Lesson 1, Topic 1
In Progress

Dispensing Cannabis

Medical

Let’s dive into how you, as a dispensary agent, can dispense medical cannabis effectively and in compliance with regulations.

  1. Where to Dispense: Always dispense medical cannabis from the designated service area or other specified areas according to the administration’s guidelines.

  1. Who Can Receive Cannabis: Only dispense to qualifying patients or caregivers who provide:
    • An administration-issued patient or caregiver identification number.
    • A valid government-issued photo ID.

  1. Verification Before Dispensing: Before handing out any medical cannabis, make sure to:
    • Log in to the Administration data network with your unique credentials.
    • Confirm the patient or caregiver’s current registration status.
    • Check that a valid written certification from a certifying provider has been issued to the patient.
    • Verify the total amount of medical cannabis already dispensed under this certification.
    • Determine if the patient qualifies for discounts by being enrolled in the Maryland Medical Assistance Program or the Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System.

  1. Providing Information: Feel free to educate patients and caregivers about:
    • Different types of medical cannabis, strains, and finished products available.
    • Various methods of consumption.
    • How to return unused cannabis for proper disposal.

  1. 30-Day Supply Regulations:
    • Patients or caregivers can collect part of their 30-day supply anytime, as long as the total collected does not exceed the limit.
    • Record the weight of usable cannabis or the THC content dispensed in the Administration data network.

  1. When Not to Dispense: You may refuse to dispense cannabis if you believe the patient or caregiver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

  1. No Samples Allowed: Remember, distributing samples of medical cannabis is prohibited.

  1. Expiration of Written Certification: If a written certification isn’t used to purchase medical cannabis within 120 days of issuance, it becomes void.

  1. Recording Transactions: Always record any dispensing to a qualified patient or registered caregiver as a sale in the seed-to-sale tracking system.

Adult-Use

Let’s break down the process of dispensing adult-use cannabis to make sure everything goes smoothly and legally.

  1. Where to Dispense: Dispense cannabis only from the designated service area or as directed by the Administration.

  1. Acceptable Forms of ID: When a customer comes in, they should present a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID with their birth date. Accepted IDs include:
    • State driver’s license
    • U.S. passport or passport card
    • Non-driver’s state photo ID card
    • Foreign passport
    • U.S. military ID card
    • Tribal card
    • Note: Student IDs from public institutions or universities are not accepted.

  1. Verifying Identity and Age:
    • Use your unique login to access the Administration data network.
    • At the point of sale, check the consumer’s ID to confirm they are 21 or older.

  1. Information You Can Provide: Feel free to discuss with customers:
    • The different types of cannabis, strains, and finished products available.
    • Various methods of consumption.
    • How to properly return unused cannabis.

  1. Sales Limits:
    • Cannabis vaporizing devices are treated as concentrated cannabis for weight considerations.
    • Do not dispense more than the personal use amount specified under Maryland law in a single day. This includes:
      • Up to 1.5 ounces of usable cannabis
      • Up to 12 grams of concentrated cannabis
      • Edible products, capsules, and tinctures containing no more than 750 milligrams of THC.

  1. When to Decline a Sale: You may refuse to dispense cannabis if the consumer appears:
    • Under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
    • Likely to resell or divert the cannabis.
    • Attempting to buy more than the allowed personal use amounts.

  1. What Consumers Can Purchase: Customers can buy:
    • Usable cannabis, vaporizing devices, and concentrated products as specified.
    • Home cultivation products and infused non-edible cannabis products.
    • Edible products and tinctures with up to 10 milligrams of THC per serving and 100 milligrams per container.

  1. Consumer Privacy:
    • Do not create or maintain a customer profile using personal information or purchase records without explicit consent.
    • Sales cannot be denied just because a consumer opts out of data storage or use.