Guide to Getting Your Medical Marijuana Card in the USVI
Before getting your medical marijuana card in the US Virgin Islands there are some things you should know first.
The Virgin Islands Medical Cannabis Patient Care Act (MCPCA) is the law that permits the use of medical cannabis in the territory. The MCPCA has sets the rules for patients wishing to obtain their medical card.
The Office of Cannabis Regulation (OCR) is the department that will be issuing med cards to patients. As well, the OCR determines what medical conditions are eligible for medical cannabis use.
You must be 18 years or older to obtain your cannabis card in the USVI. For anyone under the age of 18, a parent or legal guardian must be qualified as a designated caregiver.
Residency Requirements?
Residents
To qualify as a resident of the USVI under the MCPCA you must be a resident of the territory for 45 days. Being a resident offers you the easiest path for obtaining your card.
Non-Residents
If you have been in the territory for less than 45 days, or if you plan on coming to the USVI as a tourist, you are a non-resident. The MCPCA sets specific rules and fees for non-residents.
Non-Resident Outpatients
If you have been in the Virgin Islands less than 45 days, but you are under the supervision of a medical professional, you qualify as an Outpatient. The medical professional must be licensed in the USVI. This is for medical patients wishing to come to the US Virgin Islands to seek medical marijuana treatment that may not be available in their state or country.
Who Can Prescribe Medical Cannabis?
The MCPCA states that any “medical practitioner” may prescribe medical marijuana in the US Virgin Islands. But who is covered as a medical practitioner? The following list are all medical professionals that may prescribe cannabis.
- Medical Doctor
- Osteopath
- Naturopath
- Homeopath
- Chiropractor
- Physician’s Assistant
- Nurse Practitioner
What Conditions are Covered?
The MCPCA & the OCR have defined 3 areas where a patient will qualify for a medical cannabis card.
The first area is anyone suffering from these specific medical conditions.
- Cancer
- Glaucoma
- HIV
- Hepatitis C
- ALS
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Huntington’s disease
- Alzheimer’s disease
- PTSD
- Traumatic brain injury
- Hospice care
- Arthritis
- Diabetes
- Chronic pain
- Neuropathic pain
Second, practitioners may also recommend medical marijuana for any medical conditions that have the following symptoms.
- Wasting syndrome
- Severe debilitating pain
- Severe nausea
- Seizures
- Severe and persistent muscle spasms
The third section is the most general area for obtaining a card. Medical practitioners may prescribe use of medical cannabis for any condition that provides a therapeutic or palliative benefit to their patient.
How Much Will it Cost?
Cannabis medical cards in the US Virgin Islands will cost $50 per year for residents. Outpatient and Non-Resident card holders will pay: $50 for 5-days, $75 10-days, and $100 30-days.
For a complete list of costs laid out in the MCPCA please look at our Guide to Virgin Islands MCPCA Fees.
What Else?
For residents, that’s it. You will need to bring a letter from your doctor and submit an application to the OCR and you will receive your medical card.
For non-resident and outpatients, please continue on to our Guide for Nonresidents and In-Patients.