One of the questions we hear most from our new clients is about medical marijuana cost, specifically, how much they can expect to pay for their new prescription. So today we’re going to talk a little bit about that cost.
Medical Marijuana Cost: How Much Will You Pay For Yours?
The truth is that medical marijuana costs can vary greatly depending on a range of factors, but we’ll do our best to help you to prepare.
Your Initial Consultation
The first cost you should anticipate when you are looking into medical marijuana treatment is the cost of your initial consultation.
In order to be a medical marijuana user in the state of Florida, you must be diagnosed with a specific medical condition that is approved for medical marijuana use in the state. This diagnosis must be made by a licensed medical marijuana physician. This requires a visit to a licensed medical cannabis physician in the state. This often begins with a consultation visit where the doctor can let you know whether or not you are a good candidate for treatment. Some doctors, like Dr. Tirmal, offer a free consultation, where others do not so be prepared. If you’re curious about what this appointment will cost you, call ahead.
The Medical Marijuana Application Fee
If your doctor then agrees that medical marijuana is an option for you, they will make their recommendation and submit your application to the state. Your name will then be registered with the Medical Marijuana Registry. From here, you will need to fill in your application for a Florida medical marijuana registry card. This application requires that you pay a fee of $75. This card must be renewed on an annual basis and the fee must be paid with each renewal.
Your Evaluation Visit
The next step in this process is to undergo a physical evaluation. This evaluation will require you to pay a fee. This fee ranges in price but you can expect to pay around $250 for this visit.
It’s also important to keep in mind that your health insurance will NOT cover any medical marijuana expenses. Insurance companies offer coverage for no medical cannabis services at all simply because it has not been definitively proven to be beneficial by medical standards (despite some medical studies and case studies stating differently.)
Purchasing Medical Marijuana
Once you have been approved by the state and you have been issued your state medical cannabis card, your doctor will submit your prescription to the database. They will then give you information on local dispensaries where you can fill your prescription. These dispensaries will have access to your prescription information through the online database.
When you head to the medical marijuana dispensary, you have to know that the cost of filling your prescription will vary. This cost will be influenced by a few things including:
- The strain of medical marijuana you purchase
- The amount of medical marijuana you purchase
- The method of ingestion that you decide upon
- The dispensary you select.
According to CostHelper, the following price approximations are…
- A gram of buds can cost $5-$20
- An eighth of buds (3.5 grams) costs $20-$60
- An ounce of buds can cost $200-$400.
- More concentrated products (hash products, oils, and waxes made with higher levels of THC) generally cost $20-$60 per gram and can be purchased by the half gram or gram.
- Edible medical marijuana products will run you anywhere from $2-$5 per dose.
- Concentrated liquid medical marijuana (referred to as tinctures) are usually sold in 1-ounce bottles for $15-$50 each.
The Equipment
You should also keep in mind that depending on what method of ingestion that you choose (vaping etc.) you may have to purchase “equipment” or “paraphernalia” to allow you to use the product properly. For example, a vaping pen is necessary if you’re going to vape the product.
A lot of new medical marijuana users are unsure of what they need, but the best way to find out is to discuss it with your prescribing physician. If you have questions while you are shopping for your product at the dispensary, talk with the staff working at the dispensary. These staff members are fully knowledgable and will be more than happy to help you to purchase everything that you need.
Do You Think You Could Benefit From Medical Marijuana?
If you think that medical marijuana could be helpful in relieving your medical symptoms, why not set up your medical marijuana appointment online now? Our physician Dr. Tirmal is an expert in medical cannabis treatment and can help you to evaluate whether medical cannabis might be right for you.