Update: Recently, Federal prosecutors have cracked-down on hundreds of California medical-marijuana dispensaries, saying that they are fronts for drug dealing. California is the most profitable state for marijuana sales. This aggressive action targets commercial operations that are growing and supplying large quantities of marijuana, and dispensaries and stores located near schools and parks, prosecutors said. "The California marijuana industry is not about providing medicine to the sick," said Laura Duffy, the U.S. attorney in San Diego, “a pervasive for-profit industry that violates federal law." The Justice Department has announced that large-scale industrial marijuana cultivation centers are subject to potential federal enforcement action.
Medical marijuana dispensaries are places where patients with recommendations from their doctors can obtain medical marijuana. At present, 16 states and Washington DC have medical marijuana laws, allowing for medical marijuana dispensaries to sell the drug to patients.Legal Medical Marijuana States
Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
Hawaii
Iowa
Maine
Maryland
Michigan
Montana
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
Oregon
Rhode Island
Vermont
Washington DC
Qualifying for Medical Marijuana
Medical marijuana is still illegal under federal law. States with medical marijuana laws, however, allow patients to get a medical marijuana recommendation from their doctor or medical marijuana clinic; the uses of medical marijuana include pain relief from a number of conditions. Qualified patients receive a medical marijuana card, which they must carry with them at all times.
Medical Marijuana Dispensaries: Cannabis Pharmacies
Pharmacies and doctors are not allowed to provide medical marijuana to their patients. Patients must get medical marijuana from medical marijuana dispensaries. At the dispensaries, patients can buy a variety of medical marijuana, including cannabis hybrids, cannabis sativa and other medical marijuana strains.
Medical marijuana is sold to patients by cannabaristas. Cannabaristas also provide patients with other ways to consume the drug. The delivery method of medical marijuana includes candy bars and baked goods made with cannabis, along with rolled marijuana buds for smoking.
The number of dispensaries has grown at an astronomical pace. In California alone, there are 600 dispensaries. Denver, Colorado has more medical marijuana dispensaries than liquor stores, public schools and Starbucks.
Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Under Fire
In recent days, medical marijuana dispensaries have come under fire from state lawmakers. While most medical marijuana dispensaries do legally operate under the laws of their state, some have been raided by federal agents, sometimes leading to the arrest of dispensary owners and even patients’ doctors. There has also been some concern with the location of dispensaries, i.e. near schools, and the way that medical marijuana dispensaries advertise, including hanging flyers and offering incentives like free grams of marijuana for first-time users.
Many states, including Colorado and California, are considering limiting the number of medical marijuana dispensaries. There are, however, currently many medical marijuana dispensaries from which patients can choose in states where the drug is legal.
