What is the definition of recreational cannabis?  

Recreational cannabis is consumed to pursue psychoactive or intoxicating effects. Reasons for consuming recreational cannabis are generally used for a social or individual psychoactive experience. One may experience the benefits of cannabis that include therapeutic effects but seeking medical guidance to experience those therapeutic effects are encouraged to do so through a medical prescription. The purpose of recreational cannabis is not to address your health issues meaning any claims not prescribed by a healthcare professional are false.  

Key Differences 

Price  

Medical cannabis is found to be cheaper than recreational cannabis. Discounts can be given based on income and tax deductibility. Although both recreational and medical cannabis are subject to taxes, some licensed producers will take on the tax for their medical patients.  

Assortment  

Licensed producers are under heavy and strict regulations as products must go through thorough testing and quality assurance (QA) protocols. Medical cannabis providers have geared towards producing topicals, tinctures, and vapes in continuous varieties while recreational cannabis follows the mainstream assortment. Therefore, the selection of medical cannabis products is greater than recreational offerings.  

Control 

No one person using cannabis for recreational purposes is allowed to hold more than 30 grams of cannabis at a single time. Medical cannabis patients can hold various amounts depending on their prescription. For example, if a patient is prescribed cannabis on a 30-day supply at 3 grams per day, it would be equivalent to holding 90 grams at a single time. However, the maximum prescription sits at 150 grams. Additionally, one person could grow up to 4 plants in their household for recreational use, while medical cannabis patients could grow more after applying for a personal production license.