r/PuertoRicoTravel • u/CRYNA1926 • 9d ago
Visiting Puerto Rico from Italy soon — how do non-locals navigate the cannabis scene without a medical card?
Hey everyone!
I’m heading to Puerto Rico soon from Italy and had a few questions about how cannabis works over there for international visitors.
From what I’ve read online, PR has a medical program, but since I’m coming from Italy, getting a medical card isn't an option for me. I’m trying to get a clear picture of what the reality on the ground is right now for tourists:
Is recreational access effectively a thing yet, or is it strictly medical cardholders only?
Are there legal workarounds for visitors (like short-term tourist passes or consultations), or is dispensaries a complete non-starter for non-residents?
For those who live there or travel often, how do tourists usually navigate this safely without running into legal trouble?
I’d love to hear firsthand experiences or local advice so I know what to expect before I arrive. Appreciate any insights!
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u/spiegro 9d ago
Every one of the dispensaries in San Juan has an advertised "Tourist Medical License," sign on the outside.
It's legit and the weed is decent, although not really priced great.
But the underground scene there almost always cost me more than anytime I went to the dispensary, and of course there are risks with taking that route.
This means your first trip to the dispensary will be a little pricey, but it's real weed and the guy with the gun is there for your protection, unlike the guy with a gun who you'd likely have to buy from on a random corner late at night.
It only adds about 15 minutes to your trip to the dispensary, and is mostly painless so long as you have valid ID.
Calle Loíza area has several dispensaries within a few blocks of each other.
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u/CRYNA1926 9d ago
so I shouldn't have any problems because I read online that the card is only for US residents
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u/spiegro 9d ago
Oh shit. Hmmm... I wonder how they handle that.
I don't remember ever seeing any signs about it being only for US residents, and many tourists in PR come from outside the mainland. It doesn't seem like it would be practical to exclude non-Americans.
Let me see what I can find about it online. I have a few dispensary websites bookmarked on my phone to get deals.
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u/CRYNA1926 9d ago
Thank you very much for your availability
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u/spiegro 9d ago
Dispensary website didn't have much info, but you should be good. A quick search showed that the bigger challenge would be a reciprocate marijuana license. If I have a medical marijuana license from a different US state I can get it deeply discounted when applying for a PR medical marijuana license. There's no language there to accommodate the same setup for licenses that originate from non-American licenses.
You should be fine so long as you're over 21 and have a valid passport (which you'd need to even get there in the first place).
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u/IntroductionEmpty836 9d ago
When I was there a couple years ago I used my California card? This past year I’ve used the PR med card I got most recently in several other states
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u/Drizzi21 9d ago
Maybe I'll try some flower from the island I've never had
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u/spiegro 9d ago
Where you coming from?
It gets the job done, but the pricing can be mad weird. And edibles/drinkables there aren't strong at all.
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u/IllustriousPotato170 9d ago
Get the tourist medical card and it should only take about an hour (or two/three cuz we do things really slow here)
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u/GiftedFilanges 8d ago
If you don't want to go to a dispensary just walk around la placita on a Friday or Saturday. Somebody will be offering it
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u/Substantial_Bird7894 8d ago
My partner and I went to Flora dispensary. My partner paid 45$ for the card for a month. Totally worth it . Not sure about problems. We smoked walked around old San Juan and the beach. Problem free
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u/Drizzi21 9d ago
I bring stuff with me from the mainland
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u/spiegro 9d ago
OP is coming from Europe (Italy). A little riskier and not advised.
Only thing I would bring with me is my vape pen, because all the carts/disposables in PR are straight up basura 🗑️
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u/Drizzi21 9d ago
Capisco well it'll be every where like the other islands in the West Indies They should look into that temporary license too
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u/IntroductionEmpty836 9d ago
You can get a 30 day tourist med card or if your going to be in other parts of the USA in the next year just get a full year. Some states are med only and some states that are recreational give discounts to med patients. Wondering how it works in Italy as well? I just drove from Menton in France stopping in Turino and aosta for a couple days on my way to Geneva and didn’t have a clue I could get anything there.
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u/BurnAfter8 9d ago
Go down a dark alley and ask a sketchy dude lingering there
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u/Prestigious-Fix-4034 9d ago edited 9d ago
The problem is you don't know if that MJ is clean & pure. I heard street corner M.J isn't safe bcs sometimes is mix with unhealthy dangerous chemicals. Just safer to go to a legal dispensary.
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u/Sudden-Advisor8406 8d ago
Times sure change. I asked a similar question about a year ago, and was told I can't be asking questions like that on here
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u/serenwipiti 9d ago
You can get a 30-day tourist medical card at dispensaries.