How to Get a Utah Medical Marijuana Card in 2022
Are you interested in getting a Medical Marijuana Card in Utah? You’ve come to the right place. We hope this article acts as a valuable guide to help you understand the process of applying for your MMJ Card. We keep this information up to date to make sure it is accurate and makes your journey as simple as possible. Keep reading to find out more. Please note: medical cannabis certificates can only be renewed online via telehealth in Utah at the moment. Initial medical marijuana evaluations must take place in-person.
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Getting a Utah Medical Marijuana Card Online
Medical Marijuana in Utah is getting increasingly accessible, meaning it’s simpler than ever to obtain a Medical Marijuana Card for those who need access to quality products through legal and reliable dispensaries. As of 1 March 2020, patients are able apply to apply online and renew their Medical Marijuana Card. Unfortunately, it is only possible to renew your medical cannabis certification online in Utah with Leafwell at the moment.
In recent months Utah has started to open up dispensaries, and they are allowed to stay open during the Coronavirus crisis. The laws surrounding telehealth have also been loosened to some extent, so it has become possible to speak to a physician online about medical cannabis certification.
As a telehealth platform helping people easily obtain their medical marijuana cards, Leafwell has helped our clients quickly and securely renew their Utah Medical Marijuana Card online. We’ve put together this valuable guide which will answer all your questions and help individuals living in Utah understand the importance of applying for their Utah MMJ Card via the easy, HIPAA-compliant process offered by Leafwell’s telemedicine platform. You can visit our Ultimate Guide to Getting a Medical Marijuana Card for more general information.
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Who Can Apply?
To apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in Utah, you must be a legal resident of Utah.
Patients must be aged 21 or over in order to apply for a medical marijuana card for themselves. Minors can apply but need to apply for a Medical Cannabis Guardian Card and a Provisional Patient Card. If you are aged 18-20 (not a minor but not old enough to apply either), you can qualify if the Compassionate Use Board recommends approval.
For those aged under 18 or those who need assistance with obtaining or dosing medical cannabis, a caregiver will need to be listed on the patient’s application form.
What Does an MMJ Card Permit in Utah?
As an MMJ Card holder in Utah, you are permitted to possess cannabis. However, there are some strict restrictions in place which you need to be aware of.
In any one 12-day period, patients may not purchase more than the lesser of:
- An amount sufficient to provide 14 days of treatment based on the dosing parameters that the relevant qualified medical provider (QMP) recommends; or
- 56 grams of unprocessed cannabis (flower); or
- More than a total of 10 grams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in medicinal form
If a qualifying patient’s primary residence is 100 miles or greater from a medical cannabis pharmacy or local health department, the rules are different. In any one 28-day period, patients may not purchase more than the lesser of:
- An amount sufficient to provide 30 days of treatment based on the dosing parameters that the relevant qualified medical provider (QMP) recommends; or
- 113 grams of unprocessed cannabis (flower); or
- More than a total of 20 grams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in medicinal form
Smoking cannabis is illegal in Utah, even for medical reasons. However, vaporizing is acceptable. The limits include:
- Tablet
- Capsule
- Concentrated oil
- Liquid suspension
- Transdermal preparation
- Gelatinous cube
- Unprocessed cannabis flower in a blister pack containing no more than one gram of flower pods in each individual blister
- Wax or resin*
*If a patient fails to substantially respond on two other forms listed, a qualified medical provider may recommend wax or resin.
The law prohibits any brownies, candies, cookies or other edible products, including unprocessed flowers outside of blister packs.
How do I Apply?
With Leafwell, you can renew your Utah Medical Marijuana Card with Leafwell simply and easily, by following these 3 steps:
1. Create a new account with Leafwell or log back into your existing account
If you previously used another provider, we can still see you to renew your certificate. However, we cannot see new patients at this time. The cost of the online consultation is $125. You are only billed if approved. You can speak to a doctor and renew your Utah medical marijuana card online.
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2. Receive your renewed Medical Cannabis Certificate from Leafwell
This is a certificate which says that your doctor recommends you as a continuing cannabis patient under the state’s current laws and this certificate is required to apply for your MMJ Card. At this stage, the physician you saw will go online and complete the recommendation and certificate process for medical marijuana.
3. Receive your renewed Medical Marijuana Card
If approved, you will receive a digitized version of your medical marijuana card by email. A physical card will follow in the mail. Your certificate will be valid for either 6 months or 1 year from the date of issue. Please note that the state will be emailing/mailing your medical marijuana card, not Leafwell.
What Does my Online Medical Marijuana Evaluation with Leafwell Include?
Your online medical marijuana evaluation with Leafwell is quick and easy. In order to get started, we’ll need you to provide us with some preliminary details. If you have medical records, please upload them – however these are not legally required. These are all passed securely to one of our registered practitioners who can familiarize themselves with your application before your consultation.
The consultation itself is simple and secure, taking place on our bespoke telemedicine platform. You will meet with a Utah registered practitioner who has experience issuing certificates for medical marijuana to patients for a range of medical issues. The registered practitioner will speak with you about why you are applying and ask some questions with regards to your medical conditions and history.
At the end of the consultation, the registered practitioner will be able to make an informed decision about whether they recommend the use of medical cannabis based on the medical information they have obtained. If an application is successful, the registered practitioner will complete the certification, ready to be uploaded as part of an application to the Utah government.
If an application is unsuccessful, you will not be charged for the consultation.
Once obtained, the renewed certification will last for either 6 months or 1 year
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How Much Does a Medical Marijuana Card Cost in Utah?
Remember, you cannot get your initial certificate with Leafwell online at this time. We only offer renewals.
The first renewal certificate is $125 and lasts 6 months. The second and all future renewal certificates are also $125, and last 1 year. However, if you do not qualify for an MMJ Card and our practitioner elects not to sign your certificate, you will not be charged. Please note that only renewals are allowed for online medical cannabis consultations via telehealth.
It costs $15 for the MMJ Card and application form, payable to the state. This is a non-refundable fee which must be paid every time you apply. Every time you renew, you will be required to meet with a state-licensed physician via a telemedicine platform like Leafwell and then renew your card via the state website.
There is no additional fee for applications which include a designated caregiver.
Insurance does not currently cover the cost of applying for an MMJ Card in Utah because cannabis is illegal at the federal level.
What Conditions Qualify for Medical Marijuana Cards in Utah?
According to Utah law in 2021, the following debilitating conditions may qualify you for a medical marijuana card in Utah:
- ALS aka Lou Gehrig’s Disease
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Autism
- Cancer
- Cachexia
- Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
- Epilepsy or debilitating seizures
- HIV/AIDS
- Multiple Sclerosis or persistent and debilitating muscle spasms
- Persistent Nausea that is not significantly responsive to traditional treatment
– Excludes nausea related to pregnancy, cannabis-induced cyclical vomiting syndrome (CVS), and cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome - PTSD
- 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 US, as defined by federal law, and that is not adequately managed despite treatment attempts using conventional medications 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 intervention.
Note that this list is up to date as of August 2021. Legislation or the Commissioner of Health may add additional conditions, at which time, Leafwell will update this list.
What Documents Do I Need to Apply for a Medical Cannabis Card?
In order to apply for your MMJ Card in Utah, you will need to show your signed certificate which provides proof of your condition as well as your identification documents. You should gather together the following:
- ID
- Proof of residency
- A signed certificate (which can be obtained via Leafwell)
Below are all of the acceptable forms these documents may take.
Acceptable ID
- Valid, unexpired Driver’s License
- State-produced Identification Card
- Passport
Note that out-of-state ID is not acceptable.
Acceptable proof of residency
- Utility bill
- Any correspondence with a state department
- Bank statement
- Mortgage or rental agreement
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Do I Need to Present my Medical Records to Leafwell?
No, it is not a legal requirement. Our healthcare providers do like to see records if you have them but if you do not, that doesn’t mean you cannot still apply for your renewal.
How Does a Caregiver Apply for a Medical Marijuana Card?
For those aged under 18 or those who need assistance with obtaining or dosing medical cannabis, a caregiver will need to be listed on the patient’s application form.
The process looks like this:
- Current medical cannabis patient designates caregiver online.
- Review the EVS user guide and apply online for a medical cannabis card.
- Pay medical cannabis card application fee online.
- Caregiver completes background check forms.
- Utah Department of Health (UDOH) reviews medical cannabis card application.
- Receive medical cannabis card.
- Purchase medical cannabis from a medical cannabis pharmacy.
Can a Qualifying Patient Grow Cannabis in Utah?
No. For the moment, it is not possible for a person to grow cannabis in Utah, even if they are a qualifying medical marijuana patient.
Are my Details Kept Confidential When I Apply for a Medical Marijuana Card?
Yes. Leafwell is committed to protecting the privacy of our patients. Our online service is HIPAA compliant and our systems are designed to keep all of your confidential details safe.
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Does Utah Have Medical Marijuana Reciprocity?
Some states accept out-of-state Medical Marijuana Cards. This is called reciprocity. The following states accept out-of-state medical cannabis cards:
- Alaska ^
- Arkansas *
- California ^
- Colorado ^
- Hawaii *
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Nevada
- Oklahoma *
- Oregon ^
- Puerto Rico
- Washington ^
- Washington D.C.
States marked with * require visitors to complete a visiting patient application for the duration of their stay.
States marked with ^ have adult use programs but do not accept out of state cards.
History of Medical Marijuana Legislation in Utah
Here is a brief overview of the history of medical marijuana laws in Utah:
- 1915 – Cannabis is banned
- March 2014 – House Bill 105 makes legal the use of low-THC CBD oil by registered patients with a physical recommendation and intractable epilepsy. However, buying the oil was still illegal
- February 2018 – House Bill 195 was passed which legalised the right to try and grow medical marijuana patients – for terminally ill patients only
- November 2018 – Utah Medical Cannabis Act passed – this include expectation for dispensaries to open by January 2021
- 1 March 2020 – Utah’s Department of Health begins issuing Medical Marijuana Cards
- 24 March 2020 – qualifying MMJ patients can use their certificates to purchase medical marijuana from licensed dispensaries (of which there are currently 2).
Utah Medical Marijuana Laws
Possession of any marijuana is considered a misdemeanor for everyone who is not a Medical Marijuana patient. If you are caught with less than one ounce of marijuana and no medical marijuana card, you could face up to 6 months in jail and a $1000 fine.
It is illegal to sell marijuana outside of the few authorised medical marijuana dispensaries in the state. It is a felony offence.
It is illegal to own or sell marijuana paraphernalia in Utah.
Useful Links
To find out more about getting a Medical Marijuana Card in Utah, get in touch with the expert team at Leafwell today or use any of these verified resources below:
- Government Resources
- FAQs on Department of Health Website
- Utah MMJ Laws
- Information about the Caregiver Program
- Utah’s Electronic Verification System
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