THIS POST IS ONLY FOR THOSE 21+

After sharing my personal experience of getting my medical marijuana card and how it’s helped me on my Instagram stories I had SO many people ask exactly how I was able to get it. So by popular demand and In celebration of 4/20/2020 I decided to put together this quick five step guide outlining how to get your medical marijuana card in the State of Utah.

STEP 1: SEE IF YOU QUALIFY

See if your condition qualifies you for medical marijuana in Utah. Below is a list of conditions that qualify a person.

Qualifying conditions under the Utah Medical Cannabis Act are listed below:

• HIV or acquired immune deficiency syndrome
• Alzheimer’s disease
• amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• cancer
• cachexia
• persistent nausea that is not significantly responsive to traditional treatment, except for nausea related to:
  • pregnancy
  • cannabis-induced cyclical vomiting syndrome
  • cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome
• Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
• epilepsy or debilitating seizures
• multiple sclerosis or persistent and debilitating muscle spasms
• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that is being treated and monitored by a licensed health therapist (defined here), and that:
  • has been diagnosed by a healthcare provider by the Veterans Administration and documented in the patient’s record; or
  • has been diagnosed or confirmed by evaluation from a psychiatrist, doctorate psychologist, a doctorate licensed clinical social worker, or a psychiatric APRN
• autism
• a terminal illness when the patient’s life expectancy is less than six months
• a condition resulting in the individual receiving hospice care
• a rare condition or disease that affects less than 200,000 individuals in the U.S., as defined in federal law, and that is not adequately managed despite treatment attempts using conventional medications (other than opioids or opiates) or physical interventions
• pain lasting longer than two weeks that is not adequately managed, in the qualified medical provider’s opinion, despite treatment attempts using conventional medications other than opioids or opiates or physical interventions

STEP 2: FIND A PROVIDER

Once you’ve confirmed that you have a qualifying condition click the link below to be taken to an updated list of qualified medical marijuana providers. Then select your county to find a doctor near you.

NOTE: Try to find a doctor that specializes in your condition or at least something similar. Some doctors may be on the list of qualified providers but then be unable to prescribe for scenarios outside of their normal practice. For instance my doctor specializes in family practice and is unable to prescribe for PTSD as his clinic does not treat that condition. I’d suggest calling the practice and ask first if they still are prescribing medical marijuana cards as there IS A LIMIT to how many marijuana patients each provider can have. Then secondly be sure to check that the provider is able to treat your qualifying condition.

Providers

STEP 3: ATTEND DOCTORS APPOINTMENT(S)

Just because you get an appointment with a qualified medical marijuana doctor does not ensure you will be qualified immediately for medical marijuana. It is up to the doctors discretion whether you qualify or not and it may take multiple appointments before deciding that medical marijuana is your best option. With that being said be sure to TAKE A COPY OF YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS with you. Also keep in mind some providers DO ACCEPT INSURANCE, but NOT ALL. So if you have good insurance it may be worth calling around to find someone who accepts your insurance. I personally almost went to a provider charging $200 before I found my doctor who takes insurance.

IF YOU ARE APPROVED YOU CAN CURRENTLY START TO BUY MEDICAL MARIJUANA WITH JUST YOUR DOCTORS LETTER!

NOTE: There are stipulations with this. One being that you can only buy from one pharmacy. Another being you must pre register with the pharmacy and meet with a pharmacist prior to your first purchase. The pre registration process is basically just the pharmacy checking with your doctor to ensure that they did indeed write you a doctors letter however this process can take a few days.

STEP 4: MAKE AN EVS LOGIN & FILL OUT APPLICATION

The EVS or Electronic Verification System is where you will log into manage your medical marijuana card application. It is ran through the state so you will need to create a my Utah ID login first to then log into it. I’ve linked the EVS site below, once you click on it it will redirect you to sign up for the Utah ID login and then once you have that you will be able to create your online application. The application is easy and just requires your basic information. You will need a valid state ID or drivers license. Once you’re in you will be required to submit a copy of your doctors letter. After you’ve made your profile and submitted your doctors letter it will take a few days to a few weeks for your doctor to confirm it and then the state to process it so be ready to be patient especially in these Covid-19 times. However, keep in mind you ARE eligible to purchase with just your letter for the rest of the year and I think waiting times were part of the reason they did that!

STEP 5: FIND A PHARMACY

There are currently only TWO pharmacies up and running. One is Dragon Fly Wellness in Salt Lake City, UT and the other is Perfect Earth Modern Apothecary in Logan, UT.

I personally go to Dragonfly Wellness in Salt Lake City. I like it. It is clean. They have flower, edibles, rubs, tinctures and many other new products on the way. Their establishment is clean, modern, and ran well in these times of Covid-19. Do expect a bit of a wait thanks to the six foot social distancing for the health and safety of everyone. I personally happily waited about 20 minutes and was glad to because it meant that when it was my turn to shop I wasn’t going to be crowded by others. Their staff was very welcoming and knowledgeable and able to help me find what I was looking for.

NOTE: Dragonfly is a CASH ONLY business and as of last week they did not have an ATM there so plan accordingly. Oh, and don’t forget tax and the $3 fee per transaction.