The process for acquiring a medical marijuana card varies per state, but typically follows the same pattern. If you're wondering how to get a card in your location, here's a rundown of what to expect.
Consult your primary care physician first if you have one.
You must have one of the specific qualifying ailments that your state allows to be treated with cannabis in order to qualify for a medical marijuana card. According to the M.D., the first step is to look at your state's list of qualifying conditions (typically found on the state health department's website), determine if you have one of those conditions, and then consult with your doctor to see if they approve of you using medical cannabis to treat that condition. (A Dr. is a sports medicine and pain management specialist in New York City who certifies medical cannabis patients online via HappyMD.) Connect with medical marijuana doctors at the website in the link.
Despite the fact that our primary care doctors are unable to certify persons for medical cards for the majority of us, it is still important to talk with them first. Dr. Jordan Tishler, president of the Association of Cannabis Specialists, tells SELF. They will most likely have a good idea of how prior treatments worked (or did not work) for you in the past, and they will be able to warn you about any potential medication interactions.
And, according to Dr. Tishler, if you want to use cannabis to treat a new disease, such as new back pain, "those things deserve an evaluation and a workup" before assuming cannabis is the cure.
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You may need documents from your primary care physician in order to get certification to use cannabis for certain medical disorders. According to Dr. Kessler, this proof might include MRI data, X-rays, or doctor's notes. He claims that "anything carrying the diagnosis" will suffice. As a result, making this first contact with them is an excellent chance to begin the ball rolling with a medical practitioner you already trust and get any documentation you may want in the future.
2.Seek the advice of a reputable physician who can certify you for a card.
To get a medical marijuana card, you must be certified by a physician who is qualified to provide such certifications in your state. You may acquire your certification from your primary care physician if they are also competent to certify patients for medical cannabis. Because the majority of general practitioners are unfamiliar with cannabis therapy, you will almost certainly need to consult with a specialist.
According to Vanessa Niles, M.D., founder of Synergy Health, a medical cannabis facility in California, the endocannabinoid system is not taught in medical school. "Regardless of where you live, you must find a physician who specializes in cannabis or has cannabis-related training in order to get certified."
Your state's department of health should be able to provide you with a list of registered practitioners in your state. (For example, here is the list for New York.) Furthermore, websites such as Leafly and HappyMD have their own valuable listings of cannabis doctors.
As the COVID-19 pandemic worsens, a virtual consultation via services like HappyMD or Veriheal, which connect patients with registered cannabis doctors in their area through video chat, may become more enticing.
3. Work with your doctor to design a plan that works for you.
Your meeting with a cannabis specialist will establish whether or not you have a qualifying medical condition for a medical cannabis card. Then, you and your doctor will decide on the best way to begin using cannabis to treat your specific conditions.
Keep in mind that each state has its own list of qualifying medical conditions for which a certified physician may suggest a patient for a medicinal cannabis card. There is some overlap; for example, cancer, HIV/AIDS, and chronic pain all appear on many lists. There are, nevertheless, some noteworthy contrasts. Migraine headaches and menstruation pain (dysmenorrhea) are not listed as qualifying conditions in New York, although they are in New Jersey.
However, you may be surprised at how wide these concepts are to interpretation. Migraines are not a qualifying diagnosis in New York, but chronic pain and "pain that impacts health and functioning skills as a substitute for opioid use disorder" are. "There is a broad group of conditions that patients may not understand qualify under chronic pain and comparable problems," says Dr. Kessler, my certifying physician. He observes that recurrent headaches, gastrointestinal issues, and TMJ-related pain may be symptoms of other disorders.
Expect to be questioned about any other health conditions, medicines you may be taking, and any concerns you may have about using cannabis in this way, although the specifics of the conversation may differ according on your doctor.
"It is critical to understand the patient's symptoms as well as when they wish to take their medication," Dr. Niles says. Timing is especially significant since it allows the doctor to make recommendations about the cannabinoids and cannabinoid ratios to look for in items. Some may have a more energetic, daytime-appropriate effect, whilst others may have a more soothing, evening-appropriate effect.
During this evaluation, the doctor should also advise you of any possible side effects. A quick heartbeat, nausea, and dizziness are some of the symptoms.
You should be able to leave this test with a rudimentary grasp of what to buy from a dispensary, but no doctor in the United States is legally licensed to prescribe cannabis. Dr. Tishler notes that this means you will not get a specific prescription that a dispensary is required to supply, such as an antibiotic prescription filled at a pharmacy. However, your doctor should provide you as much information as possible so that you can acquire what you need.
You may be required to register with the health department in your state.
Each state has its unique set of medical marijuana legislation and processes. Patients must register with the state health department before getting their card in certain states, such as Connecticut and New York. This may be a tedious bureaucratic procedure, but it is seldom a major impediment.
Finally, these requirements will be determined by the state in which you live. "There are no regulations in California," says Dr. Niles. "Once the doctor accepts you, they click a button to send you an email with your recommendation immediately, and you'll get a physical copy in the mail." If you have any questions regarding what you need to do following certification, see your doctor or go to the website of your state's health department.
According to Dr. Tishler, acquiring the card is not a problem for the vast majority of people. "I normally encourage that people do it on their own, but if they get stuck, we can help. If we are unable to help, we have access to the state cannabis commission, which may intervene if required."
You may use your card at a dispensary after you've obtained it.
Your physical card will most likely arrive from your state's health office within a few weeks. In the interim, you may be awarded a temporary medical cannabis card that you may use to get medicinal cannabis as directed by your physician.
Employees at the dispensary, known as budtenders, may also answer questions about the products they sell. You should be prepared to visit the dispensary with your doctor's recommendation, but bear in mind that different dispensaries provide different goods, so yours may not have exactly what your doctor has prescribed (which is why Dr. Tishler sometimes recommends specific dispensaries).
And remember to bring your card with you when you visit a dispensary. Because not all dispensaries accept credit cards, you may need to carry additional identification and cash.
If your business offers this option, consider consulting with a cannabis pharmacist.
Cannabis pharmacists, or pharmacists who have received specific training on how cannabis interacts with the body and other drugs, are becoming common at dispensaries. Some states, like as New York, require cannabis pharmacies to be employed.
Drs. Kessler and Niles encourage taking advantage of the chance to speak with a cannabis pharmacist before making a purchase at a local dispensary. According to Dr. Niles, each dispensary will have its own product line, so pharmacists will have specific knowledge about which goods in that store may be useful to you.
Dr. Tishler, on the other hand, believes that cannabis retail pharmacists may not be the most impartial providers of information. "They are pharmacist-trained yet are employed by the drugstore," he says. As a result, there is a conflict of interest.