How do I become a caregiver?
Becoming a primary caregiver has only 3 legal requirements;
1) You must be at least 21 years old
2) You must agree to assist with a patient’s medical use of marihuana
3) You can not have a felony conviction involving illegal drugs
Then you must register with the state
A qualifying patient may designate 1 primary caregiver to assist with his or her medical use of marijuana. When the patient you service applies with the state for their card, they will also submit the following information about you, their caregiver;
1) The name, address, and date of birth of the patient’s primary caregiver.
2) A designation of whether the qualifying patient or the patient’s primary caregiver, if applicable, will be allowed to possess marihuana plants for the qualifying patient’s medical use.
3) An attestation by the primary caregiver named on the application that he or she agrees to serve as the patient’s primary caregiver.
4) A primary caregiver shall authorize the department to use the information provided on the application to secure his or her criminal conviction history to determine if he or she has a felony conviction involving illegal drugs.
5) The qualifying patient must also submit photographic identification of both the qualifying patient and the patient’s primary caregiver. Photocopies of the following shall be considered acceptable forms of identification:
(i) Current driver's license or identification card, with photo, issued by a state.
(ii) Identification card with photo issued by a federal, state, or government agency.
(iii) Current military identification card.
(iv) Current passport.
(v) Current student identification card with photo.
(vi) Native American tribal identification with photo
(vii) Permanent resident card or alien registration receipt card.
Rule 333.115 Primary caregiver; number of qualified patients; compensation.
Rule 15. (1) The department shall issue a registry identification card to the primary caregiver, if any, who is named in a qualifying patient’s approved application. A registered primary caregiver may assist not more than 5 qualifying patients with their medical use of marihuana.
(2) A registered primary caregiver may receive compensation for actual expenses, including reasonable compensation incurred for services provided to assist a registered qualifying patient in the medical use of marihuana, or for payment for expenses incurred in providing those services, or both.
R 333.119 Changes in status; notifications; requirements.
Rule 19. (1) In order to update registry information for a qualifying patient or primary caregiver, the registered qualifying patient, registered primary caregiver, or registered qualifying patient’s parent or legal guardian, as applicable, is responsible for notifying the department of a change in any of the following:
a: The registered qualifying patient's name.
b: The registered qualifying patient’s address.
c: The registered qualifying patient’s primary caregiver.
(2) The department shall notify a registered primary caregiver by mail at the address of record within 14 calendar days of any changes in status including, but not limited to, both of the following:
a: The registered qualifying patient’s termination of the individual’s status as primary caregiver or designation of another individual as the registered primary caregiver.
b: The end of eligibility for the registered qualifying patient to hold a registry identification card.
c: If the department is notified by a registered qualifying patient that the registered primary caregiver for the patient has changed, the department shall notify the primary caregiver by mail at the address of record that the caregiver’s registry identification card is null and void.
(4) If a registered qualifying patient’s certifying physician notifies the department in writing that the patient has ceased to suffer from a debilitating medical condition, the department shall notify the patient within 14 calendar days of receipt of the written notification that the patient’s registry identification card is null and void.
Rule 333.127 Management of medical marihuana.
(2) A primary caregiver who has been issued and possesses a registry identification card shall not be subject to arrest, prosecution, or penalty in any manner, or denied any right or privilege, including but not limited to civil penalty or disciplinary action by a business or occupational or professional licensing board or bureau, for assisting a qualifying patient to whom he or she is connected through the department’s registration process with the medical use of marihuana in accordance with the act, if the primary caregiver possesses an amount of marihuana that does not exceed the following:
a: Two and one-half (2.5) ounces of usable marihuana for each registered qualifying patient to whom he or she is connected through the department’s registration process.
b: For each registered qualifying patient who has specified that the registered primary caregiver will be allowed under state law to cultivate marihuana for the qualified patient, 12 marihuana plants kept in an enclosed locked facility.
c: Any incidental amount of seeds, stalks, and unusable roots.
(3) An individual may simultaneously be registered as a qualifying patient and as a primary caregiver.