You are a Utah Medical Cannabis Card holder planning a visit from out-of-state family members. It is going to be a great time. However, you are not quite sure if those family members can use your medicine while they are in town. And if not, can they buy their own?
There are a number of different issues in play here. We will try to break it down for you in simple terms. The place to start is understanding that it is illegal to carry Medical Cannabis products containing THC across state lines. So no, your guests cannot bring their own medicines with them.
In terms of family members using medicine that you bought with your card, that’s not allowed either. Your card is your card; it extends Medical Cannabis eligibility only to you. You can’t let anyone else use your medicine. That includes immediate family members living in your house. They have to get their own cards to stay legal.
So, do you have any other options? Yes. Thankfully, Utah lawmakers have made it possible for out-of-state visitors to obtain temporary Medical Cannabis Cards good for 21 days. Hopefully, that’s enough to cover your family members’ upcoming visit.
Again, your visiting family members can apply for their own Medical Cannabis Cards prior to arrival. Each card is good for 21 days. In addition, the state allows two non-resident cards per year. Maybe your family is visiting in August. They have plans to come back around Christmas time. No worries, they can get cards covering both visits.
They can also get two non-resident cards back-to-back. For example, let’s say they are coming for the entire month of August. They could apply for two cards, via separate applications, to give them access to Medical Cannabis for the entire month.
Getting a temporary non-resident card is not a big deal. Your guests just have to go to the state’s website, create an account, and submit an online application. The state will review the application and, if approved, send the card electronically. Just know that it can take 10 to 14 days. Your guests need to apply well ahead of their visits so that they get their cards in time.
Things are never as easy as they seem when you are dealing with government, right? Well, Medical Cannabis for visiting out-of-state guests is no different. There is one caveat to getting a non-resident card: a person needs to have a valid Medical Cannabis Card from their state of residence.
Let’s say they are visiting from Oklahoma. Your dad will need a valid Oklahoma Medical Cannabis Card in order to apply for a non-resident card in Utah. He’ll also have to upload a digital copy of that card when he submits the Utah application.
It is a hassle, but it’s better than nothing. Utah is good about offering limited reciprocity in this regard. Some states don’t offer reciprocity in any form. If you do not live there, you are flat out of luck. At least visitors to Utah can get temporary non-resident cards.
There is one last thing to know here. Your out-of-town guests must also be diagnosed with a qualifying condition already on the Utah list. Possessing a valid card from their state of residence will not help them if Utah doesn’t recognize their qualifying conditions.
So now you know. Your out-of-town family members can legally use Medical Cannabis in Utah with a temporary non-resident card.
