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An effort to legalize recreational marijuana use in Arkansas failed to collect enough signatures to make it on the ballot In 2020, which might seem to render moot the question of whether or not getting a marijuana card would be of any use in a state where all cannabis is legal.
However, events on the national stage may yet end up bringing legal recreational marijuana to Arkansas, which then begs the question: Is there any benefit to getting a medical marijuana card in a state where recreational cannabis is legal?
There are, in fact, numerous benefits that come from having a medical card in recreational states.
Advantages of a Medical Marijuana Card
1. Lower Age Requirement
Recreational cannabis is only available to those 21 years of age and older. Medical cannabis, on the other hand, is legal to all Arkansans 18 and older who have any one of 18 qualifying conditions. This means that patients under the age of 21 must have a medical card to purchase cannabis, even if it becomes legal recreationally.
2. Marijuana Tax Exemptions
In many states with both medical and recreational dispensaries, sales tax is lower for medical cannabis. The result is lower prices for all medical cannabis products. For example, California has an effective state sales tax rate of more than 40%, while medical marijuana users have to cough up a mere 15%.
3. Higher Possession Limits and Fewer Restrictions on Purchase Limits
Even in states where both recreational and medicinal marijuana is legal, there are limits imposed on how much cannabis you can buy and how much you can have on you. These limits are usually higher for patients with a medical marijuana card than for the general public. In Maine, recreational users can only possess 2.5 ounces of cannabis, while medical marijuana patients can possess 8 ounces.
4. Growing Your Own Weed
In some legal states, citizens are permitted to grow their own cannabis plants. People are often authorized to grow more plants at home if they have a medical card, or even only authorized to grow at home if they have a card. For example, in Washington state, only medical marijuana patients are able to grow and recreational users are not. As growing your own marijuana is a strategy that can save you money over the long run, growing more plants is a good way to cut costs.
5. Access to Higher THC Products
People with certain medical conditions might find that they do better with high-potency cannabis products (those high in THC). In some states, medicinal cannabis products are legally allowed to contain more THC than their recreational counterparts. For instance, in Washington state, recreational marijuana concentrates may contain no more than 10% THC, a limit that is not placed on their medicinal cousins.
6. Greater Cannabis Access
Many states with recreational cannabis allow individual municipalities to opt-in or out of allowing recreational dispensaries. In Michigan, more than 500 communities have opted-out of allowing recreational marijuana sales. Because of this, there may be areas where a patient would have access to a medical marijuana dispensary nearby but would have to drive further to reach a recreational dispensary.
7. Discounts at Dispensaries
As a general rule, cannabis products, whether edibles, flower, or concentrates, tend to be less expensive at medical dispensaries than recreational ones. Combine this with the lower tax cost and the ability to grow more of your own cannabis, and medical marijuana can become much less expensive.
Get Your Arkansas Marijuana Card
While there will be plenty of questions left to answer if and when marijuana is legal nationwide, we’ve got the answer to your medicinal marijuana needs. The Arkansas Medical Marijuana program is available for anyone with a qualifying condition, and getting your card is fast and easy with Arkansas Marijuana Card.
We’re dedicated to helping patients every step of the way, feel free to give us a call at 844-249-8714, and we can answer your questions about getting medical marijuana in Arkansas.
Doctors Who Care. Relief You Can Trust.
Helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
If you have any questions, call us at 844-249-8714, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
Check out Arkansas Marijuana Card’s Blog to keep up to date on the latest medical marijuana news, tips, and information. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to join the medical marijuana conversation in Arkansas.