Those who are new to medical marijuana are often curious about the costs associated with adding it into their lifestyle. What are the costs involved in purchasing a medical marijuana license? How much will it cost you after that? How does it compare to traditional over-the-counter medications that you might already be taking for pain or other concerns?
Something that many people are pleasantly surprised to find out is the fact that it is often cheaper to switch to medical marijuana from many of the alternative pain management routes that you might already be taking. In fact, in most places where medical marijuana is legal, there are built in savings that can greatly reduce your costs.
MMJ Compared to Over-the-Counter Drugs
Because legal medical marijuana is a new option in most places, we find that many of our patients come to us with a curiosity about trying marijuana as an alternative to the over-the-counter drugs that they are already taking. They might have heard that medical marijuana can make an excellent alternative for many conditions involving pain and other ailments but are already involved in a prescribed treatment plan.
Medical treatment plans can often become expensive, especially over time, and the idea of adding another medication to your list of expenses can feel overwhelming, especially to the growing number of patients who are facing an ever-increasing mountain of medical debt.
While medical marijuana patients are required to purchase a license up front, the upfront costs associated with purchasing a license are miniscule compared to the potential savings and are even low compared to prescriptions for many over-the-counter medications. Additionally, many prescription medications such as opiates can be highly addictive for patients, leading to enormous costs over time, while marijuana does not come with these dangers – in fact, the evidence shows that it mitigates them.
Note: Not all medical treatments can be replaced by medical marijuana. Always consult your physician and your state and city’s local laws before pursuing medical marijuana as an option.
MMJ Compared to Recreational Marijuana
While some patients come to us as an alternative to legal prescription drugs, others come to us looking for an alternative to purchasing marijuana from an illicit drug dealer on the streets. There are no downsides, and many benefits to purchasing medical marijuana over recreational marijuana.
Even if recreational marijauna is legal in your state, state governments tax recreational marijuana heavily – the tax rate often reaches 20-50%!
Compared to recreational marijuana, medical marijuana offers a number of benefits:
● Lower taxes – medical marijuana patients avoid the burden of recreational marijuana tax, which for a regular consumer can easily save hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year!
● Better product – Medical marijuana is held to high standards in every regard, from planting to harvesting, and batches are tested after the harvest for potency – in fact, medical marijuana can be stronger and contain higher levels of THC than its recreational counterparts.
● Access to other products – Other cannabis-based products, such as CBD oil, fall under heavy taxation regulations when used recreationally. Even if you are only using CBD, thanks to the tax savings for purchasing medical products, you still stand to save significant amounts of money when you switch to medical marijuana.
Get Your MMJ Card Today – Online!
Fortunately, if you live in the state of Arizona, Marijuana Evaluations is here to help you access medical marijuana! Arizona allows medical marijuana patients to possess up to 2 ½ ounces of marijuana legally, meaning that you will be able to keep some available for whenever your symptoms flare up.
At Marijuana Evaluations, we make it easy to find the relief that you need by providing