When medicinal cannabis was first legalized in Illinois, I went through the process to get my medical marijuana card. It wasn’t overly difficult. I was able to make an appointment with a doctor online. At the appointment, I explained the reasons why I was interested in cannabis as a curative treatment. I suffer from social anxiety and occasional panic attacks. Stress can trigger migraines and insomnia. I’ve found that prescription medications tend to cause issues with depression and nausea. I was anxious to try cannabis because it is a natural remedy and far less likely to cause long-term problems. It cost me a couple hundred dollars to get my marijuana card, and I then had access to the local dispensaries in Chicago. I need to renew my card every year. This requires another visit to the doctor and more fees. When recreational cannabis was ultimately legalized in Illinois, I considered giving up my card. Any state resident over the age of 21 with a valid government-issued ID can walk into a dispensary and shop for cannabis. However, they aren’t able to purchase the potency or quantity of marijuana as a medicinal patient. Plus, recreational cannabis is taxed while medicinal cannabis isn’t. It is worth it to me to be able to buy products with higher THC levels. I’ve also figured out that it costs me less to pay for a medical marijuana card than to pay the hefty taxes on recreational alternatives. I keep hoping that the requirements will lessen. I would be very happy if my card would remain valid for more than a single year. I’d be willing to pay the fees if I could avoid the doctor’s visit. I resent taking a day off from work just to have a doctor fill out some paperwork.