Medical vs Recreational Marijuana in Michigan: What’s The Difference?

Back in 2008, medical cannabis became legal in Michigan. Ten years later, in 2018, cannabis for recreational use was made legal. A year later, in 2019, licensed sales of recreational cannabis began. Now more than ever, it’s possible to buy marijuana in Michigan.

If you’re considering using recreational marijuana or the medical kind, you might be wondering what the difference is between these two types. How do you know which one is best for you? And are purchasing methods different?

Not having the answers to these questions can be stressful or overwhelming, especially if you’re a first-time user.

Fortunately, in this article, we’ll review recreational vs. medical marijuana in Michigan. Finally, you can decide which one is best for you and enjoy cannabis. Read on to learn more.

The Amount on Taxes You Pay

One of the biggest differences between medical cannabis and recreational cannabis is taxes. When you purchase medical marijuana in Michigan, you only have to pay ordinary Michigan sales tax, which is 6%, on top of the purchase price.

If you buy recreational weed, on the other hand, you also have to pay an excise tax of 10%. As a result, you’ll be paying a total of 10% in taxes when you buy this type of marijuana.

For this reason, you might benefit from becoming a medical marijuana user instead of a recreational one.

The Edible Dosage Amount

Another difference, when it comes to recreational vs. medical marijuana, is edible dosage. When you buy recreational marijuana in Michigan, the limit for the amount of THC in a package of edibles is 100 milligrams. With medical marijuana, this maximum amount is 200 milligrams.

If you prefer enjoying edible cannabis to smoking it or vaping it, and you want to have access to a larger amount of THC, this is another reason to see if you can become eligible to buy medical marijuana.

Growing Marijuana

If you’re a medical marijuana patient in Michigan, you can grow a maximum of 12 plants in a facility that’s enclosed and locked If plants are grown outdoors, they must be grown in an area that isn’t visible by passersby.

The ability to grow your own marijuana and use it is only available to medical marijuana patients, not to recreational marijuana users. So if this is something you want to do, it might be worth getting a medical marijuana card.

Keep in mind that there’s a limit to how much marijuana you can grow when you do this. The limit is ten ounces.

Qualifying Medical Condition

When the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act was passed in November 2018, adults over 21 years old could now buy marijuana just like people who could buy medical marijuana in Michigan, and like people in other recreational marijuana states.

This meant that, in many ways, access to marijuana was suddenly now possible not only for people with medical marijuana cards but also for anyone who was the right age.

However, something that’s different between medical and recreational marijuana when it comes to access is that you need to have a qualifying medical condition to use medical marijuana in the state of Michigan. You can use recreational marijuana though without needing to meet any requirements.

These qualifying medical conditions include AIDS, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cancer, autism, chronic pain, cerebral palsy, Chron’s disease, colitis, Hepatitis C, glaucoma, HIV+, and nail-patella.

They also include inflammatory bowel disease, Parkinson’s disease, obsessive-compulsive disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, PTSD, Tourette’s disease, and spinal cord injury.

Additionally, they include a deliberating or chronic disease, medical condition, or treatment for one of these that produces at least one of the following:

• Persistent and severe muscle spasms
• Wasting syndrome or cachexia
• Chronic and severe pain
• Severe nausea
• Seizures

If you have any of these conditions, you’ll need to speak meet with a doctor first, who’ll then diagnose that you have one of these conditions. After this, you’ll be able to begin the process of becoming a medical marijuana patient in Michigan.

The Age at Which You Can Buy

Another difference between medical and recreational marijuana use in Michigan is the age you have to be to buy marijuana. To be a recreational user, the minimum age is 21. To be a medical marijuana user, on the other hand, the minimum age is 18.

For this reason, if you want to enjoy marijuana under the age of 21 and you have one of the medical health conditions listed above, it would make sense to become a medical marijuana patient.

Additionally, if you’re a minor and have received a diagnosis that says you have one of these qualifying health conditions, you can choose a caregiver who will supply you with the medical marijuana you need.

This is a big difference between medical and recreational marijuana in Michigan, as this impacts whether you’re legally able to have marijuana bought for you when you’re a minor.

Looking to Buy Medical or Recreational Marijuana?

Now that you know what the difference is between medical and recreational marijuana in Michigan, you might be looking to buy medical or recreational marijuana. In this case, look no further than The River Provisions, where you can choose from the medical or recreational menu.

At The River Provisions, you can purchase vape carts, flowers, topicals, tinctures, concentrates, pre-rolls, and edibles. We also have sales and specials.

To learn more about the products you can buy from us, check out our deals and specials now.