I was doing some research into medical marijuana when I ran across the Utahmarijuana.org website. About half-way down the homepage, I found a heading that reads, ‘3 Easy Steps to Get Carded’. It was at that moment that I realized getting ‘carded’ has a whole new meeting in our pot-heavy culture.
I consider our culture pot-heavy because public acceptance of both medical and recreational marijuana is at an all-time high. The vast majority of Americans believe that medical cannabis should be legal nationwide. A smaller majority believe it should be legal for recreational use. Enter the idea of getting carded.
No ID, No Alcohol
All marijuana was illicit when I was a teenager. Back then, there were no state-legal medical cannabis programs. States had not yet started giving the green light to recreational pot use. There were no retail dispensaries, medical cannabis cards, or bud tenders. However, we could still get carded. How, you ask?
Getting carded in the 1970s and 80s meant having to show your ID in order to buy alcohol. No ID, no sale. Middle aged shoppers used to giggle whenever they got carded because it meant they looked younger than they actually were – or at least that was the theory.
Teenagers looking to get around the ID requirement would borrow an older sibling’s driver’s license or buy a fake ID card on the street. It was all a big game. If you were young and not yet of legal age, it was exciting to see if you could get away with buying booze at the corner convenience store.
Carded for Medical Cannabis
I am sure convenience stores, gas stations, and local markets still card young people trying to buy alcohol. I no longer drink, so I cannot say for sure. But I do know that being carded for medical cannabis has nothing to do with proving you are of legal age. When Utahmarijuana.org talks about getting carded, they are referring to obtaining a state-issued medical cannabis card.
Utah issues medical cannabis cards to adults with qualifying conditions. They can be patients diagnosed with persistent pain, PTSD, persistent nausea, cancer, or one of a dozen other conditions. Cards can also be issued to adult caregivers, the parents or guardians of qualifying minors, and medical cannabis users visiting from out-of-state.
Getting a card is not particularly difficult. In Utah, a patient needs to visit a medical provider and submit an application. There is also an annual registration fee involved. But that’s about it. Utah patients do not have to jump through hoops to get carded.
No Card, No Pot
The one parallel between modern and old-fashioned carding is what happens at the retail level. Back in the day, not having an appropriate ID would mean not being able to buy that six pack of beer you had your eyes on. Today, you cannot buy medical cannabis in most states without a valid card. No card, no pot. That is the reality.
Utah residents cannot even enter a medical cannabis dispensary without a valid card. You need a car just to get in the door. Before you can complete your purchase, the dispensary will verify that your card is legitimate and that it belongs to you.
A lot has changed in the 40+ years since I was a teenager. Me and my friends used to get carded to buy alcohol. People are being carded today in order to legally buy and use medical marijuana. It is truly astounding when you realize just how long marijuana has had a bad reputation in this country.