How to Get an Arizona Medical Marijuana Card
Wednesday June 6, 2018
In 2010, Arizona legalized safe access to medical marijuana for qualifying patients via the passing of Proposition 203, or The Arizona Medical Marijuana Initiative. While the passing of medical marijuana was a great victory for the progression of cannabis reform across the United States and the southwest, Arizona has arguably some of the strictest medical marijuana laws in the country.
Despite the sometimes restrictive nature of the program, Proposition 203 allows terminally ill patients and those suffering from debilitating medical conditions to find relief through marijuana with a doctor’s approval. Qualifying patients are able to purchase up to 2.5 ounces of flower every two weeks and cultivate up to 12 plants so long as their residence is located a minimum of 25 miles away from nearest state-licensed dispensary.
Click here for more information on Arizona’s medical cannabis laws.
Restrictions:
Anyone looking to apply for a medical marijuana card in the state of Arizona must meet the following requirements:
- Must be a legal resident of Arizona
- Must currently reside in Arizona
- Must be 18 years of age or older
- Patients under 18 may apply for a medical marijuana card with parent/legal guardian designated as their caregiver
- Must have a qualifying medical condition verified by a licensed physician
Qualifying Health Conditions:
Current qualifying debilitating medical conditions include:
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Alzheimer's Disease
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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease)
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Cachexia or wasting syndrome
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Cancer
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Crohn's Disease
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Glaucoma
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Hepatitis C
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HIV or AIDS
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Persistent Muscle Spasms
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PTSD
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Seizures
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Severe chronic pain
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Severe Nausea
Doctor Certification:
Before a person can apply for a medical marijuana card in Arizona, they must first receive a written certification from a licensed medical doctor confirming their qualifying condition. There are many licensed cannabis doctors in Arizona and can be easily found via a few searches on the web.
Once you have found a licensed physician, you must schedule a consultation and bring a physical copy of the Medical Marijuana Physician Certification form to be filled out by the doctor. Please note that every field must be filled out or the certification will not be accepted.
Patients under 18 will also need to print and have their physician complete the Medical Marijuana Reviewing Physician Certification for Patients Under 18 as well.
Once you have your doctor certification completed you’re ready to move on to the next steps!
Applying to Become a Medical Marijuana Patient:
Before a patient applies for a medical marijuana card, the state of Arizona highly recommends reviewing their patient application checklists – there is one for both adult patients and patients under 18. Reviewing the patient checklist will assist you in the overall process and ensure you don’t miss anything on your application.
There are 2 categories of qualifying patients for medical marijuana in the state of Arizona, adult patients and patients under 18. While the application processes are similar, there are some key differences to consider. See below for an outlined process for both adults and patients under 18.
Patients Under 18 Application Instructions:
A parent or legal guardian must apply together with a patient under the age of 18.
- Print and have a physician complete the Medical Marijuana Physician Certification and Medical Marijuana Reviewing Physician Certification for Patients Under 18 as outlined above
- Print and complete the Medical Marijuana Custodial Parent and Legal Guardian Attestation form
- Gather patient information and proper images of the following documents (view the Patients Under 18 Application Checklist for information needed and exact Image/file dimensions and requirements):
Required Application Documents
- An up-to-date photograph of the patient
- Medical Marijuana Physician Certification Form, completed by physician
- Medical Marijuana Reviewing Physician Certification Form for Patients Under 18, completed by physician
- A current photograph of the legal parent/guardian who will act as caregiver
- A copy of the following caregiver information
- Arizona Driver’s license or,
- Arizona ID card or,
- Arizona registry identification card or,
- U.S. passport
- An Arizona driver’s license or ID card and one of the following:
- U.S. birth certificate
- U.S. Certificate of Citizenship
- U.S. Certificate of Naturalization
- Completed Medical Marijuana Custodial Parent and Legal Guardian Attestation form, signed and dated
- A valid Mastercard or Visa for payment – credit, debit or pre-paid cards are accepted
- Once all information, images and files have been gathered, begin the online application
- Complete all fields in the application
- Pay all applicable application fees
- Caregivers must submit fingerprints and a Fingerprint Verification Form to the ADHS through the U.S. mail (click here for fingerprinting instructions)
- Once submitted, the ADHS will review your application and either approve it or reach out with corrections if needed
Adult Application Instructions:
- Print and have a physician complete the Medical Marijuana Physician Certification as outlined above
- Print and complete the Medical Marijuana Patient Attestation form
- Gather patient information and proper images of the following documents (view the Adult Patient Application Checklist for information needed and exact Image/file dimensions and requirements):
Required Application Documents
- An up-to-date photograph of the patient
- Medical Marijuana Physician Certification Form, completed by physician
- Completed Medical Marijuana Patient Attestation form, signed and dated
- A copy of the following caregiver information
- Arizona Driver’s license or,
- Arizona ID card or,
- Arizona registry identification card or,
- U.S. passport
- An Arizona driver’s license or ID card and one of the following:
- U.S. birth certificate
- U.S. Certificate of Citizenship
- U.S. Certificate of Naturalization
- A valid Mastercard or Visa for payment – credit, debit or pre-paid cards are accepted
- Once all information, images and files have been gathered, begin the online application
- Complete all fields in the application
- Pay all applicable application fees
- Once submitted, the ADHS will review your application and either approve it or reach out with corrections if needed
Once You’ve Applied Successfully:
After approval, the majority of patients are issued their medical marijuana registry ID card 10 business days. Medical marijuana cards are mailed to patients at the address provided in the application.
Reciprocity:
Out-of-state medical marijuana patients that hold valid registration cards in their home states are allowed to possess and consume medical cannabis in Arizona. However, out-of-state patients are not able to purchase marijuana from Arizona dispensaries. Out-of-state patients must abide by the 2.5 ounce state possession limit while visiting Arizona.