What are the Pros and Cons for keeping your Maine Medical Marijuana Card Active?

 Purchasing with a  Medical Marijuana Card vs Recreational

Maine residents and out-of-state visiting medical marijuana patients can easily find dispensaries and caregiver storefronts throughout the state. In addition, Maine has launched its adult-use marijuana (a.k.a. recreational) program. There are a few differences for each program:

 

Maine Medical Marijuana Program Benefits:

  • Card holding patients only
  • Bigger selection/Higher potency
  • Cannabis coaching
  • Reciprocity with other medical marijuana state programs

 

Maine Adult Use Program Benefits:

  • Anyone over 21 can purchase
  • Mandatory 3rd party lab testing
  • Taxes benefits all Mainers

 

What is the difference between the Medical Marijuana and the Adult Use program in Maine?

Age Limits for Purchasing Cannabis in Maine

Medical Program

The medical marijuana program allows people under 21 to have marijuana for medical purposes. Minors must apply with parental consent, in addition to materials that prove a parental status or guardianship. If the patient is under 18 years of age, the guardian will be designated as the non-grow caregiver so that they can purchase on behalf of the minor and ensure proper dosage.

Adult Use Program

Just like alcohol and tobacco, you must be 21 years of age or older to possess or use non-medical marijuana in Maine. Customers will be asked for proof of age when entering the store.

Support, Selection & Testing

Medical Program

Medical users have access to a wide variety of THC, THCA, and CBD products, strains, and professional support. Health concerns and wellness strategies can be approached in many ways, including inhalation (flower, distillate carts, Live Resin Carts, and concentrate), ingestion (edibles such as gummies, capsules, and tinctures), and topical application (creams, salves, and lip balms). Though we are not doctors, over the past ten years, we have gained a wealth of information and a balanced approach based on the patient’s goals. In the medical program, the customer has access to a full complement of products based on a wide selection of potency and delivery options. In addition to selection, having a medical marijuana card saves you money all year long and gets you lower prices than those who access it from recreational retail outlets. This has to do with supply and demand and the additional excise and sales taxes paid on recreational marijuana. In addition, Adult-Use stores are not allowed to offer promotions or sales on their products. The Medical market can offer loyalty points, sales promotions, and discounts to their customers.

Some retailers in the medical program do voluntarily test their products but most often just for the potency. At Canuvo, in addition to the potency and terpenes, we also test for microbial and heavy metals. These tests are conducted on each harvest. Testing is expensive but necessary to ensure that the final product is safe to consume.

Adult Use Program

Recreational retail outlets have budtenders who offer assistance, but they may not have the training and knowledge to assist a customer with their questions about products for healthcare. Customers may have questions about dosages and using marijuana for concerns such as sleep, anxiety, and pain. Those in a great deal of pain will find they need a stronger dose to get relief. The Adult Use program limits the number of mgs per edible to 100 mgs per package. The flower is often sold in just 2 sizes depending on the store, and you may be limited to the amount you can buy. (For the time being, Maine has a shortage of supply in the recreational market. This should change as more licenses for cultivation are awarded. In currently, there are a limited number of stores open state-wide.) There is a benefit to marijuana sold in this program. The products are laboratory tested!  Products sold under the Adult Use license must have passed third-party lab testing to be offered for sale.

How do I get a Medical Marijuana Certificate in Maine?

Step 1: Talk to a doctor about certification

Good News! Maine no longer has qualifying conditions to get a medical card. Your doctor or a third-party medical professional will ask why you qualify for the program. Conditions can range from PSTD, anxiety, sleep, pain to chronic illnesses such as cancer or MS.

Step 2: Fill out the application and show proof of Maine residency

To process the card, you will need to fill out the Medical Marijuana Program Application and show proof of residency.

Step 3: Receive your tamper-proof medical marijuana card from your doctor

The provider will either print the card off if meeting in person or mail it to you if doing the appointment remotely.

Step 4: Find your local Maine dispensary to make a purchase

Once you have the certificate you can legally buy products at one of the over 8 medical marijuana dispensaries in Maine or caregiver shops.

We are here to help!

At Canuvo we do have a Physician Assistant (PA) who visits our Biddeford Maine location every two weeks to write the certificates. You can research MedicalMarijuanaPractitioners.com to learn more about their service and call us for the days they will be available. Due to the Federal standing on cannabis, we cannot take credit cards at this time. If you are visiting us for the first time you will need to bring cash, use our ATM or utilize CanPaydebit.com.

 

For More information:

https://www.maine.gov/dafs/omp/medical-use

https://www.maine.gov/dafs/omp/adult-use

https://medicalmarijuanapractitioners.com/

https://www.canpaydebit.com/consumers/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sage Peterson
sage@canuvo.org
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