Most Frequently Asked Questions About Getting a Medical Marijuana Card in Ohio
The Ohio Medical Board has approved 25 conditions for treatment with medical marijuana. To figure out whether or not you are eligible, review the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana.
Our team of medical marijuana doctors helps patients across the state of Ohio obtain their medical marijuana cards. With locations in all major Ohio cities and telemed evaluations now available, our doctors are here to help you through the process. Give us a call at (866) 457-5559 if you’d like to find out more information about how you can get your medical marijuana card in Ohio.
Ohio Marijuana Card cannot guarantee approval of your medical marijuana card. A certified medical marijuana doctor must make a determination whether or not an individual patient will receive a recommendation for medical marijuana following an examination. However, we will do whatever possible to help you get approved, including sending requests on your behalf to obtain your medical records.
To increase the likelihood of a doctor recommendation for medical cannabis, we recommend sending your medical records to us as soon as possible after you make your appointment. We will review them ahead of time and determine whether additional medical records are needed. Obtaining your medical records for a marijuana evaluation is easy, but if you are having trouble, we can help you obtain these records from other doctors that you have visited in the past.
With many hospitals and medical centers offering online access to your medical records, the process of obtaining your records has never been easier. You can access systems, such as MyChart, to pull your after-visit summaries or treatment notes. If you're having trouble finding your medical records, our team is here to help you every step of the way. We have a dedicated Medical Records Retrieval Team with expertise in obtaining your medical records on your behalf, avoiding those unnecessary print fees and often expediting the process. We can send a medical records request digitally to your email for signature, so you can complete this whole process from the comfort of your own home!
Some doctors charge far too much just for an initial examination. We feel strongly that if you qualify for medical marijuana, you shouldn't have trouble accessing it due to the cost for a marijuana card. We offer medical marijuana evaluation discounts for veterans, as well as SSI / SSDI recipients. After the first appointment, all required follow-ups are free for 12 months.
No, growing your own medical marijuana plants (home cultivation) is prohibited under Ohio medical marijuana laws. Medical marijuana must be purchased at a state-licensed dispensary.
Once you have obtained a medical marijuana recommendation from a certified doctor and received your Ohio marijuana card, you'll be able to purchase a variety of cannabis products at any of the licensed dispensaries located throughout the state of Ohio. The number of operational dispensaries is expanding, and most people in Ohio live within a 30-minute drive or less.
Additionally, we have created valuable patient resources including Best Dispensary Prices, Dispensary Discounts & Deals, and Dispensary Menus.
A medical marijuana patient caregiver is an individual that has registered with the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to purchase, possess, and administer medical marijuana to a patient with an active medical marijuana card. Each patient can designate up to two caregivers, and an individual can serve as a caregiver for up to two patients. Patients under the age of 18 are required by the State to have an active caregiver serving.*
*In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy recently passed temporary guidelines where patients can now have a maximum of three caregivers, and an individual can claim up to three patients to serve.
If you are interested in becoming a patient caregiver or registering a caregiver for someone with a medical condition that qualified, give us a call and we'll be sure to help! The process is simple, and in minutes you can be registered as a medical marijuana patient caregiver. There is a $25 fee associated with registering for your caregiver card that will be electronically paid to the Ohio Board of Pharmacy.
Unfortunately, the answer is yes, they can. Ohio does not provide protection to medical marijuana patients from employee drug testing. It will be left to the discretion of each employer whether they wish to recognize an employee's medical marijuana approval as an exemption to company drug testing policies. It is advised to be forthright with your intentions to medicate with medical cannabis and provide assurance that during work hours, you will not be impaired by THC. Medical-grade CBD that does not have the psychoactive effects associated with THC can be utilized providing the relief needed throughout your work day.
Due to federal restrictions, it is still illegal for an individual to hold both a CCW and a medical marijuana card in the state of Ohio. While the database for CCWs and the medical marijuana program's Patient Registry system are not cross-referenceable, when purchasing a firearm an ATF form must be filled out. This includes Question 11-E: "Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance? The use or possession of marijuana remains unlawful under Federal Law regardless of whether it has been legalized or decriminalized for medicinal or recreational purposes in the state where you reside." It is always best to consult with a lawyer regarding the technicalities surrounding cannabis and a CCW.
The privacy of our patients is a top priority of ours, so we make sure all medical marijuana patient information is kept confidential in our HIPAA compliant file storage system.
With regards to the Ohio Board of Pharmacy's Patient Registry system, only your recommending physician, dispensaries, and Ohio Board of Pharmacy will have access to this system - no information is allowed to be shared. This means that police will not be able to verify an active medical marijuana card unless the patient discloses that information. It is important to note that all of a patient's prescribing physicians outside of the OMMCP will have access to the Rx reporting system, OARRS. This system is responsible for tracking all medical marijuana purchases from dispensaries in addition to prescription drugs. An OARRS login allows your doctors to see that you are a medical marijuana patient in Ohio.
A Telemedicine appointment with an Ohio marijuana doctor can be scheduled online or by calling (866) 457-5559. Payment is due prior to the appointment. A copy of your medical records and valid Ohio I.D. is also required for your marijuana evaluation. When you see one of our medical marijuana doctors online, you can get a medical cannabis recommendation right from the comfort of your home!
A full refund will be issued if the appointment is canceled 24 hours before the scheduled time, and there has been no OMC medical record department assistance in obtaining medical records. If the medical record team has sent record requests on behalf of the patient, there will be a $50 fee deducted from the refund. Appointments canceled less than 24 hours prior to scheduled appointment time will not be entitled to a refund, but you may re-book for another time at no charge.
No refund will be available if the patient misses their appointment without notifying OMC ahead of time. However, they will have the option of rebooking the evaluation appointment for a charge of $50.
Ohio cannabis dispensaries are all over the state, and more are preparing to open. Most people live within a 30 minute drive of their nearest dispensary, and many are closer. To find the dispensary nearest you, take a look at our Ohio marijuana dispensary map.
The Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program has set caps on the amount of marijuana that can be purchased by a medical marijuana patient or caregiver daily, as well as within a 90-day period. The amounts vary by the form of medical marijuana being purchased. Be sure to take a look at our page dedicated to medical marijuana purchasing limits in Ohio, to get clarification on what your limits are and how they are broken down by format.
Ohio cannabis dispensaries will be selling marijuana flower and plant material, but you are expected to only use these products for vaporizing. The Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program has strictly banned the smoking of medical marijuana. That said, many patients quickly discover the many benefits of vaporizing medical marijuana and put aside their unhealthy smoking habit.
In addition to cannabis concentrate and flower for vaporizing, Ohio medical marijuana dispensaries will also have a variety of other cannabis products, from tinctures to edibles, creams and oils.
The cost of medical marijuana will be set by each dispensary. Many patients have complained about the cost in the past. However, with new cannabis dispensaries opening regularly in Ohio, competition is driving medical marijuana prices down.
We regularly update a dedicated page that houses the best cannabis dispensary prices in Ohio, product-by-product, so be sure to check that out!
Delivery of medical marijuana will not be available in Ohio. However, a patient's registered caregiver can buy medical marijuana from a dispensary on behalf of a patient and deliver the medication to the patient's home. Additionally, the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program is regularly reviewing its policies, and rules may change in the future.
Your status as a medical marijuana patient is between you, your marijuana doctor, and your other prescribing physicians. Your employer will only know you have a card if you tell them, and there may be some restrictions on obtaining a concealed carry permit (we strongly advise discussing this with your attorney). If you work at a job that regularly tests for THC, then you'll want to discuss your intention to use medical marijuana with your employer.
For most medical marijuana patients in Ohio, however, the main consequence of having a marijuana card is feeling your best through the healing powers of natural medicine!
A medical marijuana card allows you to shop at any cannabis dispensary in Ohio and purchase a variety of medical marijuana products. All you need to do is make an appointment with a marijuana doctor—we even offer appointments with mmj doctors online—and send your application and fee to the Patient Registry. Most patients will get their approval from the OMMCP online the same day. Once you are approved, you can print your Ohio marijuana card, keep a copy on your phone, or order a plastic patient I.D. card that you'll show every time you visit a dispensary. It's that simple!
What can you get at an Ohio medical marijuana dispensary?
The inventory at Ohio medical marijuana dispensaries is always expanding! At most locations, you can find dried flower in a variety of strains; vape cartridges and vape pens; edibles including gummies, chocolates and pastries; topicals including soothing gels, lotions and patches; tinctures; concentrates for dabbing; and more!