It has been possible to get a medical marijuana card in Nevada for over two decades! These days, adults aged 21+ can access recreational marijuana, although those in possession of MMJ cards benefit from lower-cost products. That being said, anyone who has taken a walk down the Las Vegas strip will smell the pungent odor of weed, even though it is illegal to use the substance in public!
As far as MMJ cardholders are concerned, weed has a host of potential uses. In Nevada, the state has relatively few qualifying conditions, but severe pain is one of the most important. In fact, more people use medical marijuana to combat pain than for any other reason. This article outlines how to get a medical marijuana card in Nevada and investigates cannabis’ utility for handling chronic pain.
How to Get a Nevada MMJ Card
NV prohibited the use of weed 14 years before the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act all but outlawed the substance in the United States. Cannabis remained illegal until 2001, when it finally became possible to get a medical marijuana card in Nevada. Twenty years later, the home of Las Vegas legalized recreational cannabis.
However, if you have an MMJ card in NV, you can buy and possess up to 2.5 ounces of weed every 14 days. You can also grow up to 12 plants at home as long as you live more than 25 miles from a licensed dispensary.
To get your medical marijuana card in Nevada, schedule an appointment with a medical professional. Since the state program doesn’t provide any assistance in this matter, it’s a good idea to use a service such as MMJCardOnline. It connects you with licensed physicians, eliminating any stress from the situation.
If the doctor provides you with written certification, you must create an account with the Nevada medical marijuana program online. Complete the application and wait for approval. If your application is successful, the state will email you a card that you can use until the physical MMJ card comes in the mail.
In Nevada, if you’re caught with more than an ounce of weed and don’t have a medical marijuana card, you could be fined several hundred dollars. It’s a serious crime to sell more than an ounce without the correct licensing, with a possible four-year prison term as the penalty.
As in most of the nation, chronic pain is the main reason why people apply for a medical marijuana card in Nevada. Let’s learn more about why.
Many People Now Use MMJ to Help Manage Pain
According to research by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), over 30% of Americans have used MMJ to deal with chronic pain at some point in their lives. Furthermore, 36% of people surveyed admitted to using the substance to handle chronic pain within the previous 12 months.
What’s fascinating is that over half of the people surveyed said using MMJ helped reduce their usage of prescription opioids, OTC painkillers, and nonopioids. The fact that weed could be used as a substitute for addictive and deadly opioids is a good thing unless, of course, you’re involved with Big Pharma.
It is important to note that research into the effect of marijuana’s cannabinoids on chronic pain is in its relative infancy. This is primarily because the substance remains a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act. This designation made it all but impossible to study the effects of weed on people in clinical trials for decades. Yet, there’s little question that, in many studies, the positive effects are clear.
Final Thoughts on MMJ in NV for Pain Management
Getting a medical marijuana card in Nevada is quite easy, with many physicians falling under the “cannabis-friendly” banner. Once you have your card, you can shop for suitable products in a licensed dispensary. During your consultation, it’s important to discuss the best use of weed with your physician. Not only will you be able to establish a game plan, but you will also increase your likelihood of receiving the all-important written certification.
As far as the use of MMJ for chronic pain goes, research is ongoing, but there’s plenty of promise in what we’ve seen so far.
