A dispensary will offer a variety of types of cannabis
and many options for methods of ingestion from traditional dried fl owers to edibles, beverages, oils and topicals such as salves. These products are available at various price points and dispensaries also offer discount programs to seniors, low-income patients and veterans. Most also offer a selection of pipes, vaporizer pens, books and other products help- ful to both new and experienced patients. Dispensary staff members are experts at educating newer patients and helping them make the best selections among a wide range of op- tions. Some dispensaries even offer home delivery services Because there are only eight of them in Maine, dispensaries may not be geographically convenient for some patients.
Caregivers: There are an estimated 2,400+ individual
“caregivers” around the state. Unlike the traditional health- care meaning of “caregiver,” these persons register with the state in order to legally grow medical cannabis for up to 5 patients. Originally, medical cannabis caregivers were envi- sioned as growing plants at home and providing for a single family member or close friend; over time, legislative efforts and unregulated activity has expanded the original defi nition.
Unlike dispensaries, caregivers are not regularly in-
spected by state authorities. There can be wide variances in product quality and variety from one caregiver to another and in the level of education they provide to patients. Therefore, some patients fi nd that they must try partnering with several caregivers before fi nding the right fi t.
Home growing: Maine’s medical cannabis patients can
grow their own cannabis; up to 6 fl owering plants at a time. This can be done indoors or outdoors (outdoor gardens must be fenced and secure, and meet other requirements for nuisance abatement). There is no clearly legal way to obtain seeds or young cannabis cuttings, so patients who choose this option may receive their “starts” as a gift from another patient.
Patients who are seriously ill may not be able to man- age the needs of their growing cannabis plants. Those who live in apartments, subsidized housing, or dense urban areas may fi nd it challenging to maintain security and discretion, particularly during the fl owering stage.
You will receive two certifi cation cards from your doctor;
one stays with you, and the other is given to the dispensary or caregiver you designate to provide your medicine. (If you grow your own, you will keep both cards.) If you choose to change providers, your dispensary or caregiver must return that card to you so that you can give it to your new provider.
Becky DeKeuster, M.Ed is a founder and the current Direc- tor of Community & Education of the Wellness Connection of Maine, a not-for-profi t mutual benefi t corporation which operates four of Maine’s eight state-licensed and regulated medical cannabis dispensaries. For more information, visit
www.mainewellness.org, or email
info@mainewellness.org.
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