How Do I Get a New Jersey Medical Marijuana Card?
Find a Licensed Physician & Schedule a Consultation
You need to find doctors registered by the New Jersey Department of Health before you do anything else. The state’s Medicinal Cannabis Program website helps you find physicians qualified to provide written certifications. Of course, you can schedule a consultation quickly by contacting us. We will put you in touch with one of our providers for a same-day online consultation.
In NJ, prospective MMJ patients must have a bonafide doctor-patient relationship. This may sound daunting, but all it means is that the physician examines and reviews your medical records, assesses your medical history, maintains your records, and provides follow-up care when necessary.
Talk to the Doctor About Medical Marijuana
Once you book an appointment with one of our qualified medical professionals, they will discuss your possible use of MMJ. The doctor will perform a physical exam, review your records and determine whether you’re eligible for medical marijuana. You will probably need to provide a urine sample to show whether you’re using any other substances.
Schedule a Follow-Up Appointment
In most states with a medical marijuana program, the doctor decides whether to give you written certification after the consultation. However, in New Jersey, MMJ applicants must complete a follow-up visit. Typically, it occurs about a week after the first appointment. The physician reviews your drug test results; these results could determine whether the doctor gives you the necessary documentation.
If they decide you’re eligible for MMJ, they will provide you with the written certification you need to complete your application. At this point, they decide what constitutes your monthly dosage of medical marijuana and ask you to designate an Alternative Treatment Center (ATC). An ATC is where you will buy the MMJ, and you can only register with one at any time. You are, however, free to switch ATCs later.
Apply for MMJ with the New Jersey Medicinal Cannabis Program
The final step on your journey involves registering with the New Jersey Medicinal Cannabis Program (NJMCP). Complete the online application, ensuring you have proof of ID, proof of residency, and the doctor’s certification. The NJMCP will send an email to inform you whether it has approved your application. If approved, visit the program’s website to complete your payment.
After receiving your MMJ card in New Jersey, you can buy marijuana from your chosen ATC. However, once you start using the substance, you must schedule another follow-up appointment with the doctor after 90 days. During this consultation, the doctor monitors your progress and may decide to change your dose if necessary. Please note that you’ll likely have to complete an orientation session when you visit the ATC for the first time.
How to Apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in New Jersey
- A Step-by-Step Guide
- Search for a licensed physician to provide a written certification; MMJCardOnline can help!
- Complete a 10–15-minute initial consultation and provide a urine sample as part of the medical exam
- Schedule a follow-up visit around one week later to get the results of the urine test and discover whether you receive written certification
- If approved, the doctor also decides on your monthly MMJ dose
- Register with an ATC of your choosing
- Complete the online MMJ application with the NJMCP
- If approved, pay the application fee and wait to receive your MMJ card
- Visit your chosen ATC and complete an orientation session
- Schedule another doctor’s visit; they will review your progress and decide if your dose should be changed
New Jersey Medical Marijuana Card Qualifying Conditions
You’re potentially eligible for a New Jersey medical marijuana card if you meet the following criteria:
- You’re aged 18+
- You have proof of state residency
- You have one of the qualifying medical conditions (which we highlight below)
Patient Qualifying Conditions
You must have one of the following qualifying conditions to be eligible for an NJ medical marijuana card:
- An inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease
- A seizure disorder, including epilepsy
- Migraine
- MS
- Anxiety
- Chronic pain related to a musculoskeletal disorder or of visceral origin
- Opioid use disorder
- ALS
- Tourette syndrome
- Muscular dystrophy
- Dysmenorrhea
- HIV/AIDS
- Any terminal illness with a prognosis of under a year to live
- PTSD
- Glaucoma
- Cancer
- Intractable skeletal muscular spasticity
General Guidelines
The above information outlines how to get a New Jersey medical card. Now, let’s check out the program’s rules.
Medical Marijuana Card Renewal in New Jersey
In New Jersey, your MMJ card is valid for two years. It is best to renew at least 30 days before your card expires. The process requires a new doctor’s certification and completing the requisite online forms on the NJMCP’s website.
Also, you must visit a doctor for a re-evaluation every 90 days. Doctors have the power to discharge you for missing follow-up visits.
Caregiver Rules
As an MMJ patient, you can choose a caregiver to buy and possess marijuana on your behalf. Caregivers must be NJ residents aged 18+. They need to pay a $100 registration fee and submit to a criminal background check. You can select up to two caregivers.
A Brief History of Cannabis in New Jersey
New Jersey residents had to wait until 2010 before MMJ became legal. On January 18 that year, Governor Jon Corzine signed the Compassionate Medical Marijuana Act into law on his final day in office. At the time, it was the strictest MMJ law of any state that had legalized the substance. The first legal sales of medical marijuana didn’t begin for almost three years!
The program remained highly restrictive until 2017, when the New Jersey Medical Marijuana Review Panel expanded the list of qualifying conditions. The program has become easier to access ever since. In February 2021, Governor Phil Murphy signed a recreational marijuana bill into law, and recreational sales began in April 2022. However, MMJ patients still have advantages over recreational marijuana users, primarily a higher possession limit.
New Jersey Medical Marijuana Laws and Rules
New Jersey has one of the most lenient marijuana possession laws in the United States. Adults aged 21+ can only buy up to an ounce of marijuana. However, decriminalization of the substance means that possessing up to six ounces of marijuana is no longer considered a crime. If you’re caught with MORE than this amount, a prison sentence of up to 18 months and a fine of $25,000 awaits you!
You face a similar penalty for the illegal distribution of over an ounce of marijuana or if you’re caught distributing any amount for a second time. New Jersey law also severely punishes the cultivation of marijuana. You could spend up to five years behind bars if convicted of growing over an ounce of the substance at home.
What Types of Cannabis Products Can I Purchase in NJ?
There are plenty of options once you have your New Jersey medical marijuana card. Typical food-based edibles are among the few cannabis-infused items you can’t buy. Most licensed dispensaries sell the following:
- Lozenges
- Dried marijuana flower
- Concentrates
- Capsules
- Syrups
How Much Cannabis Can I Buy & Possess?
Your doctor decides how much MMJ you can buy, with the maximum amount set at three ounces every 30 days. Patients can also possess up to three ounces. Marijuana is packaged in one-eighths or one-quarters.
Where Can I LEGALLY Purchase MMJ in New Jersey?
There are dozens of dispensaries in New Jersey, although the lion’s share focus on recreational users. Of course, as an MMJ cardholder, you can buy from a medicinal or recreational marijuana dispensary. Once you have the marijuana, remember that using it in public remains illegal, barring in places that are licensed and zoned for onsite consumption.
Can I Take My MMJ to a Different State?
No. It is illegal to bring marijuana across state lines. However, NJ does recognize out-of-state medical marijuana cards. If you visit New Jersey and have a valid MMJ card in another state, you can buy the substance for up to six months as a visitor.
Can MMJ Cardholders Grow Marijuana at Home?
No. It remains illegal to cultivate marijuana in New Jersey, and there are severe penalties for doing so.
FAQ About Getting an MMJ Card in New Jersey
According to the state’s MMJ law, the NJMCP has up to 30 days to review an application. If approved, the New Jersey Department of Health will contact you via email. After paying the application fee, you should get your MMJ card in the mail in no more than ten business days.
A very high percentage of applicants who use MMJCardOnline are approved. However, in the unlikely event that the doctor refuses to provide a written certification, you’ll get your money back.
The application fee is $50, with military veterans, seniors, and individuals who receive certain forms of government assistance benefiting from a reduced fee of $20. The initial doctor’s consultation can cost up to $300, with the 90-day follow-ups setting you back around $100. However, you could get a great deal and save a substantial sum by using one of our providers.
Yes. However, applicants aged 17 and under require the permission of a parent or legal guardian. They also need written confirmation from a psychiatrist and a pediatrician.