West Virginia’s medical cannabis program has been a huge success for patients with qualifying conditions, offering an alternative medicine to traditional pharmaceuticals.
While West Virginia’s program is off to a great start, patients shopping at the dispensary for the first time can expect to pay out of pocket for their medicine, and the prices are steep.
Cannabis isn’t typically known for its affordability, and medical marijuana programs are notoriously expensive compared to alternate pharmaceutical medications.
For many patients, discounts and rewards are the only way to keep their cannabis budget at a reasonable amount, which can vary each month depending on a patient’s needs and financial capabilities.
In this article, we’ll look at different scenarios for medical marijuana patients and explore what a cannabis budget can look like each month depending on your needs!
The Real Cost of Cannabis Without Home Growing
Cannabis Isn’t Cheap Until It’s Free
There are several reasons why the public can expect to see high prices for their cannabis, but most fall into one of two categories:
Lack of cultivators, and no home growing.
Patients who can grow their own cannabis enjoy incredibly different prices than patients who are forced to shop at the dispensary, and when there aren’t enough cultivators to produce cannabis, the prices rise even higher.
If the public wants access to more affordable cannabis, home growing and having plenty of cultivators will both be necessary to make this happen. Home cannabis plants can be harvested for the price of a tomato garden when growing is permitted.
The long supply chain of cannabis companies are charging premiums at every step of the plant’s harvest process which forces sick patients to pay for their medicine at very high rates.
Budgeting For Your Cannabis Each Month
Each patient will have their own needs when purchasing cannabis, and your condition or symptoms will largely dictate how much cannabis you’ll need, and when.
The cost of cannabis is nearly entirely dependent on your symptoms, preferences, and financial ability. Unfortunately you won’t be getting any help from your insurance company to lessen the financial burden.
You’ll need to have a concrete budget for cannabis in West Virginia, due to cannabis prices being steep and its availability very limited, so it’s a good to have an idea of what you can afford to spend on your medicine each month.
Prices for cannabis products in West Virginia fluctuate, though you’ll commonly find flower for around $50 per 1/8th oz, concentrate for $70 - $120 per gram, and vape cartridges ranging anywhere from 1/3rd gram to 1 gram at $40 - $90, all pre-tax.
Dispensaries don’t offer much product variety just yet, and inventory is spotty across the state’s open dispensaries, though prices are relatively similar amongst the stores.
Cannabis Products & Doses Offered
Since your symptoms or condition will largely dictate the amount of cannabis you need to use, there’s no real average cannabis consumer.
There are definitely limitations when it comes to the amount of cannabis you can use, so that’s what we will review next:
An 1/8th oz of cannabis flower is 3.5 grams, or about 3 large joints or 7 half gram joints.
1 gram of concentrate is the equivalent of around 10 – 20 dabs, depending on how much you use.
A 1 gram vape cartridge will offer around 250 - 300 puffs, and 1/8th oz of tincture will get you 60 – 100 drops.
In West Virginia, patients are free to set their own treatment plan as far as their cannabis dosage. While some patients medicate hourly, others only use cannabis once a week or a few times a month. Your dosage frequency will play the largest role in how much cannabis you’ll need to use and purchase each month.
What a Monthly Supply of Cannabis Could Look Like in West Virginia
For a medical marijuana patient that is medicating once daily, an 1/8th ounce of cannabis flower each week may be sufficient, for around $50 a week.
That’s a half-ounce each month, or around $200 pre-tax.
For a patient that is medicating multiple times per day and using additional products such as concentrates and vape cartridges, 1/8th of cannabis flower, 1 gram of concentrate, and 1 gram vape cartridge may work for them, landing at around $230 - $250 a week, or around $1,000 a month.
That’s a fairly broad range, $200 a month versus $1,000 a month, but most patients who have a consistent treatment plan will fall somewhere in this range.
There are some clever ways to save a few bucks at the dispensary, which can significantly add up over time to reduce your cost, and if your treatment plan doesn’t require medicating daily, you may be able to slide under the $200 a month mark.
For most patients, though, the monthly budget for cannabis will sit around $500, which is only comparable to pharmaceutical medications without insurance. Dispensaries can offer reward or discount programs, but since West Virginia’s program is still fairly new, it may be a while before these discount programs are in place.
We expect the costs associated with medical marijuana to decrease in the future, provided that federal legalization passes, or more cultivators in West Virginia are approved.
Get Your Medical Marijuana Certification in
West Virginia Today
You can get your medical marijuana card in West Virginia by consulting with one of our compassionate physicians. They will help you navigate every step of the way. West Virginia’s program offers medical marijuana to patients with certain conditions, and even has the option of filling out an application online!
You can even get your medical marijuana card online from the comfort of your own home with West Virginia Marijuana Card!
To get your medical marijuana card online in West Virginia, simply schedule your medical marijuana evaluation appointment today and get access to legal marijuana products available at dispensaries!
Being a West Virginia medical marijuana patient allows you the freedom to take your medication the right way for you. We’re dedicated to helping patients every step of the way! Feel free to give us a call at 877-303-8424 and we can answer your questions about getting a medical marijuana card in West Virginia.
Doctors Who Care.
Relief You Can Trust.
West Virginia Marijuana Card’s mission is to help everyone achieve
wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana.
Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for
our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
If you have any questions, call us at 877-303-8424, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
Check out West Virginia Marijuana Card’s Blog to keep up to date on the latest medical marijuana news, tips, and information and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to join the medical marijuana conversation in West Virginia.
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