Medical marijuana is not always an affordable alternative to prescription drugs

Everyone scolds and raves about medical marijuana these days. Depending on who you ask, it can prevent, treat, and even cure various health conditions from anxiety to cancer. Some believe in the power of the herb so much that they tossed all of their prescription medication in the trash and kicked it into full swing on the way of the pot. But many of these people are learning that with all of the legal discrepancies associated with this harvest, it’s a pretty expensive trip.

In Ohio when opinion poll Research by the state found that nearly 60% of patients and caregivers are unsettled about the price of medical marijuana. The survey found that most program participants pay around $ 300 out of pocket for cannabis products each month. And many complain about it.

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“Why are these products so expensive?” asked a responder. “Is Ohio aware that those prescribed mmj (medical marijuana) often struggle with symptoms that make full-time work difficult?”

But while Ohio patients rant that the state’s prices are inadequate and unaffordable, when it comes to medical marijuana it is expensive. In states like Michigan and Illinois, the average cost of an ounce of medicinal herb ranges from $ 265 to $ 380.

Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program is no exception.

A December 2020 report by The Philadelphia Inquirer shows the state is one of the most expensive medical marijuana markets in the country. The high cost has been attributed to everything from profiteering to delivery issues, but no one really has clear answers. The consensus is that the state’s cannabis industry is a wild west business model and all parties are asking for whatever they want because they can. Officials on the state’s Medical Marijuana Advisory Board say program participants always complain about the price of weed. And probably always will.

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“The patient community is always outraged by the prices,” says advisory board member Luke Shultz. “I’m not sure where the price is supposed to be. But we would definitely like to see it lower. “

Medical marijuana is a solid concept at a fundamental level. Studies pop up almost daily showing how the herb can make life a little tastier. Even ordinary people who have no opinion on whether medical marijuana is better or worse than being a slave to big pharma are trying. The number of patients has risen continuously in recent years. This has led to a shortage of pots in some areas, which leads to price increases and dissatisfied customers. There are also a plethora of other properties that result in high prices for medical marijuana. And the cost can be daunting.

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“The pharmacies are grossly overpriced,” wrote an Ohio medical marijuana patient in a note accompanying the survey.

Spending hundreds of dollars every month isn’t always the most viable alternative medicine option; not when patients can rely on their health insurance for drugs that provide similar or even better results for little to no money. Even those who refuse to give up medical marijuana (they believe this is the only way to go) often bypass legal channels and common black market sources to get a price advantage. But if a patient doesn’t have health insurance, they likely don’t have a job or a job good enough to be able to afford legal weed.

With all of the technological advances in the grow operations and a valiant attempt to remove the stoner stereotype from the storefronts of pharmacies, the American cannabis market has become a bit of a bougie. And there isn’t a $ 5 prescribing plan.

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One could argue that the federal ban makes medical marijuana a flawed concept. With the U.S. government still viewing cannabis as a List I dangerous drug with no known medicinal value, state-produced medical cannabis isn’t even really considered medicine. It is not covered by any health insurance network, it is not administered in hospitals (not even in constitutional states), and cannot be purchased from CVS or Walgreens.

In fact, a doctor can write a recommendation for it, but medical marijuana cannot be prescribed.