Medical Marijuana in Maryland: Providers, Patients & Caregivers
Medical marijuana in Maryland is prescribed by registered providers to certified patients and registered caregivers.Maryland law defines each of these categories of people.
Certifying Providers must be registered with the MMCC. They must have active and unrestricted licensees to practice as physicians, podiatrists, dentists, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, or midwives, and be in good standing with their respective professional state boards. They must also have state controlled dangerous substances registration.
Patients (defined in the law as “Qualifying Patients”) are Maryland residents whose providers have recommended medical marijuana for treatment of a qualified medical condition. These conditions include, among others, anorexia, severe or chronic pain, seizures, PTSD, and other chronic conditions for which other treatments have been unsuccessful. Qualifying patients must obtain written certifications from providers with whom they have a “bona-fide provider patient relationship.” The certifications must include a statement that, in the provider’s professional opinion, the patient has a condition for which treatment with medical marijuana will likely be beneficial.
Caregivers are people who are registered with the MMCC to help patients to obtain their medical marijuana. Caregivers can purchase and transport medical marijuana from a medical marijuana dispensary to a patient. Registered patients can select up to two adults (age 21 or older) as caregivers. Generally, all caregivers must be registered with and approved by the MMCC. For patients under the age of 18, caregivers are restricted to the patient’s parents or legal guardians, and they must be 21 or older.
Where are the Providers, Patients, and Caregivers?
Some interesting numbers about the number of registered providers, certified patients, and caregivers have recently been posted on the Maryland Medical Cannabis (MMCC) website.
According to these statistics, there are more than 90,000 certified medical marijuana patients in Maryland, served by more than 1700 total providers. The numbers also show where most of these patients and providers are located within the state.
Where are the Providers?
The counties with the highest number of registered providers are:
- Montgomery (320)
- Baltimore County (293)
- Baltimore City (237)
- Prince Georges (213)
- Anne Arundel (182)
Together, providers in these five counties account for more than 70% of the total number of registered providers in the state. In addition, more than half of the registered medical marijuana providers are physicians. Nurses, dentists and podiatrists round out the remainder of Maryland registered medical marijuana providers.
Where are the Patients?
The counties with the highest number of certified patients are:
- Baltimore County (21,506)
- Baltimore City (12,637)
- Montgomery (18,460)
- Anne Arundel (13,440)
- Prince Georges (10,408)
Together, patients in these five counties account for more than 80% of the total number of registered providers in the state.
Where are the Caregivers?
The counties with the highest number of caregivers are:
- Baltimore County (1366)
- Baltimore City (623)
- Montgomery (1246)
- Anne Arundel (880)
- Prince Georges (660)
There are other specific legal requirements that pertain to becoming a registered or certified medical marijuana provider, patient, or caregiver in Maryland. To learn more about these requirements, contact The Law Office of Robert R. Castro by calling (301) 870-1200.
