Why You Should Renew Your Medical Marijuana Card Before CA Recreational Legalization

With Proposition 64 on the California ballot, many are questioning whether they should renew their medical marijuana card before recreational legalization. Here are several reasons why doing so might be in your best interest.

Access to Better Quality Medicine

After the recreational marijuana law is passed, those with valid medical marijuana cards will still have access to medical dispensaries, even if no recreational dispensaries are present. Your medical card ensures access to a wider range of medicinal strains, which can be crucial for ongoing therapeutic needs. Recreational dispensaries may offer a limited selection compared to medical dispensaries, where products are more closely regulated and often more potent.

Financial Tax Savings

Renewing your medical card now can provide significant financial benefits. For instance, in Oregon (OR) and Colorado (CO), medical patients often receive discounts on marijuana purchases. Additionally, owning a medical card can lead to lower sales tax, potentially saving you up to 14% on your purchases, which can amount to a substantial amount over time.

Growing Limits and Cultivation

As a medical marijuana card holder, you can legally grow up to 100 square feet of plants, compared to the 6 plant limit for recreational growers. This is a significant advantage, especially if you are looking to cultivate a wider variety of strains for personal use. Furthermore, when you grow your own cannabis, it circumvents the potentially lower quality and consistency of recreational marijuana strains.

Regulatory and Local Differences

While some counties in California are proactively setting up their own regulations for recreational marijuana, others could delay or even block the implementation. Your medical card ensures access to a more regulated supply of higher-quality marijuana, which is invaluable. Additionally, obtaining your medical card now can help you save a 25% tax on your purchases in some jurisdictions.

Disadvantages and Considerations

Renewing a medical card might not always be the best decision if you only purchase marijuana one or two times per year. The cost of obtaining and maintaining a medical card and visiting a doctor might not justify the small savings in some cases. However, in many regions, the benefits of a medical card outweigh the costs, particularly in terms of accessing a wider variety of strains and higher quality marijuana.

For those in Colorado (CO), the product selection on the medical side is significantly different and usually much more varied, offering a wider range of options and potentially more potent strains than recreational dispensaries. The medical marijuana market is more robust and closely regulated, leading to better quality and a greater array of options for patients.

Conclusion

Given the advantages of having a medical marijuana card in an area where recreational legalization is imminent, it is wise to renew your card before the new law takes effect. This ensures access to better quality medicine, potential tax savings, and the ability to grow more plants for personal use. While there are some considerations to keep in mind, the benefits of a medical card often make it the smarter choice for those in medically legitimate need.