Tax break, one year early for some medical marijuana patients

Just like a puff of smoke, some medical marijuana users will be paying a little less out of pocket. Proposition 64 included a tax for recreational marijuana when it becomes available in 2018. At the same time, it’s giving an early tax break to people with county-issued, state of California marijuana identification cards.

“It’s confusing a lot of people because that is only with the state issued cannabis card. It’s not just with the doctor’s recommendation,” said President of Joy of Life Wellness center Joy Meredith.

Meredith says the tax break won’t effect most of her patients because only about five percent of those who come to the dispensary, use a a state licensed card. The majority fill their prescriptions with doctor recommendation letters.

“For some people it will have an impact but they are already paying the sales tax now so and very few people complain about it,” Meredith said.

Trying to get the tax break would come at a cost. A California department of Public Health medical marijuana identification card could run a person anywhere from 100 to 150 dollars. A fee that one medical marijuana patient said isn’t worth the hassle.

“It would go back to being a few dollars cheaper but I don’t mind paying taxes,” said a medical marijuana patient who did not want to be identified.

The patient who remained anonymous told me the access to medical marijuana is more important to her than the tax break.

For more information about other taxes and fees visit the California Tax Service Center.