Frequently Asked Questions

In Massachusetts, a person qualifies for a medical cannabis card if they are a state resident with a debilitating medical condition as certified by a registered healthcare provider. Generally, individuals must be 18 years of age or older. Minors may qualify under specific, limited circumstances with the approval of two physicians (one of whom is a pediatrician or specialist) and parental/legal guardian consent.

What conditions qualify for medical marijuana in Massachusetts?

Per Massachusetts state law, applicants and renewing patients must have one of the following debilitating medical conditions:

• Cancer

• Glaucoma

• Positive status for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)

• Hepatitis C

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

• Crohn’s Disease

• Parkinson’s disease

• Multiple sclerosis (MS)

Diseases and conditions determined to be debilitating, per the applicant’s healthcare provider which may include:

• Chronic back pain

• Rheumatoid arthritis

• Insomnia

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Severe nausea and vomiting

• Migraine headaches

• Chronic GI conditions such as IBS

• Seizures

You might be if you have a debilitating condition. It will be the practitioner’s responsibility to determine whether your condition qualifies as “debilitating.” The state defines “debilitating” as “causing weakness, cachexia, wasting syndrome, intractable pain, or nausea, or impairing strength or ability, and progressing to such an extent that one or more of a patient’s major life activities is substantially limited.”

• Medical marijuana patients in Massachusetts benefit from a 17% to 20% tax savings.

• High-quality medicine, with a wider selection of cannabis products to choose from.

• Dispensary discounts, coupons and rewards programs offered only to medical patients.

• Access to cannabis in states that offer reciprocity, such as Maine and Rhode Island.

• Guidance from a knowledgeable practitioner.

• MA dispensaries are required to prioritize stock and variety to ensure patient supplies over adult use consumers

• A medical marijuana recommendation is required to purchase cannabis under the age of 21.

• Access to all dispensaries in the state.

• Higher dose edibles available only to medical marijuana patients, which can save you money. Adult-use is limited to 5 mg edibles, whereas medical offers much higher doses.

• Higher purchase and carry limits of 10 oz. for medical, versus 1 oz. for adult-use.

• Home delivery options for medical cannabis patients.

• Home cultivation: Medical Marijuana patients can have 12 plants in vegetation and 12 plants in flower, whereas non-medical home cultivators can only have 6 plants, or up to 12 for two or more adults.

Not usually. Marijuana is still a Federal Schedule 1 drug, so most insurance companies won’t pay for it since it is not a federally approved treatment for any conditions.

You will be eligible to print out a temporary pass the same day as your visit that you can use to access the medical dispensary. The state will then mail you a program card which you will receive in 2 - 3 weeks.

You will be refunded 100%.

Absolutely! You have the right to see whomever you choose for your medical marijuana evaluation, so long as the practitioner is a Massachusetts-licensed physician, physician assistant, or certified nurse practitioner that has registered with the state as a Certifying Healthcare Provider. All ElevateCareNP practitioners are licensed in Massachusetts and have acquired all state-required cannabis training and certifications.

Fifteen states and territories offer some form of medical marijuana reciprocity or allow patients from Massachusetts to obtain a temporary out-of-state card while visiting:

• Arkansas

• Hawaii

• Louisiana

• Maine

• Maryland

• Michigan

• Mississippi

• Nevada

• New Hampshire

• New Jersey

• New Mexico

• Oklahoma

• Puerto Rico

• Rhode Island

• Washington D.C.

The following states offer legalized adult (recreational) use of cannabis:

• Alaska

• Arizona

• California

• Colorado

• Connecticut

• Delaware

• Illinois

• Maine

• Maryland

• Massachusetts

• Michigan

• Minnesota

• Missouri

• Montana

• Nevada

• New Jersey

• New Mexico

• New York

• Oregon

• Rhode Island

• Vermont

• Virginia

• Washington

• Washington D.C.

Note: According to Federal law, possession of cannabis is illegal, and so is traveling with it across state lines.

You must have a Massachusetts state ID, driver’s license, or a passport or military ID to prove identity. Additionally you need to provide proof of Massachusetts residence. Acceptable proof of residence can include: utility bills, bank statements, voter registration cards, and health insurance documents. Furthermore, the address on your ID must match the address on your application. If not, the application will be sent back to you for further clarification. For a complete list of documents needed for a Massachusetts medical marijuana card, see Massachusetts online MMJ registration step by step instructions.

Yes. You may designate up to two personal caregivers who are not currently designated by another patient, unless that personal caregiver is your immediate family member.

If you wish to select a personal caregiver you will need to log onto your Medical Use of Marijuana Online System via the Patient and Caregiver Portal and click “My Caregiver” then follow these steps:

Step 1: Click on "Generate PIN" to generate a PIN for your personal caregiver.

Step 2: Provide the PIN to your personal caregiver and inform them that he or she must register as a caregiver via the Medical Use of Marijuana Online System at https://patient.massciportal.com  

Step 3: After your personal caregiver has registered, click on the link “My Caregivers” at the top of the page and follow the instructions to approve your personal caregiver.

Step 4: After you approve your caregiver, the Medical Use of Marijuana Program will process your personal caregiver's registration.

Massachusetts medical marijuana certificates are valid for one year and can be renewed online.

A renewal consultation with ElevateCareNP costs $99 and you'll only be charged if approved.

Here's a summary of the renewal process:

Make an appointment with our convenient online scheduler here.

Speak to a Massachusetts-licensed nurse practitioner online and get approved.

Once the provider has submitted your certification on the state website, log into your state account at the Massachusetts Medical Use of Marijuana Program website. Click "Renew Registration." This option will only be available to you if you are within 60 days of the expiration date on your state program ID card.

Complete the state-side renewal application by following the prompts on the screen.

Once your application has been approved, your new program ID card will arrive in the mail in 7-14 business days.