Qualifying for a medical marijuana card in Nevada

Interested in using cannabis for a medical condition? If you live in Nevada, you might be eligible for a medical cannabis certification. As one of the many states (22, in fact) that have legalized both medical and adult-use cannabis, Nevada offers the best of both worlds. 

So what is the advantage of obtaining a card, and who exactly qualifies for one? We’ll break down all the details you need to know before starting your medical marijuana card application.

Who qualifies for medical cannabis in Nevada?

As in most other states, residents must be diagnosed with one or more qualifying medical conditions in order to become medical marijuana cardholders. The qualifying conditions in Nevada include the following:

• • Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
• • Anxiety disorders
• • Autism spectrum disorder
• • An autoimmune disease
• • Anorexia nervosa
• • Cancer
• • Dependence upon or addiction to opioids
• • Glaucoma
• • Cachexia
• • Muscle spasms, including those caused by multiple sclerosis
• • Seizures, including those caused by epilepsy
• • Nausea
• • Severe or chronic pain
• • A medical condition related to the human immunodeficiency virus
• • A neuropathic condition

If approved, can I grow my own medical marijuana plants at home?

While not all medical cannabis patients can cultivate their own plants at home, there are certain exceptions that allow for this. According to Nevada state law, you may grow your own medical marijuana for the following reasons:

1. 1. If your county does not have a medical cannabis dispensary, or there is no dispensary within 25 miles
2. 2. If there was no dispensary within 25 miles of your home when you first applied for a card, and there has been no lapse in your registration
3. 3. If you cannot travel to the dispensary due to illness or lack of transportation
4. 4. If the medical dispensaries in your county do not have the cannabis strain necessary for your condition

If you are eligible for home cultivation, then you are permitted to possess 12 plants at a time.

What are the medical marijuana laws in Nevada?

Yes, there are laws that medical cannabis patients have to follow, just like recreational users (although in some cases, the laws differ between the two). The following are some medical cannabis regulations you should familiarize yourself with:

• • Possession: You may possess up to 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana in a 14-day period, and a maximum of 12 cannabis plants (as noted above). However this cannabis is for personal use only, and it is against the law to deliver marijuana to another person, even if they are a cardholder.
• • Consumption: It is illegal to use medical marijuana in a public space or detention facility, county jail or state prison. 
• • Operating under the influence: It is unlawful to be under the influence of cannabis* while driving, operating or controlling a vehicle or vessel under the power of sail. This includes operating an aircraft, as well as water skiing, surfing, or using any similar device.
• • Amusement rides: It is unlawful to embark on an amusement ride under the influence of marijuana.
• • Firearms possession: You cannot have physical possession of a firearm while under the influence of marijuana.

*The illegal amount of cannabis is 10 nanograms per milliliter of urine and 2 nanograms per milliliter of blood.

What are the benefits of getting a medical marijuana card in Nevada?

Truth: there are several benefits to becoming a medical marijuana patient in Nevada, including cost savings and looser possession and purchasing laws. Below are some of the perks in more detail.

You can save money on taxes.

While recreational users must pay a 10% excise tax on cannabis products, medical card holders are exempt from this tax. Now that’s what we call a great deal!

You can purchase more cannabis at once.

Adult-use consumers can purchase a maximum of one ounce of marijuana at a time, but medical patients are permitted 2.5 ounces in a 14-day period.

You can possess (and grow) more cannabis.

You can possess 2.5 ounces of cannabis at a time, while recreational users are permitted one ounce total. The law is also less strict for patients as it relates to cultivation: recreational users may grow up to six plants per person or 12 plants per residence; but medical users who qualify may cultivate 12 plants per person.

You have access to higher potency products.

Products sold for adult use contain a maximum of 100 mg of THC. However, dispensaries can sell products with higher potencies solely for medical marijuana patients.

Interested in applying for a medical cannabis card? Contact our Nevada cannabis clinic.

Think you’re ready to take the next step? We’re here to guide you through the process. Book an appointment today for a medical evaluation with our Nevada marijuana clinic. We’ll answer all your questions and help you get started!