If you have considered medical marijuana as a treatment option, you’ve come to the right place. This blog was written as a guide to simplify the application process. Before you start searching for a marijuana healthcare provider like DocMJ Pennsylvania, there are some essential things you need to know about getting a Pennsylvania medical marijuana card.
Whether you’re seeking relief from chronic pain or anxiety or a guardian of a minor who may qualify through the caregiver program, we support your journey to explore medical marijuana as an alternative option to improve symptom management.
Find out whether you are eligible for a medical card in Pennsylvania. Let’s discuss the step-by-step process for getting your medical marijuana card in Pennsylvania.
Facts About The Medical Marijuana Program In Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, the state’s medical marijuana program was legalized in April 2016. However, it was not until February 2018 that patients were able to purchase marijuana products from dispensaries. By March 2024, the state had over 441,000 certified patients who were using medical marijuana, guided by more than 1,900 approved healthcare professionals.
Medical marijuana eligibility has expanded significantly, now covering around 24 medical conditions, compared to just 17 conditions in 2016. This offers more patients access to the potentially therapeutic benefits of marijuana.
How Much Does a Medical Card Cost?
Patient certification for the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program requires a visit with a licensed marijuana healthcare provider. Not every doctor can provide a certification for you. Doctors must apply to the Pennsylvania Department of Health (Office of Medical Marijuana) to become an approved physician. The fee for the certification appointment varies by provider.
The Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program also requires certified patients to pay $50 at registration. After you get your Pennsylvania medical marijuana card, it costs $50 annually to remain on the patient registry. If your medical card expires, marijuana dispensaries are prohibited from selling products to you. You also lose the right to possess or use medical marijuana legally.
Medical Marijuana Assistance Program (MMAP) for Financial Hardship
Residents of the commonwealth may qualify for discounted fees. The Medical Marijuana Assistance Program (MMAP) has eliminated fees for residents registered in a financial hardship program.
You may be exempted from paying the registration fee or annual renewal fee through the following government programs if you receive:
- Medical patients covered by the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
- Medicaid (PA Medical Assistance)
- Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly/Needs Enhancement Tier (PACE/PACENET)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
Caregivers or guardians who apply to assist a minor with medical marijuana treatment must complete a legal background check before being approved. The criminal history background check is intended to protect patients and prevent the misuse of marijuana products purchased from a Pennsylvania dispensary.
The MMAP has waived the background check cost for caregivers, making the service free of charge. Individuals who are caregivers for pediatric or adult patients are issued a separate ID card indicating their status as helpers for registered patients who have an approved serious medical condition.
Age and Photo Identification Requirements
Medical marijuana is available for qualified patients who are over the age of eighteen. The Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program also permits legal guardians to administer medical marijuana to minors who have debilitating symptoms through the caregiver program.
Before you head to the online registration form to apply for a Pennsylvania medical marijuana card, every patient must:
- Be a permanent resident of Pennsylvania.
- Be 18 years of age or older or have a designated adult guardian (who will join the caregiver registry to assist minors with chronic or intractable pain or other associated neuropathies and symptoms).
- Have government-issued photo identification such as a valid PA driver’s license, state identification card, passport, or military identification card.
Check to make sure that your state—or federal-issued photo identification is valid and shows your current residential address. If your address changes, you must update your new address with the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program.
How To Get Your Medical Marijuana Card In Pennsylvania
Getting your Pennsylvania medical marijuana card isn’t hard if you are a state resident and you have a qualifying health condition. The good news is that you don’t have to travel to a doctor’s office or sit in a waiting room. You can complete your medical card application online with a registered physician in three easy steps.
Step 1: Verify You Have a Qualifying Medical Condition
Patients who want to explore medical marijuana as an adjunctive therapy must have at least one qualifying medical condition that is recognized by state law. The Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program determines the health conditions that make patients eligible to apply for a medical card.
If you have one or more of the following health conditions, you are eligible to apply for a Pennsylvania medical marijuana card:
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Anxiety Disorders
- Autism
- Cancer
- Chronic Hepatitis C
- Crohn’s Disease
- Nerve Damage and Neuropathy
- Dyskinetic and Spastic Movement Disorders
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- HIV / AIDS
- Huntington’s Disease
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Intractable Seizures
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Neuropathies
- Opioid Use Disorder
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Severe Chronic or Intractable Pain
- Sickle Cell Anemia
- Terminal Illness (Compassionate Care)
- Tourette Syndrome
Patients must present medical records confirming the diagnosis of one of the qualifying health conditions in Pennsylvania. If you do not have a current diagnosis, talk to your primary care provider to update your records before you attend your medical marijuana certification appointment.
Step 2: Finding a Marijuana Doctor to Certify You
There are many different options to choose from when it comes to finding a doctor to certify you for a Pennsylvania medical marijuana card. Medical marijuana patients should look for a friendly, knowledgeable physician. A doctor who will help integrate marijuana into other conventional therapeutic interventions and treatment plans.
All physicians are certified first by the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program to provide marijuana patient care. Only approved practitioners can complete the medical record review and health check that you need in order to join the state’s medical marijuana registry.
If you have severe chronic or intractable pain or other medical conditions that impact your quality of life, an approved practitioner does more than help you obtain medical marijuana and your Pennsylvania ID card. They can provide expert advice on potency and strain attributes that may help provide the relief you need.
Find a doctor you like and feel comfortable with. It is an important relationship; the right practitioner can guide you to better symptom management. Pennsylvania residents often return to the same department of health-approved doctor annually for recertification.
Step 3: Complete Your Medical Card Application
You must create a patient profile on the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program website. Simply follow the instructions to complete your application. Remember to submit all the information requested for your application.
How Long Does It Take To Get My Medical Marijuana Card?
After receiving your application, it is reviewed by the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program. If any documents are missing, you will be notified by email. Your application cannot be processed without the physician certification, proof of state residency, and government-issued photo ID.
If the PMMP has all your information, the next step is to wait for your medical card. You will receive it by mail within fifteen days of submitting your application. If more than three weeks have passed since your application and you haven’t received a card, you can make a request through the PMMP patient portal.
Your Pennsylvania medical marijuana card will have a unique patient ID number that identifies you as a Pennsylvania resident who is a registered patient in the medical marijuana program. Your ID card is required to enter a dispensary and purchase products for medical marijuana use. Remember, you cannot purchase medical marijuana without a valid Pennsylvania driver’s license (or other government-issued photo identification) and your medical card.
If you lose your medical card, you can log in to your profile on the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program website and request a new one. In addition to your annual medical marijuana card cost, there is a $25 fee for the first replacement and a $50 fee for each consequent replacement card.
Don’t Let Your Medical Card Expire!
Letting your Pennsylvania medical marijuana card expire is a bad idea. First, dispensaries will not sell marijuana products to any patient who has an expired medical card. It is illegal for dispensaries to accept expired medical cards, even if medical marijuana is one of the patient’s primary therapeutic interventions.
Your medical card in Pennsylvania provides legal protections that also expire the second you do not recertify or renew annually. Possession of any type of marijuana product is illegal in the commonwealth if you do not have a valid medical marijuana card. Patients can face legal consequences for marijuana possession if their medical card has expired.
The Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program allows patients to recertify or renew their medical cards up to sixty (60) days before expiration. The PMMP will email you to remind you to schedule a follow-up appointment with a physician, recertify, and then pay the annual registration fee to remain in the medical marijuana patient registry.
