There are two different kinds of Cannabis Dispensaries here in Maine:

• Medical marijuana dispensaries: To shop in these stores, you need a “medical marijuana” card, but it doesn’t have to be one from Maine. Maine shops honor cards from just about every other jurisdiction with medical weed, including all of the rest of the New England states and New York and New Jersey. You can find a full list of recognized state medical programs here.
  
  Generally, these stores will have “medical” prominently displayed on their signage and often they will have a green cross (like the Red Cross symbol, but green) to indicate they are a medical establishment.
  
  You can be as young as 18 years old if you have a medical card, and you can purchase weed for younger patients with them in the shop as long as you are their legal guardian/parent, etc.
  

• Adult Recreational retail stores: To shop in these stores, you just need to be 21+ and have a valid ID to demonstrate that. It’s just like buying beer.
  
  Usually, these stores will have a prominent 21+ sign or use the word “recreational” or “adult-use” in their signage.

Fundamentally, cannabis is cannabis. Medical weed and recreational weed are the same plant. However, there are many, many strains of cannabis and each one will deliver a slightly different experience when you consume it. A medical store might have more strains designed to create medical benefits like helping you sleep or easing anxiety or addressing pain, but which don’t get you all that “high.” 

Also, there are certain rules that recreational stores have to follow that medical stores do not, especially around portions and how strong each “dose” is.

In the recreational store, an edible cannabis product can only have 100mg of THC (the ingredient that most affects you in cannabis) in each package, and each dose can only have 10mg in it. 

In a medical store, there are no such limits. It is possible to get a candy bar at certain medical stores with as much as 1,500mg of THC in it. Always read the packaging before consuming cannabis edibles!

Yes, in general, medical cannabis is less expensive for a variety of reasons:

• Medical weed is not taxed as highly as recreational weed.
• Medical establishments aren’t required to do as much tracking and testing as recreational stores, and so have less overhead. 
• Medical weed can often be a very small operation where the grower owns the small store and they can keep their prices low because they have very little overhead at all. 

In the recreational market, you have to pay higher taxes and the growers, themselves, have to pay higher taxes when they sell their weed at wholesale to the retailers. Plus, they have to do “track and trace,” which can be expensive software. 

Further, many recreational cannabis stores are chains where the growers support many stores, or the stores buy from many growers. This increases the margin between grow and eventual sale and raises the price for the consumer to make sure everyone along the way can support themselves. 

If you don’t have a medical card, you can buy up to 2.5 ounces of recreational cannabis, or have a combination of products that equal up to 2.5 ounces (edibles, etc., would just count as their mg amount), but no more than 5 grams of concentrates (batter, diamonds, shatter, etc.) can be a part of that. 

If you do have a medical card, you can similarly buy up to 2.5 ounces of “prepared” cannabis, with no limits on concentrate amount. 

However, that’s also the limit for possession, so you can’t legally go from store to store and buy 2.5 ounces from each. You are only allowed to possess 2.5 ounces of cannabis product at any one time, whether you have a medical card or not. 

Not legally. Regardless of the laws in your home state, United States federal law specifically says you may not cross a state or international border with cannabis in your possession. It doesn’t matter if cannabis is legal in both states, etc., once you cross a state line, federal law applies.It is also illegal to mail cannabis, even between two states where it’s legal.

Airports in Maine: Cannabis is not allowed past TSA security checkpoints, since airports are under federal jurisdiction. At Portland International Jetport, travelers may find “amnesty boxes” where cannabis can be safely discarded before entering security. While TSA does not actively search for cannabis, if it is discovered during screening, it may be referred to local law enforcement.

There are two different kinds of Cannabis Dispensaries here in Massachusetts:

• Medical marijuana dispensaries: To shop in these stores, you need a valid Massachusetts “medical marijuana” card. Unlike Maine, Massachusetts does not accept medical marijuana cards from other states. Only Massachusetts-issued cards are recognized. You can find all the information for Massachusetts at this link.
  
  These dispensaries usually have “medical” clearly marked on their signage, and often use a green cross symbol (similar to the Red Cross, but green) to indicate they are a medical establishment.
  
  Patients must be at least 18 years old with a medical card. Parents or legal guardians may purchase cannabis for younger patients if they are registered as their caregivers through the Massachusetts medical program.
  

• Adult Recreational retail stores: To shop in these stores, you just need to be 21+ and have a valid ID to demonstrate that. It’s just like buying beer.
  
  Usually, these stores will have a prominent 21+ sign or use the word “recreational” or “adult-use” in their signage.

At its core, cannabis is cannabis because medical and recreational products come from the same plant. The real differences come down to the strains available and the rules each type of dispensary must follow. With so many strains out there, each can create a slightly different effect.

Medical dispensaries in Massachusetts often focus on options designed for therapeutic relief like easing anxiety, improving sleep, or managing pain sometimes without producing an intense “high.”

Recreational dispensaries, on the other hand, are bound by strict potency and serving limits. In Massachusetts, edible cannabis products can contain no more than 5.5mg of THC per serving and no more than 110mg of THC per package. There’s also a 500mg daily purchase cap for edibles across all products. Medical dispensaries are not subject to these same limits, so patients may find products with much higher THC content available.

Wherever you shop, always read the label carefully before consuming cannabis edibles!

Yes, medical cannabis in Massachusetts is generally less expensive than recreational cannabis, and there are several reasons why.

• Lower Taxes: Medical cannabis is exempt from both the state’s marijuana excise tax and the 6.25% sales tax, while recreational cannabis is subject to a 10.75% excise tax, the 6.25% state sales tax, plus a possible local tax of up to 3%. That adds up quickly for adult-use purchases.
• Lower Compliance Costs: While medical dispensaries must meet strict state safety and quality standards, they don’t face every requirement recreational shops do. Adult-use retailers must maintain “seed-to-sale” tracking software, undergo additional testing, and follow other compliance measures that increase operating costs.
• Business Structure: Many medical dispensaries in Massachusetts are smaller, patient-focused operations with lower overhead, allowing them to keep prices down. Recreational stores are often larger chains or rely on multiple cultivators and distributors, which means more markups before products reach the customer.
• Patient Discounts & Hardship Programs: Many medical dispensaries offer discounts or assistance programs to help patients afford their medicine. These can include reduced pricing for veterans, seniors, low-income patients, or those facing financial hardship. Some dispensaries also offer loyalty programs or patient-specific specials that are not available in recreational shops.

If you don’t have a medical card, Massachusetts law allows you to purchase up to 1 ounce of cannabis flower at a time, or the equivalent in other products (such as edibles or tinctures). Within that limit, no more than 5 grams may be concentrates (like wax, shatter, or oil).

If you do have a medical card, patients may purchase up to a 60-day supply, which Massachusetts defines as 10 ounces of cannabis (unless a physician certifies a greater amount is needed). Medical patients are not subject to the same concentrate restrictions as recreational customers.

These purchase limits also apply to possession. Adults 21+ may legally carry up to 1 ounce on their person (with no more than 5 grams in concentrate form) and may store up to 10 ounces at home. Medical patients may legally possess their full certified supply. Buying more than the legal limit by visiting multiple dispensaries is not permitted.

In addition, Massachusetts law allows adults 21+ to gift up to 1 ounce of cannabis (or its product equivalent) to another adult without payment. However, any form of exchange that involves money or compensation is considered an illegal sale.

Not legally. Even though cannabis is legal in Massachusetts, federal law prohibits crossing state or international borders with cannabis in your possession. It doesn’t matter if cannabis is legal in both states, etc., once you cross a state line, federal law applies.

It is also illegal to mail cannabis, even between two states where it’s legal.

Airports in Massachusetts: Cannabis is not allowed past TSA security checkpoints, since TSA is a federal agency. At Logan Airport and other Massachusetts airports, travelers may find “amnesty boxes” to safely dispose of cannabis before entering the federal jurisdiction of the security area. While TSA officers are not actively searching for cannabis, if it is discovered during screening, it may be referred to local or state authorities.