretty much everything is overpriced? Buying medical marijuana in a resort town will have bigger sticker prices than other areas.
One way to find the best prices in town is to shop around. Do an internet search for dispensaries in your area, and take a look at their website. Dispensaries will often list their products and prices on their website or use third-party pricing apps.
Another factor for pricing medical marijuana is the taxes that are added on. Pricing the product alone may not give you an accurate total, as some areas add more than 15% tax- making your $100 purchase $115.
Tax is such a fluctuating factor. The state of Washington adds on 37%, and a few states have zero tax on marijuana.
Dispensaries are at the mercy of the state and local tax percentages. Some locations will build the tax into the price of the product, whereas other places add the tax to the price of the product at checkout.
We all love a discount! Did you know that you can get a discount on medical marijuana? In addition to promotions and sale prices offered by your local dispensary, there are ways to receive extra discounts on your purchases.
Using your medical card is enough to get you a discount at a recreational dispensary. Plus, you also get benefits such as being able to purchase more than those who do not have a card.
Frequent flyer discounts are for those that shop at the same dispensary and become a regular customer.
Buying in bulk is more cost-effective most of the time. Rather than buying one serving, stock up and spring for the larger quantity to save money.
Ask about sales & promotions that the dispensary is running, or may be running soon. Yes, dispensaries have sales! Special prices may be offered on certain products, buying multiple products, or offered on certain days.
Budtender is the term used for the person who serves you at the dispensary. They are there to help direct you in your sale, to help educate you, and also hold the key to knowing when the next sale is coming- don’t miss your chance to pick their brain. And, don’t forget to tip them, just as you would tip a bartender or server.
Medical marijuana may mean the bud itself to many people, though it can come in a wide variety of forms. Of course, the most popular and common form is the dried flower of the plant which you can roll into joints, cigars, or put into a smoking device such as a bowl or bong.
What other forms of marijuana would you be interested in trying? Would you eat it or ingest it? Edibles made from medical marijuana are compatible in price but often have a different effect.
Other than medical marijuana products that you can smoke, vape, or ingest, there are products that you can use topically (on your skin/body) to help ease pain or relieve skin conditions. Look for creams, serums, and oils that contain THC.
Not every product will contain THC. CBD and CBD/THC blends are also sold in medical dispensaries. We’ll go over that, next.
CBD products are made from the same plant, but most do not contain psychoactive properties. Though you do not need a medical marijuana card to purchase CBD products, you may be interested in adding them to your shopping cart.
Dispensaries sell CBD products in many forms similar to medical marijuana, and you can even get it in bud form. CBD bud may be sold loose or rolled into joints. Prices are often cheaper than products that contain THC.
CBD products may be labeled three different ways-full spectrum(contains less than .3% of THC), broad spectrum (contains no THC), and isolates (contain no other cannabinoids or THC.)
To purchase medical marijuana, you will need a medical marijuana card. Obtaining your medical card is only a doctor’s appointment away.
Schedule your appointment with your general practitioner if they offer medical cards. Not all GPs do, so call ahead to ask. If not, you can go to another physician who will. Since the popularity of medical marijuana has been on the rise, more doctors have begun offering the service.
You will need to pay a fee for your card, which will not be covered by insurance. Each state has different regulations, but most cards are good for one year. After expiration, you will need to get your license renewed which is usually requires just paying a renewal fee.
Medical marijuana is used to treat a ton of medical issues from mild to chronic. Though they are generally similar, states each have their own specific laws for which ailments qualify a patient for a medical marijuana card.
Treating medical issues with marijuana is not a new idea, but it has been growing in popularity and quickly becoming more widely accepted. Namaste MD is a great place to start in getting your medical card online.
Can you benefit from medical cannabis? Once you have your card, you can decide how and when to medicate yourself. Knowing your prices will help you budget for your medical marijuana cost per trip to the dispensary.
If you found this article useful, be sure to check out some of our other health articles before you go.
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