MEDICAL CANNABIS CARD
I often hear that patients are worried about being on a “list”. This can and does create a lot of fear over losing privacy – as it should. So, here are a few key points to help clarify what is really going on:
1. There is a “State/County” Card. This is always issued by the local county where the patient resides. It is NOT MANDATORY. This is a voluntary card.
2. When you see a Cannabis Physician, you receive the “Doctor Letter”. This letter enables the patient to visit any Dispensary in the State of California. It also allows you to purchase the VOLUNTARY Card.
3. In my experience, both the police and dispensaries in Southern California better recognize the Physician Letter. Additionally, often even if a dispensary “accepts” the card, they still want to see the letter.
4. The “List” is generated only when a patient purchases the card.
5. So, save $150, save a trip to the county and remain private.
6. The only significant exception to the above is for growers of cannabis who distribute their medicine to other patients. You should wear the state card around your neck when transporting medicine. This quickly tells law enforcement to stop and think….generally a good idea anyway. :)
I realize that many people believe that the basic ID for Medical Cannabis is the “card”; in fact it is the letter that physicians create. I hope all of this helps.