Now that recreational marijuana is legal in the state of Massachusetts, you might be thinking that there’s no need to apply for a medical marijuana card or continue carrying one.

NOT TRUE.

Here are five reasons why a Massachusetts medical marijuana card is still good to have:

Medical = Massachusetts. Recreational = Taxachusetts.

When you have a Massachusetts medical marijuana card, your approved medical condition qualifies you to pay no state sales tax on your dispensary purchases. That’s a pretty big deal considering the Massachusetts sales tax rate is 6.25%.

Now add the 10.75% state excise tax on all recreational marijuana purchases along with the 3% local tax that the city or town may charge on top of the sales and excise tax.

That’s a whopping 20% tax for recreational marijuana users that medical marijuana card holders DON’T pay. To put that in perspective, imagine a medical marijuana cardholder and a recreational user bring the same products to the cash register. Let’s say that the total cost of these products is $50. While the Massachusetts medical marijuana cardholder pays just the $50, the Massachusetts sales, excise, and local tax will push the non-card holder’s bill to $60. That’s a lot of money you can save by following these 5 steps.

Supply and Demand

You know how frustrating it is when you go to the supermarket and they’re completely out of bananas or the ones they have in stock are either bruised beyond recognition or green as cucumbers? The same thing can happen at a recreational marijuana shop if you don’t have a Massachusetts medical marijuana card. To guard against a drop in supply caused by a spike in demand from new recreational marijuana users, the state of Massachusetts has required that 35% of medical grade cannabis must be reserved for medical patients. Roughly translated, Massachusetts medical marijuana cardholders get preference over recreational users. Of course, at Revolutionary Clinics, we only sell to Massachusetts medical marijuana cardholders at our dispensaries so having a card is absolutely essential.

Recreational edibles have their limits

Edibles are a good choice for people who want the easiest and most discreet way to receive the therapeutic benefits of THC or CBD. According to Massachusetts state law, recreational marijuana shops can only sell edibles that contain a MAXIMUM of 5mg of THC. Compare that with our popular Chocolate Bar 100 with 104mg of THC. Whether it’s a brownie or a lozenge, you’ll need to buy 20x more edible product at a recreational marijuana shop to equal a single Chocolate Bar 100 and then pay the aforementioned state and local sales and excise taxes.

Medical marijuana products can be delivered to your door, recreational marijuana products can’t

At Revolutionary Clinics, we’re proud to offer free parking at our dispensaries but we realize it’s not always easy for you to find the time to see us in person. That’s why hundreds of our customers enjoy the convenience of having their medical marijuana products delivered to their homes. It’s a benefit reserved exclusively for Massachusetts medical marijuana cardholders. The only way to get products delivered to you from a recreational marijuana shop is if you can convince a friend to pick them up for you. Good luck with that!

Age isn’t just a number

If you’re 18 years or older and have a qualifying medical condition, you can get a medical marijuana card in Massachusetts and enjoy the therapeutic benefits of cannabis. If you don’t have a medical marijuana card, you’ll have to wait until you’re 21 year old to purchase cannabis at a recreational marijuana shop. That’s a long time to wait for the priviledge of having less products to choose from and paying up to 20% more for them.

It takes just five steps to get a medical marijuana card in Massachusetts. Between the money your tax-free medical marijuana purchases will save you, the access to more products with higher concentrations of THC, and the convenience of home delivery, the benefits of having a Massachusetts medical marijuana card are well worth the effort it takes to acquire one.  If you have questions about any part of the application process or you’d like to schedule an appointment to speak with one of our Patient Advocates about understanding medical marijuana use and drug tests, please contact us today!