Do you have someone in your life who could benefit from the healing properties of cannabis but is unable to visit dispensaries themselves? Do you live in Pennsylvania, where medical marijuana has been legal for purchase since 2018? If this hits home, it’s time to learn how to become a PA medical marijuana caregiver and how an MMJ patient can obtain one.
Medical marijuana caregivers ensure that all MMJ patients have access to their medical cannabis medicine. Cannabis has the power to heal physical, mental, and spiritual discomforts – and all patients deserve access to the medicine despite any physical restrictions. So, what is a medical marijuana caregiver? What does it take to become an MMJ caregiver PA?
Here, Elevate Holistics will explain what a medical marijuana caregiver is, go over PA caregiver laws, and teach you how to help others (or receive help) through the program.
What is a Medicinal Marijuana Caregiver?
A medical marijuana caregiver can be a family member, friend, or even someone an MMJ patient finds in the caregiver system. Thus, they can be a parent, the neighbor next door, or an at-home nurse. An MMJ patient might need a caregiver if they are bed or home-bound, struggle to get around, can’t drive, have trouble communicating, or are under 18 years old.
Whether an MMJ patient is dependent on others full-time or might just need a hand on a bad day, it’s a good idea for a patient to have one or two caregivers who can assist them in retrieving their cannabis products.
Watch our short video to learn more about Caregivers.
What Does an MMJ Caregiver PA Do?
All that a PA medical marijuana caregiver is required to do is pick up medical cannabis from a local dispensary and deliver it to the MMJ patient. Caregivers cannot dabble in the medicine.
A medical marijuana caregiver could transform a patient’s life by lifting some weight off their shoulders.
Who Can Become a PA Medical Cannabis Caregiver?
According to PA caregiver laws, a caregiver in the MMJ program is someone 21 years of age or older who meets one of the following criteria:
- Designated by the MMJ patient (either personally or by finding the caregiver in the PA MMJ system)
- A parent, legal guardian, or spouse of a patient who is under 18
- Designated to be a caregiver by a parent, legal guardian, or spouse
Patients can have up to two caregivers, and each caregiver can serve up to five patients.
How to Become a Medicinal Marijuana Caregiver in PA
So how do you get your caregiver medical card to become a fetcher of cannabis for an MMJ patient? Becoming a medical marijuana caregiver in PA is fairly simple. All PA residents need to do is register for a caretaker card and pass a background check.
Here’s a concise step-by-step process to help you out:
Step 1: Register on the Website
To register, you will need to create a username and password to set up your caregiver profile. If you want to be linked to a specific patient as their PA medical cannabis caregiver, enter their name, date of birth, and patient ID number when registering.
When registering on the PA Department of Health website, the caregiver will need to select a registering option:
- Adult patient-caregiver registration: You are registering to be a PA medical marijuana caregiver for an adult patient who is already in the MMJ system.
- Caregiver registering for an existing patient: You are registering to be a caregiver for a patient who is already in the MMJ system but will not visit a dispensary. The patient will not register separately, nor will they receive an ID card.
- Caregiver registering for a new patient: You are registering to be a caregiver for a patient who is not yet in the MMJ system and will not be visiting a dispensary. The patient will not register separately, nor will they receive an ID card.
- DOH-approved caregiver registration: When you register under this category, you allow the Department of Health to share your contact information with patients in the area needing a caregiver.
According to PA caregiver laws, minors under the age of 18 must be registered by a caregiver. This caregiver must be a parent, legal guardian, spouse, or a third-party caregiver appointed by one of those individuals.
In the third-party caregiver case, they must fill out a form found in the “Profile Settings” of the caregiver profile.
Step 2: Undergo a Criminal Background Check
All caregivers must complete a criminal background check, which will include an appointment where the caregiver will be fingerprinted. Any criminal record will be reviewed before you are approved as a caregiver.
If you have been convicted of a criminal offense involving the sale or possession of drugs in the last five years, you cannot be approved.
Step 3: Wait for Confirmation Email
You will receive an email informing you about the outcome of your background check. This can take 4-6 weeks from the time of your fingerprinting.
Step 4: Pay for Your ID Card
Once approved, you will pay $50 for your caregiver ID card by logging into your account and clicking on the “Make Payment” tab.
When you are in the PA medical marijuana caregiver system, additional adult patients can designate you as a caregiver by going into their account and clicking on the “Manage Caregivers” tab.
Wondering how to get a medical card in PA? We can help with that, too. Just click here.
Let’s Get Started – Become an MMJ Patient with Elevate Holistics
What is a medical marijuana caregiver and why might a patient need a PA medical marijuana caregiver? Everyone deserves access to natural medicine, and that shouldn’t be restricted due to any physical limitation.
An MMJ caregiver is someone who can provide cannabis products to MMJ patients by acting as a delivery person for local dispensaries.
So, how can someone become an MMJ patient? The first step is to book a doctor’s appointment – and with Elevate Holistics, it’s never been easier. You pick the date and time and Elevate will virtually connect you with a doctor for med card approval. Our 100% online process is secure and designed to make getting your medical marijuana card quick and simple.
Get the best care for you and your loved ones – book an appointment with Elevate Holistics to get your medical marijuana card today.
