Over three-dozen states have approved medical cannabis over the last 30 years. The District of Columbia and several U.S. territories have joined them. In each case, lawmakers have established purchase and possession limits to prevent medical cannabis from turning into a free-for-all.
It is important to know and understand those limits before buying medical cannabis for the first time. And in fact, the limits still apply to future purchases as well. Medical cannabis may be legal in your state, but it’s still illegal to purchase or possess more than the law allows. Just be aware.
Why Limits Are in Place
Whether states with recreational programs limit purchase and possession under such programs, limits apply to medical programs for some very good reasons. Here are just two of them:
- Curbing Diversion – State lawmakers do not want people getting medical cannabis cards in order to divert legal products to the illegal market. In other words, they don’t want cardholders buying cannabis and then selling it to people without cards.
- Consumption Consistency – Lawmakers also want to ensure consistent consumption among patients. Like any other prescription medication, cannabis needs to be used consistently and under the supervision of a medical provider to maintain optimum efficacy.
The regulations in most medical cannabis states call for electronic tracking to monitor purchase amounts. Utah’s electronic verification system (EVS) is a good example. Pharmacists must enter purchase information into the system whenever products are dispensed. Regulators closely track the data.
What Happens if Limits Are Exceeded
As long as medical cannabis patients do things by the book, exceeding purchase and possession limits is difficult. But there are ways to circumvent the rules. What happens then? If a legitimate card holder is found possessing or consuming medical cannabis over and above state limits, there could be consequences:
- A loss of card privileges
- A denial of future purchases
- Financial penalties
Note that state limits are often framed as rolling amounts. In other words, a patient is allowed to purchase enough medical cannabis to last a month. At any moment in time, he cannot possess more than the said amount. So both purchase and possession limits roll with the calendar.
Utah’s Limits as an Example
Perhaps it would be easier to understand the rolling limit concept by looking at a real-world example. We will go back to Utah for the data. According to BeehiveMed.com, an organization that helps patients obtain Utah medical cards in Brigham City and Salt Lake City, here are the limits under state law:
- Cannabis Flower – Up to 113 grams within a 30-day period.
- THC Products – Up to 20 grams (THC) within a 30-day period.
- Other – Utah medical providers enter a monthly limit in the EVS. If it is lower than the state limit, a patient must still adhere to it.
Each state with medical cannabis regulates it differently. It is up to the patient to find out what their state limits are prior to purchasing.
Limits Are for the Patient’s Good
It’s easy to look at medical cannabis purchase and possession limits as just another way the government interferes with personal freedom. But the limits are for the patient’s good. Every other prescription drug is limited to some degree. Patient safety is always at the center of such limits.
If you are new to medical cannabis and planning to make your first purchase in the near future, do yourself a favor and brush up on purchase and possession limits. Adhere to those limits and you will not have anything to worry about.
