Luminant Natural Medicine Clinic

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According to Colorado Law, a medical marijuana patient is someone who suffers from one of the conditions listed in the legislation and has received a recommendation from a physician stating that he or she suffers from a condition that may benefit from medical marijuana. A common misconception is that these conditions are limited to severe diseases like cancer or HIV, however qualifiers include a whole spectrum of conditions ranging from migraines to muscle spasms to PTSD. 

So, how do you find out if you qualify? A licensed physician must verify that the condition presented is legitimate.

Like many other logistical processes, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the idea of paperwork, approvals and other buzzwords that might trigger memories of DMV nightmares. Yet, with the correct paperwork in hand, the process is in fact very streamlined. After obtaining a physician certification with a qualifying medical condition, all that’s needed is a copy of your state-issued, valid Colorado ID or Colorado driver’s license, your social security number. 

As for time, the application itself takes a short amount of time when following the steps laid out on the Colorado official state web portal. After that, it only takes 1-3 days to be approved and have access to your card. The money and time that obtaining a red card requires upfront is simply a proactive measure to save yourself money and time in the future.

 The benefits of having a red card in Colorado Springs can be found both financially and logistically. What is likely to be most appealing to anyone who has experience purchasing recreational cannabis is the difference in sales tax. While recreational marijuana is taxed at a hefty 15-30%, those with a red card can purchase medical marijuana from a Colorado Springs medical dispensary at a much lower 2.9% sales tax. In addition to enjoying a lower sales tax, red card carriers’ transactional purchase limit is twice that of recreational marijuana customers. A red card will also allow you access to medical dispensaries, saving a lot of hassle for those living in Colorado Springs where the sale of recreational cannabis is illegal.