In order to legally purchase medical cannabis at either Beehive Farmacy location, you need to possess a valid medical cannabis card. Here is the thing: when we talk about medical cannabis cards in Utah, we are generally referring to a single type of card issued to most patients. But it is not the only card available in the Beehive state. There are actually four types of cards:
- Patient card.
- Minor/guardian card.
- Caregiver card.
- Non-Utah resident card.
The chances are pretty good that you are only familiar with the first card on the list. Patient cards make up the vast majority of all those issued in the state. Still, it is helpful to be aware of all four card types. So let’s talk about them in greater detail.
1. Patient Card
The patient card is the medical cannabis card issued to adult patients responsible for their own healthcare choices. Imagine a fictional patient by the name of John. John is a fully capable adult who suffers from chronic pain. He works a full-time job, has a family, and takes care of all his own needs. His medical cannabis card is a patient card.
Utah makes patient cards available to adults with qualifying conditions and a medical provider’s recommendation. Patient cards are good for one year and must be renewed annually thereafter.
2. Minor/Guardian Card
The minor/guardian card is actually two cards in one. We have listed them together because you cannot have one without the other. This two-card combo is intended for minors who need medical cannabis and the adult guardians responsible for their healthcare.
The minor card is a provisional card that can only be issued after successfully petitioning Utah’s Compassionate Use Board. This is because state law prohibits minors from consuming cannabis under any other circumstances. The Compassionate Use Board must look at every minor’s case individually and decide based on its merits.
Because minors cannot legally purchase medical cannabis, legal guardians must do it for them. That is the purpose of the guardian card. The guardian card gives an adult the legal right to purchase medical cannabis on behalf of an approved minor. If the guardian wishes to use medical cannabis as well, they must obtain a separate patient card.
3. Caregiver Card
Some medical cannabis patients with valid patient cards cannot take care of themselves well enough to obtain their medicines independently. They need a caregiver to purchase medical cannabis on their behalf. Therein lies the purpose of the caregiver card.
Note that both caregiver and patient must have valid cards. And just as with the guardian card, a caregiver wishing to use medical cannabis must have a separate patient card as well. A caregiver card does not afford the legal right to consume cannabis; only purchase it on behalf of someone else.
4. Non-Utah Resident Card
Rounding out the list is the non-Utah resident card. This card is intended for out-of-state visitors planning to spend a limited amount of time in Utah. The cards are issued for 21 days, and an out-of-state visitor can apply for up to two cards per year. Out-of-state visitors can neither bring cannabis into Utah nor use a family member or friend’s patient card to purchase medical cannabis.
So there you have it. The state of Utah issues four different types of medical cannabis cards based on need. If you would like to know more about each one, you will find plenty of information on the state’s medical cannabis website. You can always ask our staff, too. They should be able to answer most questions.
