There has been a significant rise in the consumption of medicinal marijuana in recent years. With an extensive corpus of research backing the positive effects of marijuana, many states have legalized marijuana consumption.
However, going to a medical marijuana dispensary or choosing the right substance is a very confusing decision or choice to make. Therefore, we bring you the ultimate guide that would help newcomers and veterans to know everything they need to know to avail of services provided by Missouri medical marijuanas dispensaries.
Missouri Cannabis Laws For Dispensaries:
Given the nature of the substance, one of the first things which need o be discussed is the legality behind it. Therefore, before deciding anything regarding medical marijuana, you need to know more about the legal aspects behind it and whether your dispensary of choice is following those norms to the T.
In Missouri, everything regarding medical marijuana is controlled or regulated by the state’s Department of Health and Senior Services, or better known as DHSS. Every Missouri Medical Marijuanas dispensary located there has to operate in full compliance with the rules and regulations set forth by the organization. The summary of these rules and regulations is as follows:
- Every dispensary operating in the area must use certified cannabis POS and inventory management systems to submit and keep track of their inventory. Cova Software is one of the systems that is state approved.
- Every dispensary has to conduct physical audits quarterly to reconcile the numbers.
- Dispensaries are expected to use a system connected to METRC (Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting & Compliance). It is a state-wide tracking system that uses serialized tags attached to every plant to keep track of the movement of the plants. Again, Cova POS is seamlessly connected to METRC and makes the whole process more streamlined.
These are some of the regulations that the Missouri Medical Marijuanas dispensaries follow in order to conduct their business. Therefore, before making a choice, please make sure that your choice of dispensary follows the said protocols.
What To Expect In Your First Visit To The Medical Marijuana Dispensary?
Several Missouri health and wellness organizations have accepted the use of medical marijuana to deal with several kinds of diseases. The inclusion of this new method of treatment has opened up the avenue for newer horizons of treatment. Therefore, several individuals who have no experience with the substance or systems can find things to be overwhelming. This guide is for anyone who is visiting these dispensaries for the first time.
For most parts, visiting a medical marijuana dispensary is similar to visiting any other dispensary. You would find budtenders and representatives to help you through the experience. Moreover, we are also here to help you out with the process and ease your experience further.
Bring Your Identification Cards Or Documents:
Having your identification at hand is the foremost important thing for you. Whenever you are planning to visit the medical or recreational marijuana dispensary, make sure you bring some state-issued ID, passport, or any other government-issued photo ID showing you’re 21 or older. Meanwhile, if you are a medical user, you would have to carry your state-issued medical marijuana ID card. For more information on the latter, check out our FAQ section to know more about ‘Missouri medical Marijuanas card.’
Keep The Cash Handy:
Apart from the documents, having your cash is equally important. Every product that these dispensaries push is priced differently and has different potency. Moreover, most of these dispensaries are cash-only businesses.
The reason behind this is that banks were unwilling to extend their help/services to a business that operates in a legally grey area. Therefore, keeping your cash would ensure smooth business transactions.
Research:
Every dispensary does its business differently and offers different products; therefore, researching would surely help you to make a more informed choice. Websites like Leafly and WeedMaps are best when it comes to that. You can check out the ‘best Missouri dispensary near me’ to find all the details that you need. This would help you to plan your visit and properly choose the products that you want for usage.
Get Recommendations:
Take the help of your budtender. There is no one-size fit for all when it comes to selecting your marijuana. Therefore, taking help from an expert will cater to your needs better. Similar to a pharmacist, a budtender would learn about your situation and then would suggest you a product that is best suited for you. Apart from the kind, a budtender would also prescribe you the dosage that is needed. Therefore, do not be shy to seek help.
How To Get A Medical Marijuanas Card In Missouri?
In order to get yourself a medical marijuana card, you have to first become a medical cannabis patient in the state of Missouri. The patient can get their card online from the state’s medical cannabis portal. But first, you need to:
- First, meet with a licensed MD in order to get a clearance or a medical cannabis recommendation.
- Once you get the recommendation, begin registering yourself as a patient with the Department of Health and Senior Services.
- Complete your registration and pay the fee mandated by the state; at the time of writing, the fee was $25.
- You can even register yourself as a Missouri medical cannabis caregiver at this time. A medical cannabis caregiver is a person who is “authorized to buy, possess, cultivate, and dispense medicinal cannabis to up to three medical patients”.
What Are The Missouri Medical Marijuanas Card Rules?
The rules that one has to follow while registering are simple but very important. The following rules include:
- A standard physician certification form should be filled up by you if you are seeking the standard four-ounce per month dosage.
- If you seek a higher dosage, you have to consult two alternative physicians.
- If you are a minor, you would have to have a signed copy of the parent or legal guardian consent form.
- It can take up to 30 days for an application to be processed.
- Once the card is issued, the validity of the card is one year.
Wrap!
Here we are, with all the information you need in order to get your medical marijuana card and avail of all the facilities provided by the Missouri medical marijuanas dispensaries.
By adhering to the rules and the recommendations provided by the experts, buying marijuana has become hassle-free in the state of Missouri.
So, if you are somebody who is thinking of switching to marijuana for recreational or medicinal purposes, now is the best time to do so.
Additional Reading:
