Steps to Getting an Illinois Medical Marijuana Card

Illinois legalized both recreational and medical use of marijuana. It was the eleventh state in the nation to legalize recreational use on Jan. 1, 2020. The state's compassionate use of the medical marijuana pilot program act came into effect in 2013. Since 2014, however, the state's Medical Cannabis Patient Program has been enrolling qualifying patients. By reading this, you will learn how to get an Illinois medical cannabis card.

Medical Marijuana Sales
Medical marijuana retailers can learn a lot from MMJ dispensaries in Illinois. One of the most important lessons to learn is how to leverage technology to manage the demand and supply of medical cannabis. Technology is easing many pain points for MMJ patients. If you want to learn how to get an Illinois medical cannabis card, consider checking out authoritative sites.

Learn How to Get an Illinois Medical Cannabis Card
The first thing you need to do is determine whether you are suffering from a qualifying medical condition. You also need to decide whether or not you qualify for a medical cannabis card. To do so, consider the following questions:

• Do you have a doctor's diagnosis for one of the qualifying medical conditions?
• Are you 18 years of age or older?
• Are you a legal resident of the state with proof of residency?
• If you are a minor, do you have certification from two physicians and an adult caregiver?

If your answer to these questions is yes, you should talk to a licensed Illinois MMJ doctor to get a recommendation. If you choose to use a service from a reputable provider, your application process will be much easier. You simply need to sign up, answer a few pertinent questions, and then book an appointment with a medical marijuana doctor.

Schedule an Appointment With a Medical Marijuana Doctor
This is the first step to getting a medical marijuana card in Illinois. The doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms. He or she will also review your medical history. If he or she agrees that medical cannabis is a good option for you, the doctor will fill out a Physician Certification Form and give it to you. You will then need to submit it online after filling in your personal information.

Fill Out the Patient Application
Potential medical cannabis patients in Illinois need to fill out an online patient application. The state no longer uses paper application forms for its medical cannabis cards. If you are a caregiver looking for a medical cannabis card for a minor, however, you will have to fill out a written application form and mail it in.

Choose a Medical Cannabis Dispensary and Pay the Application Fee
In Illinois, only 55 dispensaries have the license to sell medical marijuana. As you apply for a medical marijuana card, therefore, you will need to choose one of these dispensaries. This will allow you to make purchases from your chosen dispensary without paying the state's additional recreational taxes.

Finally, you need to pay the application fee, which is $100 for one year. This fee is non-refundable, and you can pay it by debit or credit card on your online application. However, if you receive Social Security Disability Income, you may qualify for a 50 per cent reduction on the fee. The same applies to military veterans and those receiving Supplemental Security Income.

Sources:
www.veriheal.com/illinois/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/lauraheller/2020/02/20/retailers-have-a-lot-to-learn-from-illinois-dispensaries-and-40b-in-cannabis-sales/