Patients can apply for med marijuana cards

On Monday, November 2 the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced it will start accepting applications from medical marijuana patients.

DHHS is calling this a “pre-registration period” because patients will not be able to use medical marijuana until a medical marijuana dispensary opens.  DHHS says they expect the first dispensary to open in early 2016.

“The pre-registration period is intended to give potentially qualifying patients and designated caregivers ample time to work with their providers to get registered before the dispensaries are open for business,” said DHHS Commissioner Nick Toumpas.

Medical marijuana advocates have criticized the state for taking too long to make marijuana available to patients.  The legislature passed the law authorizing medical marijuana over two years ago.

Other medical marijuana advocates believe that there will not be enough marijuana available to meet the demand of patients.  That is one reason why some patient advocates support a home-growing option, which is still illegal.