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Medical Marijuana Now Available to Patients Immediately After Receiving Online Approval
Media Contact: LARA Communications 517-335-LARA (5272)
Email: mediainfo@michigan.gov
May 1, 2019 – Effective today, medical marijuana patients in Michigan who apply for their marijuana registry card online may now use their approval email as a temporary substitute for a valid registry card in order to obtain their medication the same day they are approved.
The Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) has implemented a change to the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program (MMMP) to ensure that patients with debilitating medical conditions are able to obtain marijuana for medical use as quickly as possible.
“A process that used to take several weeks now can be done in a single day,” said MRA Executive Director Andrew Brisbo. “We are excited to offer this new online approval option for the state’s medical marijuana patients.”
The email that patients receive after an online application has been approved may serve as a temporary substitute for a valid registry card. This approval email is valid until patients receive their card in the mail or for up to 10 days from the date of the approval email. As a result, patients will not have to wait to receive their registry cards in the mail and will be able to purchase or obtain medication the same day they are approved. A valid driver’s license or government-issued identification card with a photographic image is also required to purchase marijuana.
To utilize this online service please visit www.michigan.gov/mmp and note the following:
- A patient’s certifying physician must have an online account with the MMMP.
- A patient must register for an online account.
- The patient must submit an online application.
In the past, registry cards could only be obtained through the traditional mail-in process, which took up to five weeks for patients to receive their card. The process was recently updated to allow for online processing – but a patient still had to wait for 7-10 business days to receive their registry card. This new process allows for medical marijuana patients to gain access to their medicine immediately after receiving approval.
The Marijuana Regulatory Agency will publish guidance for licensed provisioning centers to verify the validity of an approval email serving as a temporary substitute for a registry card. If you have questions about the temporary card or about the online application process, please email MRA-MMMPinfo@michigan.gov or call 517-284-6400.