Mention the medical cannabis card and people not enrolled in their state programs will probably think of a physical card like a driver’s license. But is that what medical cannabis cards actually look like? That depends on the state. Some states issue physical cards only. Others rely exclusively on digital cards. There are even a few that utilize virtual cards.
A medical cannabis card is essentially a license to use cannabis for medicinal purposes. So it is normal to imagine a card as being a physical instrument you carry in your wallet or purse. Patients need to carry their cards with them whenever they are in possession of their medicines. So it makes sense to make doing so as convenient as possible.
When a Utah patient enters the Beehive Farmacy in Salt Lake City, pharmacy personnel must verify eligibility. They ask to see the patient’s medical cannabis card. Only after the card is produced is the patient allowed entry. If that same patient were pulled over for a traffic violation on the way home, showing the police officer his card would ensure that there are no issues with his having cannabis in his possession.
States With Physical Cards Only
One would think that carrying a physical card would be the norm. That is not necessarily the case. There are some states that issue only physical cards. They include Alabama, Michigan, and Oklahoma. Their cards are similar to photo IDs and are mailed to patients upon approval.
Florida and Pennsylvania are two states that issue physical cards but still provide a temporary digital card. The goal is to give patients immediate access so medical cannabis while they wait for their physical cards to arrive in the mail. A digital card can be carried on a mobile device. A patient could even print out the digital card on paper.
States With Digital Cards Only
Some states keep everything in the digital realm. Utah is one of them. According to Beehive Farmacy personnel, all medical cannabis cards in the state are issued digitally. Patients received their cards via email. They can also go into their electronic verification system (EVS) accounts at any time to retrieve copies of their cards.
Utah patients can choose between printing their digital cards on paper or storing them on their phones. It is a great middle-ground scenario that accommodates both the technologically minded and those who prefer old-school paper documents.
States With Virtual Card Programs
Most states use some combination of physical and digital medical cannabis cards. But there are three states that rely on virtual card programs. In other words, they do not issue medical cannabis cards specifically. Rather, medical cannabis eligibility is linked to a patient’s state ID.
The three virtual states are Minnesota, Virginia, and Texas. Upon approval, a patient in one of these states is granted permission to purchase, possess, and consume medical cannabis. That patient would have to produce his state-issued ID at the time of purchase.
If there were any questions during a traffic stop, the attending police officer would run the patient’s ID to verify medical cannabis eligibility. Everything is tied to that state ID so that no secondary card is needed.
No Card, No Cannabis
Medical cannabis card issuance varies by state. Yet all state programs have one thing in common: possessing and consuming medical cannabis without a valid card isn’t allowed. Cards are part of the program in every state with legal medical cannabis.
Does your state utilize physical cards? Perhaps your lawmakers decided that digital cards were a better way to go. It is all good.
