How To Get A Medical Marijuana Card In Arizona? 2024

Reading Time: 6 minutes

The state of Arizona is well known for its legalization of adult marijuana usage. With an active medical marijuana program, patients within the state can legally purchase, possess and consume medical marijuana with added benefits like tax concessions and quality product availability.

The state of Arizona also allows patients with a medical marijuana card to enjoy higher possession limits and legal protection for cannabis consumption. However, there are some areas where the state governments lack and need to reevaluate their policies for Arizonas medical marijuana program.

For example, even in the year 2023, the state doesnt allow patients to book appointments through a telemedicine channel. The state also doesnt accept online medical cannabis recommendations that are obtained through a telemedicine platform or service provider.

Scroll till the end to further analyze the various aspects of Arizonas medical marijuana program in 2023.

Possible Benefits of Having A Medical Marijuana Card In Arizona

In late 2020, the residents of Arizona voted for the recreational usage of marijuana to be legalized. For many people, this was quite a blow to the whole medical marijuana campaign as the state now allows adults to consume marijuana recreationally, but this was not the case.

The benefits associated with having Arizona medical marijuana are still intact as registered medical marijuana users are given a prominent advantage in many aspects such as,

• Individuals with a medical marijuana card in Arizona only pay 8-10% tax on each product while individuals recreationally using marijuana are required to pay a minimum of 21.6% as tax.
• The medical marijuana card also allows a person to legally possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana products at a time. While on the other hand, recreational users even when older than 21 can only possess 1 ounce of flower or 5 grams of concentrate.
• The cultivation laws are also quite lenient for individuals with a registered marijuana card. Recreational users can cultivate up to 6 Cannabis plants while registered medical marijuana patients can cultivate up to 12 plants considering that they are residing at least 25 miles away from the closest dispensary.

Eligibility Requirements

Just like any other US state with an active medical marijuana program, the state of Arizona has divided medical marijuana applications into two categories.

Adult applicants must be diagnosed with one of the qualifying medical conditions, must be older than 18, and have proof of their residence in Arizona.

Minor applicants are not yet eligible to take legal actions on their own and require a caregiver to handle such matters in their place. Such applicants need to provide some additional documents regarding the caregiver(s) for their application to be considered valid.

Qualifying Medical Conditions

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrigs disease)
• Hepatitis C
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Cancer
• Crohns disease
• HIV/AIDS
• Seizures, such as those arising from epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• Severe and chronic pain
• Cachexia/wasting syndrome
• Severe and persistent muscle spasms
• Alzheimers disease

As per the Arizona Marijuana Laws, the state mentions that each new applicant requires to submit a medical recommendation from a certified medical doctor that confirms your diagnosis of one of the qualifying medical conditions mentioned above. Applicants who are minors may need to submit more than one recommendation just to cross-check their diagnosis and current mode of treatment.

How To Apply For A Medical Marijuana Card In Arizona? A Step-By-Step Guide

Before moving forward to the steps you need to follow to apply for Arizonas medical marijuana card, there are some documents that you need to gather. Remember, these documents are required to mark your application as complete so the state can further decide whether to approve your application or not. These documents include,

• A copy of your state ID such as your Arizona drivers license or state ID card.
• A signed marijuana program patient attestation.
• A signed physician certification form.
• A current face photo of yourself.
• And the proof of payment for the $150 application fee.

Another important thing to note here is that youre not required to bring your medical records while visiting your doctor. But still, the doctor can ask you to bring the records along so it can help them make a more accurate diagnosis.

Once you get all your documents in one place, here are the steps you need to follow,

1. Attend an in-person medical evaluation with a registered Arizona medical marijuana doctor and receive your prescription certificate if youre eligible for this mode of treatment.
2. Complete the online registration application form, pay the $150 fee, and submit all the necessary documents.
3. Once your application is approved, youll receive your registry ID card in your mail. It usually takes around 7-14 business days to receive your card.

What To Expect During Your Kif Appointment?

As per the Arizona Marijuana Laws, a person is not allowed to get a medical marijuana recommendation from a certified medical physician online via any telemedicine-based channel. For that reason, the involvement of Kif with appointment-based matters within the state of Arizona is quite limited.

But that doesnt mean we cant aid you on your journey to become a registered medical marijuana user in Arizona. We still can get you in contact with a certified medical physician within the state allowing you to book an appointment and visit for your evaluation in person. You can contact us any time to discuss your case in particular.

Potential Cost

The overall cost distribution for your Arizona medical marijuana card can be divided into 3 sections.

1. There is a $150 upfront fee for every new applicant and if youre registered with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) youll have to pay $75.
2. The physicians appointment fee is not included in the application and it will roughly cost around $100-$250 more.
3. Most of the health insurance programs dont cover the application or the appointment fee.

Medical Marijuana Reciprocity

The state of Arizona does allow medical marijuana reciprocity up to some extent but with strict conditions such as,

• The patient must not be a resident of Arizona (or has resided in the state within the last 30 days).
• Must possess a valid medical marijuana card issued by the medical marijuana laws of the other state.
• Must have been diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition as per the Arizona Marijuana Law.
  Several other states also practice reciprocity and accept Arizonas medical marijuana card. These states include,

There are a number of other states who also practice reciprocity and accept Arizonas medical marijuana card. These states include,

• Alaska ^
• New Mexico * (recreational cannabis is legal in NM)
• New York ^
• California ^
• Colorado ^
• Hawaii *
• Pennsylvania (minors only)
• Illinois ^
• Maine
• Connecticut ^
• Arkansas *
• Michigan (qualifying state must also have reciprocity with Michigan)
• Missouri ^
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey *
• Oklahoma *
• Oregon ^
• Puerto Rico
• Washington ^
• Washington D.C.
• Maryland ^ (as of July 2023)
• Massachusetts
• Rhode Island
• U.S. Virgin Islands *
• Utah (max. 45 days, after which the patient must apply for a Utah MMJ card)
• Vermont ^
• Virginia ^

States marked with * require visitors to complete a visiting patient application for the duration of their stay.

States marked with ^ have adult use programs but do not accept out-of-state cards.

Applying As A Caregiver

The state of Arizona does allow patients who cant consume or purchase medical marijuana on their own to have a legal caregiver in their service. The whole caregiver application process is similar to the general patient registration process. However, there are some key changes such as not requiring a physicians recommendation to register as a caregiver.

Instead, the caregiver requires to submit a physicians attestation form and their very own completed application. The state also requires additional documents like the caregivers fingerprints to be sent by mail to the ADHS office in Arizona.

How & Where To Buy Medical Marijuana In Arizona?

The state of Arizona allows registered medical marijuana patients to purchase the required products from state-authorized dispensaries. Plus, many companies provide online purchase services to adult marijuana users within the state.

As per the law, adult cannabis users without a valid medical marijuana card can consume marijuana recreationally but cant possess more than 1 ounce (28 g). While on the other hand, registered medical marijuana users can possess up to 2.5 ounces of required cannabis goods.

Is Cultivation a better option?

Depends upon the type of cultivation you have in mind and what are your expectations from it. For example, the state of Arizona only allows registered medical marijuana patients with an AZ card to cultivate up to 12 plants at a time. But the patients must be living at least 25 miles away from the closest medical marijuana dispensary or access center. The designated caregivers may help the registered patients with the cultivation process.

Arizona Medical Marijuana Laws That You Should Be Aware Of!

• The state of Arizona allows both recreational and medical usage of marijuana.
• For those over the age limit of 21 can possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana products for recreational use while registered medical users can possess up to 2.5 ounces of concentrate.
• Individuals with a valid Arizona medical marijuana card will only pay 8-10% tax on acquired products.

FAQs

Are there specific medical marijuana doctors in Arizona who can recommend the card?

• Yes, as per the state law only registered medical marijuana physicians can recommend the card via an in-person appointment.

Can I use my Medical Marijuana Card from another state Arizona?

• Yes, you may if you qualify for Arizonas medical marijuana reciprocity policy.

How long is the Medical Marijuana Card valid in Arizona?

• The validity of an Arizona medical marijuana card is 2 years after which you can apply for a renewal.

Where can I purchase medical marijuana after obtaining my card in Arizona?

• There are several state-authorized and registered medical marijuana dispensaries throughout the state offering quality products to registered medical marijuana users.

Are there any restrictions on the amount of medical marijuana I can possess in Arizona with the card?

• The Arizona medical marijuana card allows you to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana products and a permit to cultivate 12 cannabis plants if you reside at least 25 miles away from the nearest dispensary or facilitation center.

Can I grow my cannabis plants if I have a Medical Marijuana Card in Arizona?

Yes, the Arizona medical marijuana card allows you to cultivate 12 cannabis plants if you reside at least 25 miles away from the nearest dispensary or facilitation center

What should I do if I lose my Medical Marijuana Card in Arizona?

If you have lost your card, you must contact the ADHS and apply for a card renewal as soon as possible.