CLEVELAND — How do you buy medical marijuana in Ohio? It's a question many are asking since it became legal and then available in our state. Ohioans looking to buy medical marijuana (legally) in Ohio need to have one of the state’s qualifying conditions be registered patients in Ohio’s Medical Marijuana Control Program.
Three Simple Steps
If you think you could be a medical marijuana patient:
- Visit a doctor who is certified to recommend medical marijuana to create a profile in the Patient and Caregiver Registry
- Complete the sign-up/registration process online
- Buy medical marijuana from one of Ohio’s dispensaries
Who qualifies for medical marijuana?
If you have any of the following conditions, you might be eligible for a medical marijuana card:
- AIDS
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Cachexia
- Cancer
- Chronic Traumatic encephalopathy
- Crohn’s Disease
- Epilepsy or another seizure disorder
- Fibromyalgia
- Glaucoma
- Hepatitis C
- Huntington’s Disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Chronic, severe, intractable pain
- Parkinson’s Disease
- HIV positive
- PTSD
- Sickle Cell Anemia
- Spasticity
- Spinal cord disease or injury
- Terminal Illness
- Tourette syndrome
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Ulcerative colitis
What makes a patient?
Ohio residents need to get a “recommendation” for medical marijuana from a doctor who has been certified by the state to recommend patients for the program. There are no prescriptions for medical marijuana like you would get for more traditional forms of medicine or treatment. Not every doctor can recommend.
You can find a full list of physicians who are certified to recommend medical marijuana here
Be ready to provide the physician with your medical records and history. They will need to confirm that you’ve sought treatment for your condition through more traditional methods and that medical marijuana is a last resort.
Costs
- $250-$300 for a doctor's visit to get a medical marijuana recommendation
- $50 to activate a patient registry card
Becoming a patient can be expensive before even purchasing medical marijuana because the process is not covered by insurance. Most doctor appointments often cost between $250-$300, although some discounts often are available for veterans and senior citizens.
When the registration expires a year after it is first issued, patients will need to pay for another doctor visit and another $50 registration fee.
RELATED: The new push to make marijuana legal in Ohio
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