FAQ

Commonly Asked Questions

We are here to help
  • Is marijuana legal in South Dakota?
    • In November 2021, medical marijuana became legal in South Dakota for patients with qualifying medical conditions in accordance with SDCL 34-20G. Patients must first be certified in-person by an authorized medical provider as having one of these qualifying conditions before becoming eligible for a medical marijuana card. Rapid Referrals has medical providers on staff to certify patients.
  • How old do you have to be to get medical marijuana in South Dakota?
    • Medical marijuana, with very strict criteria (see codified law 34-20G-33), can be made available to patients under the age of 18, but generally speaking, patients must be at least 18 years of age. There are restrictions to the types of medical marijuana available to patients under 21 years of age once certified.
  • How do I apply for a medical marijuana card in South Dakota?
    • If you believe you have a qualifying medical condition in accordance with SDCL 34-20G, then you must first be certified by an authorized medical provider as having one of these qualifying conditions before becoming eligible for a medical marijuana card. Once medically certified, you must then complete an online application with the South Dakota Medical Cannabis Registry at medcannabisapplication.sd.gov. An invitation to complete this application can only be made by the certifying medical provider. Rapid Referrals has medical providers on staff to certify patients and assist in online application completion while at your appointment.  
  • Do I need to see a doctor before coming to my appointment?
    • No. Rapid Referrals has medical providers on staff to certify patients and assist in your application completion while at your appointment. 
  • What are the qualifying conditions to become a medical marijuana patient in South Dakota?
    • Currently, a qualifying medical condition is defined by SDCL 34-20: “a chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its treatment that produces one or more of the following: cachexia or wasting syndrome; severe, debilitating pain; severe nausea; seizures; or severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristic of multiple sclerosis.” 
  • Does PTSD qualify for a medical marijuana card in South Dakota?
    • Yes.
  • I’m a convicted felon out on parole. Can I still qualify for a medical marijuana card in South Dakota?
    • Patients with criminal records are allowed to qualify for a medical marijuana card in South Dakota. However, neither the medical certification nor issuance of a state medical marijuana card serves as a prescription or recommendation to use medical marijuana. A prescription or recommendation to use medical marijuana by a medical provider is required by most parole officers. Rapid Referrals providers do not write any prescriptions or recommendations for the use of medical marijuana to any patient.
  • Will I lose my CDL if I have a medical marijuana card in South Dakota?
    • Having a medical marijuana card will not disqualify any patient from also having a CDL as long as they are using the product lawfully. However, your employer’s policy on its use might prevent you from passing a random urine drug screen. At Rapid Referrals, we recommend all patients discuss this concern with their employer before applying for a medical marijuana card. Moreover, how any individual or entity declares jurisdiction regarding state or federal law is also unpredictable.
  • What are the South Dakota Medical Marijuana Laws?
    • There are many. Please refer to SDCL 34-20G for the complete list.
  • How much does it cost to get a South Dakota medical marijuana card?
    • The state charges $75 (low-income patients may apply for this fee to be reduced to $20) annually for the issuance of a medical marijuana card once certified by a medical provider. The provider fee for medical certification varies from clinic to clinic. Rapid Referrals charges $199 for new patients and $179 for renewals for a 12-month certification after an in-person evaluation (in-person evaluations are required by the state for all applications, including renewals.)  Veterans and Cannabis Industry workers are eligible for an additional 10% discount exclusively at Rapid Referrals.
  • Is there a discount for low-income patients?
    • Separate from the medical provider certification fees which can vary widely across the state, any low-income patient may apply for the state licensing fee to be reduced from $75 to $20 for the issuance of a medical marijuana card once certified by a medical provider. 
  • Do you take Medicare or do I have to pay out of pocket?
    • Rapid Referrals does not bill Medicare or any other medical insurance.
  • Do you offer any discounts for veterans?
    • Yes we do! Veterans can enjoy a 10% discount on their medical certification or renewal. Showing proof of your veteran status may be requested.
  • Can I do a virtual visit for my medical certification?
    • No. In-person evaluations are required by South Dakota state law for all patients to be certified, including renewals.
  • What do I need to bring to my appointment?
    • Due to the fact that the South Dakota Medical Cannabis Registry is reliant upon a working email account to issue a medical marijuana card, access to this email account at your appointment is required to complete the application process. There is no way around this. Aside from that, you will also need your state-issued ID and monetary payment. Medical records are not required upon your first visit to Rapid Referrals but a medical intake form must be completed upon your arrival. Legal guardians for minors as well as any proposed designated caregivers must be present at the time of the patient’s appointment, have their own working email account (it cannot be the same as the patient), and bring any legal documentation proving their relationship to the patient, among other criteria as described by SDCL 34-20G.  
  • What medical records do I need to bring to my appointment?
    • Medical records are appreciated but not required upon your first visit to Rapid Referrals. Physician referrals are also appreciated but not required at Rapid Referrals. A medical intake form must be completed upon your arrival.
  • How do you know if I have a qualifying condition without medical records?
    • Medical records are not required under South Dakota state law for a medical provider to certify a patient. Rather, it is the comfort level of the individual provider or clinic that decides if medical records are necessary for certification. At Rapid Referrals, with in-person evaluations a prerequisite according to state law, we take a trust-first approach to a patient’s medical history and so do not require medical records upon your first visit. We recognize that not all patients use traditional medical care and so may not have any medical records to provide. However, a medical intake form must be completed upon your arrival. 

 

  • How do I apply for a Caregiver?
    • A designated caregiver must be 21 years of age and have no criminal convictions. Moreover, the state reserves the right to perform a background check on any caregiver applicant. Since the caregiver will be issued their own medical marijuana card, they must also be present at the time of the patient’s certification, have their own working email account (it cannot be the same as the patient’s), and have a state issued ID. The entire caregiver online application with the state registry will also be completed at the patient’s appointment at Rapid Referrals.
  • How do I apply for permission to cultivate (aka grow) marijuana at home?
    • Any patient may apply for permission to cultivate (or grow) at home with certain stipulations. During the application process, they must include a picture of a floor diagram of the household with the location of the grow room clearly designated as well as a picture of the door to the grow room, closed with a key in the lock. The state charges an additional fee for this as well. The staff at Rapid Referrals can help patients complete their request to cultivate at their appointment if they arrive with these documents/pictures ready to be uploaded to their online application.
  • I was just certified by the Rapid Referrals doctor. How long will it take to get my medical marijuana card in the mail?
    • The turnaround time from when the patient successfully completes their online application to actually receiving the physical card in the mail, can be anywhere from 3 weeks to 45 days. Application processing times have been variable and are due to a large extent to the lack of staff at the state registry office. This estimation is completely reliant on the patient successfully completing their application correctly and without any omissions or inaccuracies. At Rapid Referrals, we strive to help patients complete their online application successfully before leaving their appointment, but there are many occasions when we cannot get it done because, for example, a patient didn’t bring the proper documentation to prove their low income status or required cultivation diagrams and pictures to their appointment. The application will not be completed and so not placed in line for processing by the state unless all parts of the application are submitted properly. Because of this, there are a number of reasons that an application may be delayed beyond the average processing times, but it is never due to a problem with the medical certification determination. Any delays are almost always due to inaccurate/incomplete documentation of low-income status, cultivation diagrams, or personal identification. We recommend contacting the South Dakota Medical Cannabis Health Program Specialist immediately and directly so that he/she can explain what is missing or misplaced in your application. Email: MCQuestions@state.sd.us. 
  • I was just certified by the Rapid Referrals doctor and now my application says “pending”. What does that mean?
    • Pending is good! It means your application was submitted correctly and is awaiting review by the state registry office for any errors or omissions.
  • I was just certified by the Rapid Referrals doctor where we completed my application together successfully. I went back and changed a few things on my application and now it says  “updated.” What does that mean?
    • An “updated” application status means that an application was edited by the patient applicant before the state registry office has had a chance to review or approve it. The patient applicant may want to update their application after its initial submission to upload required documents so they can apply for low income status if these weren’t uploaded at the patient’s appointment at Rapid Referrals, for example. An applicant can update their application for any reason, like adding in a middle name (something that’s not required), after its first submission. The problem with any update done after the application has been submitted but before it’s been approved by the state, is that this will automatically place your application at the back of the line for processing and could result in further delays. If you do decide to update your application before approval, we recommend making sure the update is absolutely necessary.
  • My application says it was “approved.” Can I print or use my electronic certification at the dispensary now?
    • No. All patients must wait until their SD medical marijuana card arrives in the mail before they can shop at any dispensary in South Dakota.
  • My application says it was “approved.” When will the card be mailed to me?
    • Awesome! You’re now approved for a South Dakota Medical Marijuana Card! Your medical marijuana card will be mailed on the following business day after the date of online approval.
  • My application says it’s “on hold.” What does that mean?
    • An “on hold” application status can only mean there was a problem with the online application that was submitted by the patient and has nothing to do with the medical certification issued by the medical provider. There are a number of reasons that an application may be placed “on hold”, but it is never due to a problem with the medical certification determination. Placing an application “on hold” is almost always due to inaccurate/incomplete documentation of: low income status, cultivation diagrams or personal identification. We recommend contacting the South Dakota Medical Cannabis Health Program Specialist immediately and directly so that he/she can explain what is missing or misplaced in your application. Phone: (605) 773-2702. Email: MCQuestions@state.sd.us.  
  • My application says it’s still  “pending” but it has been over 4 weeks. Is something wrong?
    • We, at Rapid Referrals, have been working with the state’s online software for the registry since its inception which has been flawed in one way or another ever since! At this point it is highly likely that there may be a glitch from their end of things and the only solution is to contact the South Dakota Medical Cannabis Health Program Specialist immediately and directly so that he/she can figure out what is going on with your application. Phone: (605) 773-2702. Email: MCQuestions@state.sd.us.

Medical cannabis can be administered through various methods, including capsules, lozenges, tinctures, dermal patches, oral or dermal sprays, cannabis edibles, and vaporizing or smoking dried buds.