Nearly every plant species in the world has its landrace varieties. Many animal species do as well. If you are guessing that cannabis has its own landrace strains, you’re right on the ball. Unfortunately, such strains are rare. They are exceedingly difficult to find these days, which is why they are so expensive.
The landrace principal is based on the concept of adaptation. No matter where you go in the world, local flora and fauna adapt to the natural environment. It is why you find different varieties of pine trees in upstate New York as opposed to central Florida. Cannabis is no exception to the adaptation rule. Different strains have grown in different parts of the world for millennia.
What you will find with landrace varieties is that they possess unique environmental properties. We cannot speak specifically to cannabis because true landrace strains are so hard to find. But a good comparison would be coffee. Here are some common types of coffee with properties specific to the regions in which they are grown:
This post is not about coffee, so we will leave the examples here. The point is that coffee takes on unique characteristics based on where it is produced. The same holds true for landrace cannabis. The big difference between the two is availability. Landrace coffees are widely available; landrace cannabis strains are not.
So why are landrace strains so difficult to find? According to The Cannigma, the main culprit is hybridization. Back in the 1960s and 70s, cannabis was a lot more local than it is today. Somewhere during that time, growers began searching for new and exciting strains they could bring back to the U.S. to crossbreed. They went far and wide looking for strains that offered exactly the right mixture of cannabinoids and terpenes.
Years of crossbreeding taught them how to produce plants with the most desirable properties. They learned how to increase THC levels and manipulate growth cycles. They learned how to create more robust plants capable of surviving harsh weather conditions.
Because hybridization now dominates cannabis production around the world, it is getting harder and harder to find genuine landrace strains unless you are willing to go out and hunt the wilderness. Most of what is produced today is the result of hybridization and cloning.
Older cannabis users may long for the ‘good old days’ before hybridization, but the truth is that hybridization is not necessarily a bad thing. Over the years we have learned a lot about cannabinoids and terpenes. We are just beginning to understand how isolating and combining specific cannabinoids with select terpenes can lead to better medicines.
Even now, skilled processors here in Utah are investigating hybridization techniques that could lead to better products. Imagine a day when medical cannabis products are as specific as other prescription drugs. That day is coming, thanks to research and hybridization.
Meanwhile, consider yourself lucky if you ever manage to find a landrace strain. Such strains are hard to come by. They are as unique as the environments in which they are grown, just like landrace varieties of any other plant or animal species.
CBD oils, vapes, and other products can be legally bought and sold without any special license or permit. In Utah, the same cannot be said about Medical Cannabis. If you don’t think this matters, think again. The results of a research study published in early 2021 suggests that CBD can reduce the effects of a THC high. That puts a whole new spin on the differences between the two cannabinoids.
Cannabis products are generally divided into two categories under Utah law. CBD products contain less than 0.3% THC by volume. Medical Cannabis products contain more than 0.3%. Both types of products are derived from cannabis plants. Just the fact that we think of them separately tells us everything we need to know about how policymakers view CBD and THC.
Perhaps that’s why so little work has been done on combining the two cannabinoids for medical purposes. But now that scientific research demonstrates that CBD affects THC uptake, there may be room to develop an entirely new line of medicines for Medical Cannabis users.
The study in question was published in September 2021 in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. Conducted by Spanish researchers, the study looked at combining CBD with THC and measuring its impact on the human brain. Researchers discovered something phenomenal: combining THC and CBD at a 2-to-1 ratio led to a less intoxicating THC high.
The thing about CBD is that it is psychoactive in the sense that it can affect mental and emotional responses. We tend to consider it non-psychoactive because it does not have an intoxicating effect. But psychoactivity is psychoactivity, whether it happens to be intoxicating or not.
A patient might take CBD because it helps relieve anxiety. It might help another user who struggles with mood swings. Either way, people use CBD because it helps them feel better. If we can combine it with THC to make a better medicine, why not do so? Why continue to keep them separate?
Right now, the implications of combining CBD with THC are still being understood. Still, think about what the results of the Spanish study might mean for medical users. Combining CBD and THC could give a Medical Cannabis patient the best of both worlds. It could mean the benefits of THC without a seriously intoxicating high.
This has pretty serious implications for people who need to medicate around the clock – even at times when being high is not acceptable. We can imagine the day when a CBD-THC combination makes it possible for Medical Cannabis patients to hold jobs they currently cannot hold.
Then there are those patients who need THC but just do not want to experience the high. If CBD can minimize the intoxicating effects without seriously reducing the therapeutic benefits of Medical Cannabis, such patients would be in a much better place.
One thing we definitely know is that there is still a lot to learn about cannabinoids and how they affect human biology. Here at Utah Marijuana, we are just happy to see that serious research is finally getting underway. Trying to understand how CBD influences THC uptake is just the tip of the iceberg.
If you are a Medical Cannabis patient in Utah, keep an eye open and an ear to the ground. We will be seeing more research as the months and years go on. Undoubtedly, a lot of that research is going to mean good things for Medical Cannabis here in Utah and around the world. That is definitely a good thing.
Chances are you have heard your fellow Medical Cannabis users talk about cannabis strains. Perhaps you’ve also heard about varieties and cultivars. So what’s the difference? Actually, there is none. All the terms are used to describe the same thing. Unfortunately, none of them are technically correct.
All the aforementioned terms are used to categorize different types of cannabis products. What we normally call strains or varieties are actually chemovars – or chemical varieties, if you prefer. They are known by their cannabinoid and terpene profiles.
All the science aside, we talk about different strains and varieties because we do not know any other words to use. That’s okay. Just know that the name of a given strain does not necessarily tell you anything about its makeup. It doesn’t really tell you about cannabinoid and terpene profiles.
It may seem important to study the many strains, varieties, and cultivars everyone talks about. But ask yourself this question: what is in a name? We are guessing you have one or two favorites in terms of your medicines. But what do the names of those medicines tell you? Not much.
Maybe you are a big fan of Blue Dream Vape or Wautomelon. Maybe Purple Urkle is your thing. Regardless, all those names are chosen for marketing purposes. That’s fine. You get to know the names of your preferred products and you stick with them. But what if you want to try something new?
The key is getting to know the cannabinoid and terpene profiles of the products you are currently using. You can then use that information to research new products.
Some people have tried to explain the differences in varieties as being similar to differences in wines. In the wine-making world, you have three main categories: white, red, and champagne. Knowing that you prefer red wine doesn’t do much for you in terms of the many varieties in that category.
You might like sweet red wine while your spouse prefers a nice cabernet sauvignon. Both types of red wine taste drastically different because they have different chemical makeups. It is the same thing with Medical Cannabis strains. Each product makeup means different results for patients.
The wine comparison breaks down due to the fact that there are very strict standards for classifying wines. Those standards have been in place for hundreds of years. No such standards exist in the cannabis arena. Until they do, a lot of what goes into finding the right medicine is a matter of trial and error.
The best advice we can offer for making sense of the many strains and varieties is to work closely with your Pharmacy Medical Provider (PMP) at your cannabis pharmacy. It is your PMP’s job to be familiar with the many different cannabinoid and terpene profiles in the products on pharmacy shelves. Do not be afraid to tap into their expertise.
Your PMP can help you figure out which products are best for your condition. You can contribute by tracking how often you use your medicines, the effects that you experience, and any other relevant information your PMP asks for. Together, you can come up with a solid therapeutic plan to ensure that you feel better.
One final thought is this: do not stress over having to choose between so many strains, varieties, and cultivars. All those different names you find on Medical Cannabis shelves are really just for marketing. Once you and your PMP figure out which cannabinoids and terpenes work best, finding the right medicines will be a lot easier.
Have you heard of a runner’s high? It’s probably safe to say that every one of us has either experienced one firsthand or skeptically rolled our eyes at someone who has. Apparently, after you run enough, you reach a point of euphoria where running becomes awesome and fun. I’ve never gotten there myself, but, boy, do I have some serious FOMO about it. Rather than literally chasing that high that may never come, I opt to get high and then run.
Chances are by this point, I’ve already lost some of you. Frankly, there was a point in my life when I’d never considered using cannabis before exercise. What a waste of a good thing, I’d say! And while it might not be for everybody, there are a few of us out there who have tried to exercise while medicated and found that it helped. Does it really, though? There are some experts who have gathered information about the subject (though it’s important to note that no official scientific studies have been run to test the effects of cannabis on exercise). If you’ve ever been curious about mixing the two, here are a few tips contrived of a healthy mix of my own personal experience and anecdotal evidence from said experts.
Note: I’m a Medical Cannabis patient, not a doctor or a scientist. The following should not be considered medical advice of any kind.
It’s important to understand your personal relationship with cannabis before attempting vigorous physical activity.* You’re not going to want to get your Medical Cannabis Card, get blitzed, and head to the gym. Patients of UTTHC are educated on the importance of finding your just-right dose and given a tailor-made treatment plan to follow to help them find optimal relief at the lowest possible dose (known as microdosing). You can download our Find Your Just-Right Dose guide and many other helpful Medical Cannabis guides here.
Once you’re comfortable with your body’s reaction to canna-treatment, take a moment to be mindful of how you feel. If you feel a little couchlocked, maybe take a bit less than your just-right dose prior to your workout. Remember, we’re going for medicated here, not stoned.
It’s no secret that Medical Cannabis can help treat chronic pain. The concept here is the same: when you’re exercising with cannabis in your system, your body can tolerate aches and pains much better. You may be able to run that extra mile, lunge a little deeper, or knock out a few more squats — and who knows? That extra boost could be just what you’ve needed all this time to see those gains you’ve been working so hard for. Check out this episode of Utah in the Weeds where we interview local athlete, Toby Larson, about how cannabis before exercise has helped him lose near 50 pounds.
Sometimes, a good workout is all about the experience you create for yourself. A good playlist and a little energy can carry us through most workouts, but when you need that extra oomph, cannabis can get you there. Microdosing before repetitive or tedious gym sessions — like weightlifting, running on the treadmill, or yoga — can get you in the zone faster and help you to stay focused on your form.
After a heavy workout (or a string of them), when your joints ache and your muscles feel like they’re on fire, you’re not going to want to throw on your gym shorts and head out to hit it hard again. Cannabinoids like CBD, THC, CBG, etc. can help to decrease that inflammation so your muscles can recover. Then you can get back to it sooner, ultimately helping you to build more muscle and get stronger.
Shout out to cannabidiol. Better known as CBD — the infamous ultra-therapeutic, non-psychoactive compound in the cannabis plant. CBD can help to treat many things, but we’ve gotta give it up for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. These two properties in particular make CBD a gift when it comes to recovery. And while Medical Cannabis is legal in Utah, it’s not as quite easily accessible as CBD is. Not to mention the fact that not all of us can just go off and use cannabis. Maybe you’re regularly drug-tested or don’t like feeling “high”. I’m here to tell you that CBD oil will get the job done and you’ll likely notice a positive difference.
That being said, medicating with whole plant (THC and other cannabinoids included) is far more likely to provide more well-rounded relief, as many cannabinoids play off of one another in your endocannabinoid system. For example, while you’ll get one anti-inflammatory effect from CBD, you’ll get a totally different one from THC or CBG. Not to mention the effect you’ll feel when they all work together (called the Entourage Effect). There are roughly 100 other cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. You never know which might be your saving grace until you try. It’s worth a shot, no?
This goes without saying. I mean, obviously, right? But for those of us who don’t like exercising and have a hard time staying active because of it, microdosing a little cannabis beforehand could spice it up for you. (This same advice goes for other mundane tasks, like laundry and shoveling snow.)
So, if like so many of us, your 2022 resolution is to exercise more, be healthier, or feel better, I implore you to see what cannabis can do for you. You could go from couch potato to gym rat and flex on all of your loved ones by this time next year. If you still need your Medical Card in Utah, reserve an appointment in any of UTTHC’s six clinics across the state. What are you waiting for? Make 2022 the year you put your health first.
Now, considering the above — and because it’s fresh on everyone’s minds after the Sha’Carri Richardson scandal last July — do you think cannabis could be a performance-enhancing drug? And if so, should it be put in the same category as steroids for Olympic athletes? Here’s what our founder, Tim Pickett, had to say on the matter on KSL NewsRadio. What do you think? Comment below — we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Warning: If you suffer from heart disease of any kind, proceed with caution. Cannabis use can decrease blood pressure, making the heart beat faster. This could be cause for concern for those with heart issues, especially when physically active. Talk to your doctor before mixing cannabis and exercise.
* Some physical activities may not be well-suited for cannabis use. Use your best judgment.
It is fair to say that the amount of scientific study relating to cannabis safety and efficacy pales in comparison to studies of almost all other medications. There are lots of reasons for that, reasons we will not get into in this post. Rather, we want to discuss a 1970s cannabis study that offers a valuable lesson today.
The study in question, conducted in 1973 by researchers at Worcester, Massachusetts’ Mason Research Institute, was designed to determine lethal doses of THC in mammals. Researchers showed a particular interest in primates, using rhesus monkeys as test subjects.
Setting ethics aside for the time being, animal testing is fairly common in the medical field because it allows researchers to carefully study the effects of new drugs without endangering human lives. Primates are often utilized as test subjects because of their biological similarities to humans.
All vertebrates have endocannabinoid systems. Therefore, researchers had their pick in terms of test subjects. They chose rats, dogs, and the previously mentioned monkeys. Unfortunately, the rats fared worst. A majority of them died within the first 72 hours of the test.
Only two dogs died, but even their deaths were not attributed to the THC. Rather, they died of asphyxia after regurgitating and aspirating the material being pumped into their stomachs. As for the monkeys, not a single one died despite being given massive doses of delta-8 and delta-9 THC.
Again, the intent of the cannabis study was to determine a lethal dose of THC in the three test subjects. The fact that there was no lethal dose in either the dogs or monkeys says something particularly important: that different cannabinoid receptors in various animals respond to THC in different ways.
Despite being some fifty years old, the Mason Research Institute study still teaches a valuable lesson. The lesson is even more important when considered alongside the fact that there are no documented cases of human beings dying of THC overdoses.
The fear of overdosing is one of the things that keeps some people away from Medical Cannabis. They hear stories and assume such stories are true. They hear that cannabis is a gateway drug and they do not want to get started and then find themselves drawn to other drugs.
Those fears are understandable given what we have all been told about cannabis over the years. But they really are unfounded, based on the limited amount of research we already have.
There is good news in the fact that there doesn’t appear to be a lethal dose of THC for primates. But that does not mean all the data that came out of the 1973 cannabis study was good. Suffice it to say that the monkeys still suffered some pretty serious side effects from so much THC.
Some 90% of them suffered what we refer to as ‘cannabis toxicity’. If you know anything about cannabis toxicity, you know it can show itself in many different ways including paranoia and loss of motor skills. In the case of the monkeys from the 1973 study, they were observed sitting for hours on end, acting lethargic and holding their heads in their hands.
Different animals react to THC differently because their cannabinoid receptors deal with THC in different ways. A lesson in all of this is that primate endocannabinoid systems seem to be able to withstand massive amounts of THC without the threat of death. Dying from a THC overdose is highly unlikely, if not impossible. That gives Medical Cannabis patients one less thing to worry about.
Utah Marijuana works to educate patients about Medical Cannabis and help them obtain their Medical Cannabis Cards. As part of our educational efforts, we remind patients that applying for a card requires a valid, government-issued ID. If you cannot prove your identity, you cannot get a card.
The state recommends four options on their Medical Cannabis website: a state identification card, a state driver’s license, a U.S. passport, or a U.S. passport card. Most of the patients we work with have driver’s licenses, so the ID requirement isn’t a big deal. If you don’t have a driver’s license and can’t get one, we recommend getting a state ID card.
The first thing to know is that you cannot possess both a driver’s license and a state ID card. It is one or the other. If you want to get an ID card, you have to visit a state driver’s license office. They will take your photo and verify your identity with something like your birth certificate. You will also need to take your Social Security card and two documents proving state residency to your appointment.
It is a smart idea to download the ID application so you can complete it prior to your visit. The time you spend in the driver’s license office shouldn’t be long if all your documentation is in order. Also note that there is a $23 fee to get your State ID card.
ID cards have to be renewed just like driver’s licenses. Any state resident 16 years old or older can get a card. Even non-citizens can get ID cards valid for the duration of their stays, as long as they are in the country legally. As far as driver’s licenses are concerned, we won’t get into those here. Getting a driver’s license is an entirely different process.
When most people think of a U.S. passport, they think of a small book they carry with them whenever they travel overseas. At each new destination, the book is stamped to verify the individual has traveled in that country. However, there is another type of passport document known as the passport card.
A passport card is not a book. It is a small, plastic card about the same size as a credit card. It’s cheaper to get and more convenient to use. However, it has its drawbacks. You can only travel to Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Bermuda with a passport card.
For our purposes, both are considered suitable identification for obtaining a Medical Cannabis Card. Possessing a valid passport or passport card would allow you submit your application without the need for a state driver’s license or ID card. We are guessing that most people with valid passports and passport cards also have driver’s licenses. Still, we figured we would pass along the information just so you would have it.
Despite the ID requirements, getting your Medical Cannabis Card doesn’t involve a hard process. It’s actually pretty straightforward. You start by going to the state’s Medical Cannabis website and filling out the initial part of the application. Then you make an appointment to see a QMP.
If your QMP recommends Medical Cannabis for your qualifying condition, they will complete the provider portion of the application. You will then go back online to finish your portion and submit the application along with your payment. That’s it. Then you just wait for your card to arrive via email. You can carry it on your phone or print it if you like.
Utah is similar to most other states with Medical Marijuana programs in that we maintain a list of qualifying conditions for which Qualified Medical Providers (QMPs) can recommend Medical Cannabis. The list is comparatively short when you consider how many different illnesses, injuries, and maladies people suffer with. Still, you might wonder if medical cannabis can be used for non-qualifying conditions.
The answer is not black-and-white. It has to be looked at from multiple angles, beginning with what the Compassionate Use Board (CUB) has to say about it. Then there is also the issue of obtaining a Medical Cannabis Card.
Right off the bat, you need to know that Utah law does not give patients the right to self-medicate. Qualifying condition or not, you are not allowed to grow marijuana plants in your backyard for the purposes of treating yourself. All Medical Cannabis consumed in Utah must originate from a Utah cultivator. It must be processed by a Utah processor and sold through a Utah Medical Cannabis pharmacy.
If you are using marijuana products in any unapproved way consider joining Utah’s Medical Cannabis program and make your use of cannabis legitimate. Getting a Medical Cannabis Card is no more complicated than filling out an electronic application form and visiting with a QMP.
When legislators were crafting Utah’s Medical Cannabis laws, they were fully aware that there may be times when Medical Cannabis is appropriate despite a patient not being diagnosed with a qualifying condition. They created the CUB for that very reason.
If you and your doctor believe you suffer from a condition that would be well-served by Medical Cannabis despite it not being on the qualifying list, you can always petition the CUB. The CUB is a panel of seven experts given the task to approve Medical Cannabis use outside normal state rules.
The CUB routinely reviews applications from people diagnosed with non-qualifying conditions. They also review applications from minors, given that state law prohibits children from using Medical Cannabis. At any rate, your condition will generate one of three results:
In the third case, you would have 90 days from the completion date of your application to provide the additional information. The CUB would review that information and render a decision from there.
Petitioning the CUB used to involve downloading a PDF application form, completing it, and sending it to the state. That is no longer the case. The CUB now utilizes an online form. Furthermore, it is a form you would never see as a patient. Instead, your QMP completes it.
To get the ball rolling, you would apply for a Medical Cannabis Card online. You would then see a QMP with whom you would discuss your condition. If you have non-qualifying conditions, your QMP would note that on the application. Next, the state would send the QMP an invitation to fill out the CUB petition form. Then it is a matter of waiting on a decision.
Medical Cannabis can be used to treat non-qualifying conditions under certain circumstances. Ultimately though, that decision rests with the CUB.
Did you know that roughly 47.1 million Americans are living with a mental health condition of some kind in 2021? And that’s only including people with official diagnoses! For a long time, your only (legal) options for treating mental health conditions were harsh prescriptions and therapy. While these are good and necessary options for some, they aren’t for everyone. Luckily, the medical community has begun to embrace the possibility of cannabis medicine positively affecting a person’s mental health. At UTTHC, we see patients every single day that tell us how much happier they are after switching to Medical Cannabis, and some of them have even agreed to share their stories with us on Utah in the Weeds podcast, hosted by our founder, Tim Pickett. If you’re no stranger to poor mental health, you know how easy it is to feel alone and helpless at times. I promise you’re not. Here are just a few of the success stories shared on the podcast about using cannabis for mental health conditions.
Use Medical Cannabis for PTSD, like Vanessa & Randyl“I’ve been diagnosed with PTSD three different times over 25 years. The first one was when my husband was killed by a drunk driver. I had a lot of really weird situations. Anyways, neither here nor there, I think that I self-medicated all those years because I couldn’t take antidepressants and I didn’t want to be wiped on Valium or Xanax. I had a full-time job, I had a kid to raise, didn’t have time to mess around. I’ve always paid my own bills, always been super responsible. So, it’s hard to admit back then that I was that heavy of a pot user because people would judge me and be like, ‘Oh.’ But if you didn’t know me and you met me, you’d never guess now, would you?”
“With the PTSD/bipolar combo, sometimes you just don’t know what the hell you’re going to find when you wake up. You can be happy and having a good day and you wake up the next day and it’s going to be three or four weeks of pure hell of being miserable and depressed, or even worse getting into a mixed episode where your anxiety is amped up. And cannabis is essential in calming me down. The way that I used to describe it to my wife before she got her Med Card and got her to understand. How it works is: it’s like a nerve blanket. So it’s my nerves are just fried, they’re frazzled, they’re raw. And it’s like somebody just put a blanket around those nerves and just calmed them down and helped me relax.”
“I was on SSRIs, I was on anti-anxiety medication, I was on sleep medication, I was all sorts of pharmaceuticals and the most unhappy I’ve ever been. So for me, it was like, ‘I’ll just use it at night. I’ll just use it for sleep. And if I break a tooth, then I have it for pain.’ So that’s what I qualified under. And it wasn’t until I started experimenting — because I tried the flower, I tried the capsules, I tried the tinctures, I tried the stuff you rub on your jaw, like the balms, I tried the vape. I tried all of it — and that’s when I noticed, ‘Holy shit, this is actually helping my anxiety. I wonder what would happen if I used it for a panic attack.’ And so I would try it that way. And I think that’s when I was like, ‘Oh my God, this isn’t just a party drug.’ There are so many different things that this is helping with.”
“(Cannabis) helps more than any of the ADHD medications I’ve ever been on either. It helps with my anxiety more than all of those drugs. It helps with my ADHD, PTSD, my pain. It really helps in a better way than all of them.”
“I suffer from PTSD — and when I say PTSD I really just mean I suffer from the nightmares of war that haunt me — and in order to put them to bed, I smoke Indica so I can sleep. I don’t want to dream, and I prefer that way, way, way over what I had chosen previously, which was alcohol.”
“Sometimes I’ll close my eyes, I’ll stop to relax, and then I’ll get a flashback of something, and it’ll just make me uncomfortable and I’ll cringe, and I just get really anxious. And depending on the flashback and the severity of that situation, there are some nights where I just can’t sleep, period. With cannabis, if I have a higher dose edible, that’s the biggest part. That’s the biggest help for me, is being able to fall asleep, stay asleep, not have any nightmares. Usually, I have really great dreams or no dreams at all, and I’m just out.”
While Medical Cannabis isn’t the answer for everyone, we want you to know there are alternatives out there. Keep in mind that in Utah, PTSD is the only approved qualifying mental health condition for Medical Cannabis use. However, many of the patients we see at UTTHC for other qualifying conditions find that their canna-medicine treats more than what they had bargained for. Take a quick, confidential prescreen to see if/how you qualify for Medical Cannabis in Utah, or give us a call to chat about your options. (Note: always be open and honest about your cannabis use with each of your medical providers. Cannabis & mental health medications may interact poorly.) And remember, you are not alone in this.
If you are in crisis or you think you may have an emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. If you’re having suicidal thoughts, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to talk to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area at any time (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). For those located outside the United States, call your local emergency line immediately.
If you had to explain the Medical Cannabis Card to a friend or family member who had never heard of it before, what would you say? Explaining that the card allows patients to legally buy Medical Marijuana products would be a good start. But did you know that the state issues five different types of Medical Cannabis cards?
It’s true. The five different types of Utah Medical Marijuana Cards are aimed at a different demographic. Between all five, the state covers adult patients, minors, and out-of-state visitors.
The standard card we tend to think of most often is what the state refers to as the ‘Patient Card’. It is issued to all qualifying adults who are at least 18 years of age and have the ability to obtain their medicines on their own.
Next up is the Guardian card. It is issued to either the parents or legal guardians of eligible minors. For instance, if you have a minor child suffering from epilepsy, your child’s doctor might determine that Medical Cannabis is the best option for controlling seizures. You could be issued a Guardian Card that allows you to buy medication on behalf of your child.
The state website says that Guardian Cards are issued in conjunction with Provisional Patient Cards. The Provisional Cards go to minors under the age of eighteen who are eligible to use Medical Marijuana. In essence, both of the minor child and parent or guardian get a card.
It’s not as easy to get a Provisional Card compared to a standard Patient Card. That’s because state law mandates that Provisional Card applications be reviewed by the state’s Compassionate Use Board prior to approval.
For the record, the state isn’t purposely trying to discriminate against minors. The rules were enacted based on studies that show certain risks among minors who use Medical Marijuana. They just want to be sure that approval is in a child’s best interests.
There are adult patients who, for one reason or another, are unable to obtain their medicines independently. They still qualify for Medical Cannabis under state law, but they need another adult to make their purchases. Those other adults are given Caregiver Cards.
The patients themselves get Patient Cards as well, and they must specifically designate those caregivers they want to obtain medicines on their behalf.
Finally, the state recognizes that Medical Marijuana users from out-of-state visit Utah from time to time. In order to help such visitors avoid violating federal laws by transporting marijuana products across state lines, the state issues non-Utah Resident Cards on a temporary basis.
Out-of-state visitors with valid Medical Cannabis Cards from their own states can apply for the ‘visitor card’ in advance of their scheduled travel dates. However, the condition for which they use the drug must be on Utah’s Qualifying Condition list. Temporary visitor cards are valid for 21 days and may be applied for twice per year.
There you have it: the five types of Medical Marijuana Cards issued by Utah. If you think you or a loved one qualifies for Medical Marijuana, we would be happy to consult with you. Make an appointment at your earliest convenience to see a QMP at any one of our clinics.
