You may have asked yourself “Why would I need to get a medical marijuana card if I’m already able to purchase recreational marijuana?” This is a VERY common question for the consumers of marijuana, and one that is often not touched on quite enough. However, there isn’t really one simple answer. There are a lot of factors that you must consider for YOUR situation, condition, and lifestyle to decide if you should get a medical card. Here’s a list of reasons it may (or may not) be in your best interests to get a medical license.
You have an illness
So, you’re officially diagnosed with a qualifying condition that your doctor wants you to use medical marijuana for. Even if the quality and price are comparable, you might not get the most knowledgeable budtender in the world at a recreational dispensary. Budtenders as most medical dispensaries are amazing and can help you pick the right strains for your ailments.
More buying options
If more regulated weed isn’t necessarily your thing, consider the following! You can purchase a larger variety of marijuana from both types of dispensaries, medical AND recreational. Sometimes this fact really saves on the hassle aspect of purchasing marijuana. Now you have access to whatever you’re in the mood for, whenever you want it, no matter where you are in the state. It doubles the amount of dispensaries you can purchase marijuana from. Not to mention, all of the first-time medical marijuana cardholder deals and specials you’ll get to try all over the place.
Medical marijuana is cheaper
Medical marijuana is cheaper to purchase. If you were a business owner and you were capitalizing on something as interesting and novel as recreational pot that tourists can buy too, would you really let that price deflate too much if your competitors were inflating for the demand? The state likes to jump in and add taxes to recreational weed that causes the price to jump as well. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Colorado resident or not, it’s a fact that recreational marijuana is more expensive. Since medical marijuana is it’s own industry, it’s prices are often lower in order to help medical marijuana cardholders get what they need.
Your location
If you live in a more conservative area, like colorado springs, it can be difficult to find a recreational dispensary within 15 miles of your location. Colorado Springs is pretty much medical only for the time being, and if you’re tired of the commute out of town and the prices, it may be time to grab your red card. Medical dispensaries also have the perk of being more discreet, and you don’t usually have to wait to long to pick up your meds and head home.
It’s easy and painless
While there are a lot of conservative areas in Colorado, there are a lot of 4/20 friendly doctors. With that being said, it’s a breeze to get your med card. The only problem is on the state level (Ah, bureaucracy), where it can take a few weeks for your card to process and be shipped out to you. However, in the mean time, most medical dispensaries will allow you to use a temporary medical marijuana card while you wait.
What do you think? Do you have any other pros and cons to add to this list? We love your feedback, especially in this ever-changing industry, so let us know!
