Utah regulations require all patients wishing to use Medical Cannabis to have a valid Medical Cannabis card. Patients are not allowed to purchase cannabis products and give them to others, especially friends and family members who do not have valid cards themselves. Patients cannot even give cannabis to out-of-state visitors. But out-of-state visitors can apply for a non-Utah resident card.
Are you aware of the non-Utah resident Medical Cannabis Card? The card didn’t exist back when our state first implemented its Medical Cannabis program. It was added after the fact, to make it easier for Medical Cannabis patients from other states to continue using their medications when they visit Utah.
A non-Utah resident card essentially gives out-of-state visitors temporary access to Medical Cannabis here. The process for obtaining a card is very similar to the process Utah residents complete. Requirements are virtually the same as well. The only significant difference is the duration of a non-resident card.
Let’s say your family visits from Oklahoma. One of your family members has a valid card from Oklahoma. That card is not recognized in Utah, but your family member can apply for a non-Utah resident card. If granted, the card would give your family member the opportunity to use Medical Cannabis for up to 21 days of a single stay.
Non-residents can apply for cards twice per year. However, expiration dates are not extendable or negotiable. A non-Utah resident card is good for 21 days and that’s it. Those 21 days are consecutive as well. A visitor could not use it for a week in July, then another in August, and a third in September.
In order to apply for a non-Utah resident Medical Cannabis Card, an out-of-state visitor must have a qualifying condition recognized by state regulations. The most commonly cited conditions in the Beehive State are chronic pain, PTSD, seizure disorders, and cancer. The out-of-state visitor must also possess a valid card from their home state.
The process for applying begins with a visit to the UtahID website where the visitor will create an account and furnish ID information. Once an ID account has been established, the visitor can log on to Utah’s Electronic Verification System (EVS) to complete the non-Utah resident Medical Cannabis Card application.
Visitors are required to provide information about their medical conditions and existing cards. Once completed and submitted (along with the application fee), a visitor’s application is reviewed by the DHHS before approval or denial. It can take up to three weeks for the DHHS to respond. Therefore, we suggest visitors apply at least a month before their arrival. They are required to pick a date on which the card becomes valid. It will expire 21 days later.
One final thing you should know is that the non-Utah resident Medical Cannabis Card does not give out of town visitors permission to bring cannabis into the state from elsewhere. Transporting Medical Cannabis across state lines is not allowed.
That means an out-of-state visitor with a valid non-resident card must purchase their medications from a state-licensed Medical Cannabis pharmacy. Visitors cannot take cannabis out of the state, either. So everything purchased here must be consumed here.
State lawmakers approved the non-Utah resident card to make it easier for out-of-town guests to continue treating their qualifying medical conditions while visiting the state. Thanks to the non-resident card program, your friends and family members can visit you in Utah without having to worry about their medications. Schedule an appointment with Utah Marijuana to get your non-resident card!
