This article is presented in partnership with NuggMD.

The Quickest Way to Get Your MMJ Patient ID in Missouri

After decades of advocacy, Missouri voters finally legalized medical cannabis in November 2018 by passing Amendment 2. The liberal initiative won over two more conservative competing measures that would have offered far less freedom than the current law. While some were surprised by this, most voters in Missouri considered it a strong message to the state that the war on weed is over.

What’s the Easiest Way to Get an MMJ Card Missouri?

Luckily for Missouri patients, joining the medical marijuana program isn’t just fast, it’s easy! Missouri’s legalization law, Amendment 2, is a Constitutional Amendment, so it doesn’t leave much wiggle room for delays or roadblocks. And NuggMD is making the process even easier by providing thorough patient evaluations via telemedicine. Their Missouri state licensed physicians conduct their evaluations via NuggMD’s state-of-the-art video telemedicine platform that lets doctors conduct a face-to-face evaluation in real time.

An evaluation with NuggMD isn’t just convenient, fast, and easy, it’s affordable too. A patient evaluation costs $99 and is free if a patient can’t be approved for a medical marijuana certification. Even better, Nugg’s California team has just launched the Nugg Club Box—California’s first true cannabis subscription club, where subscribers get a mix of five to seven premium, personalized products in every box ($225 value) for $99.

When Can Missouri Residents Join the Medical Marijuana Program?

The first Missouri dispensaries haven’t opened up yet, but the state has already issued tens of thousands of cards for patients who want to join the program early.

One of the reasons Missouri residents are getting their MMJ cards so soon is that they want to begin cultivating their own cannabis. Patients in Missouri are allowed to grow their own if their cultivation area qualifies and they pay the extra $100 cultivation certificate fee.

Other Missouri medical marijuana patients are simply anxious to be ready when the first dispensaries open this summer. In case there are any delays or problems processing their cards, they want to overcome those hurdles as soon as possible. It can take Missouri up to thirty days to process patient applications for MMJ IDs.

How to Qualify for an MMJ Card in Missouri

If you’re ready to sign up for the medical marijuana program, it takes a few simple steps. First, you’ll need to see if you qualify for the program. To qualify, you must be:

  • A resident of Missouri
  • Have an approved qualifying condition
  • Be 18 or older*

*Minors under 18 with severe conditions can become patients as well, but the parent or guardian will need to sign up as the patient caregiver. This is common for minors with intractable seizures or similar conditions that respond well to MMJ treatment.

Once you have determined that you’re eligible, it takes three easy steps:

  1. Get an MMJ evaluation.
  2. Get your certification from your Missouri MMJ doctor.
  3. Apply for your Patient Identification Card with the state.

If you choose to work with NuggMD for your evaluation, their customer service representatives can walk you through the state application process if you get stuck. They’re happy to help, whether it’s with the initial certification, your state application, or your yearly renewal.

What Are Missouri’s Qualifying Conditions?

Missouri’s list of qualifying conditions is very lenient. Some have even said that the list amounts to de-facto legalization, but there are standards that a patient must qualify under, even if they are very liberal.

The list of condition includes, but isn’t limited to:

  • Glaucoma
  • Epilepsy
  • Cancer
  • Intractable migraines
  • Chronic pain
  • HIV or AIDS
  • Hepatitis C
  • Chronic muscle spasms
  • Debilitating psychiatric disorders
  • Neuropathy
  • Crohns
  • Huntington’s Disease
  • ALS
  • Autism
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • Wasting syndrome
  • Alzheimer’s
  • Cachexia
  • Sickle cell anemia
  • Any terminal illness
  • Any other chronic, debilitating or other medical condition, or
  • A chronic condition that would normally require a prescription that can lead to dependence, if a physician decides that marijuana could be a safe and effective alternative.

As you can see, many people with a medical condition in Missouri will qualify for the program.

Here’s the NuggMD Process

  1. Create your account at NuggMD.com/Missouri.
  2. Provide your information in the patient questionnaire, just like at the doctor’s office.
  3. Upload any medical records that you have so the doctor can review them.
  4. Provide your payment information and wait in the virtual waiting room.
  5. Talk to your new doctor as soon as they become available.
  6. Wait for your patient certification to arrive via email (24-48 hours).
  7. Use your certification to apply on the state website.

Please note that Missouri has a $25 non-refundable application fee for medical marijuana patient IDs. This fee is in addition to your patient evaluation.

When Will Dispensaries in Missouri Open?

Now that you’ve got your Missouri MMJ Patient ID, you have the option of cultivating your own cannabis or waiting for the first dispensaries to open. The state has already published its list of approved dispensaries, and the first are anticipated to open in late spring or early summer.

You can view the list of all dispensaries that applied and which were approved or rejected on the state’s website.

Why Trust NuggMD?

More than half-a-million medical marijuana patients in New York, California, Nevada, Oklahoma and Missouri have trusted NuggMD to help them find their new medical marijuana-friendly physicians. Their industry-leading video platform lets patients connect with their physicians in real-time, so they can receive the best medical care possible. Best of all, it costs only $99 to see a physician with NuggMD.