Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Medical Marijuana Registry

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you refer me to a doctor? No. It is the responsibility of the patient to work with a physician with whom he/she has a bona fide doctor-patient relationship.
Where do I get the seeds or plants to start growing medical marijuana?

Are there clubs or organizations that help patients to grow or acquire their medicine? The Medical Marijuana Registry is not affiliated with any privately operated club, organization or dispensary and is not authorized to provide information on acquisition of marijuana.

Where can I legally use my medicine? No patient shall: Engage in the medical use of marijuana in a way that endangers the health or well-being of any person; or engage in the medical use of marijuana in plain view of, or in a place open to, the general public. Law enforcement has informed the Medical Marijuana Registry of the following: Any place outside of the patient’s home is considered public. “In plain view” also includes the patient’s yard or garage if that patient can be seen using their medicine by neighbors.

Why can’t I go to a pharmacy to fill a prescription for medical marijuana? Pharmacies can only dispense medications that are prescribed. Marijuana is currently classified by the federal government as a Schedule I drug, which means it cannot be prescribed by any health care professional. Amendment 20 allows doctors to recommend marijuana, and it allows patients to grow their own medical marijuana for their private use.

How is my confidentiality protected? Your confidentiality is protected by law and by the procedures used by the registry. No lists of doctors, patients of caregivers are given out to anyone. Local law enforcement may only contact the registry to verify the information on a specific identification card. The registry database resides on a stand-alone computer and is password protected and encrypted. The office and all of its contents are locked at night when the registry administrator is out of the office.

How does my card protect me? A patient may engage in the medical use of marijuana, with no more marijuana than is medically necessary to address a debilitating medical condition. A patient’s medical use of marijuana, within the following limits, is lawful: No more than two ounces of a usable form of marijuana; and no more than six marijuana plants, with three or fewer being mature, flowering plants that are producing a usable form of marijuana.

I do not have the money for the fee. Is it a one-time payment? Can it be waived? Can I make installment payments? Will my insurance pay? Full payment must be made at the time of application. The fee must be paid with the renewal application each year. The fee cannot be waived, and the registry cannot accept installment payments. Insurance companies are not required to pay the fee.

What if I move or my caregiver moves? What if I want to change my caregiver? When there has been a change in the name, address, physician, or primary caregiver of a patient who has qualified for a registry identification card, that patient must notify the registry of any such change within ten days. A patient who has not designated a primary caregiver at the time of application may do so in writing at any time during the effective period of the registry identificationcard, and the primary caregiver may act in this capacity after such designation.

Can I use my Colorado Medical Marijuana Registry identification card in another state? At this time, there are no “reciprocity” agreements with other states to recognize the Colorado law except in Montana and Rhode Island.

I am a registered patient in another state, do I have any legal right to use my medicine while visiting Colorado? No, Colorado’s law does not recognize patients registered in other states.

Does the Medical Marijuana Registry give free legal advice? No, patients are on their own to seek out legal advice or hire an attorney.

For more, please visit The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Here.

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