While medicinal hemp oils may be legal in 50 U.S. states, you still need to have a medical card to purchase them in Colorado, even though you can easily purchase tinctures and natural supplements online without a card. It can take quite a bit of research to figure out your best course of action. We can fill you in on some much needed information to guide you through the details.

Get to Know the Facts
The purchase of marijuana in Denver can be confusing – even to residents. It can be even more confusing when you separate marijuana into the categories of recreational and medicinal. A quick reference for the novice:  Recreational marijuana contains THC, which is psychoactive – meaning it contains the ingredient that can get you "high." Hemp has little THC and may contain one or more of several medicinal ingredients – meaning it might benefit you medicinally, but it won't get you high. See Americans for Safe Access' article, Guide to Using Medical Cannabis, for specific information about the different medicinal aspects of cannabis.

What Qualifies as Medicinal Use?
Licensed retail marijuana stores in Denver may sell retail marijuana to those over 21 years of age, but medical marijuana requires a state red card, which can only be obtained by Colorado residents with a recommendation from a doctor that a patient suffers from a debilitating medical condition that may benefit from medical marijuana. Medical marijuana patients can obtain marijuana from a licensed center, a primary caregiver, or self grow. For more information about medical marijuana, please visit the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment.

While state medical marijuana laws are well intentioned, many of them are extremely exclusive as to what illnesses may qualify patients for use, and limit production of medical marijuana plants to a handful of licensed facilities. The laws have drawn both praise and criticism from different groups. Many groups feel that the laws are inadequate, because they are so limiting. Many of the laws limit use to only a handful of patients that are on a very short list of approved conditions and in some cases, exclusively for epilepsy.

Many states have now passed laws legalizing the production of plants bearing cannabidiol for medicinal use, these laws may take many months, if not years, to be implemented while the details are ironed out as to who will produce the plants and products for distribution in each of these states. Many patients in states that have enacted these laws are frustrated, because they think they have no way to access medical marijuana/hemp oils, in most cases assuming that the medicinal oils have to be extracted from illicit marijuana plants. 

The irony is that cannabidiol is already legal to be sold in the form of CBD hemp products used in the manufacturing of nutritional supplements and has been for some time now. But many people in states that either do not qualify for the CBD programs, or are waiting for the laws to take effect, remain unaware that it is currently possible to legally buy CBD hemp oil products.

What Does it Mean for Residents?
What does this mean for you if you want to purchase marijuana? This means that if you are not a Colorado resident, you may legally purchase products at Altitude Dispensary without a medical marijuana card. If you are a Colorado resident, you can also purchase recreational marijuana without a medical card. However, if you live in Colorado and want to purchase medical marijuana, in person and at a medicinal only dispensary, you will need to get your medical marijuana card.

With three locations of marijuana dispensaries across Denver and Aurora, you can find a location near you. Learn more about the types of products featured, our specials, and even order online to have your order ready for you through our newest dispensary in Aurora. Contact us for more information and to take advantage of our experienced, knowledgeable staff at Altitude.

Source: https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/marijuanainfodenver/residents-visitors, http://cbdmarijuanaoil.com/