How to Buy Medical Marijuana from a Cannabis Dispensary

Medical marijuana is a common treatment for several medical conditions such as chronic migraines. While the use of medical cannabis is legal in several states in the US, there is a process to acquire the drug legally.

The FDA and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classify cannabis as a Schedule I drug. That means that even medical cannabis poses a risk of addiction to the user. Cannabis also remains illegal at the federal level.

The states that have legalized recreational marijuana don’t want to have a drug menace in their hands. So, they have put in place measures to ensure the sale and use of cannabis is done responsibly.

Read on to learn how to get your medical marijuana without getting into trouble with the law.

Get a Medical Cannabis Card

A medical cannabis card qualifies you to purchase marijuana from a dispensary for medical reasons legally. The medical marijuana card is particularly important for states that have only legalized medical cannabis like Florida.

Source: Orlando Weekly

The legal process of getting a medical cannabis card may vary between states, but the steps involved are very similar.

1. Learn Your State’s Cannabis Regulations and Restrictions

It is easier to apply for your card when you understand the regulations and restrictions on medical cannabis use in your state. The information will help you navigate the application process faster because you will be aware of the potential obstacles.

You must have a qualifying medical condition to be eligible for a card. The condition exists to prevent the abuse or illegal use of medical cannabis in states where recreational marijuana isn't legal. The list of qualifying medical conditions will vary across various states.

Some of the common qualifying conditions include:

• Cancer
• Glaucoma
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Epilepsy and seizures
• Chronic pain
• Severe nausea
• Migraines
• Parkinson’s diseases
• PTSD

Note: You will obtain the information on the qualifying medical conditions from your state’s health services office or the health department’s website. While there, look up the names of doctors registered to certify a medical cannabis card on your state’s website.

2. Talk to Your Primary Care Provider

THC and CBD are excellent alternative therapies for the qualifying health conditions we have mentioned. That doesn’t mean it will be the treatment that works for your medical condition.

Using medical marijuana for your condition is not a decision you ought to make without consulting your primary physician. The doctor should have input on whether using cannabis as an alternative therapy will improve your healing or chronic pain management process.

For example, states like Texas only allows the use of medical cannabis with low THC levels. If you live in Texas, your doctor may feel that low-THC cannabis may not provide a better solution for your medical condition.

Your doctor’s guide on using medical cannabis is vital in preventing the risk of THC and CBD side effects like addiction. The doctor will determine the best way and amount of cannabis to use for your medical condition.

3. Get a Doctor Registered by the State to Certify Your Card

As advised earlier, you’ll find information on doctors registered to certify a medical cannabis card on your state’s health services office or the health department’s website. For example, New York has a public list of consenting medical cannabis program practitioners.

There is also the possibility your primary medical care doctor is also on this list. In that case, the process will be more straightforward because you don’t have to book an appointment with another doctor.

Visiting a registered doctor to certify your card works in your favor. The doctor will clear any questions or challenges you have in determining whether your health problem is a qualifying medical condition.

For example,?chronic migraines and headaches are not qualifying medical conditions in New York. But chronic pain or pain that deteriorates your health and functional capability as an alternative to opioid use or substance use disorder is a qualifying condition.

So, a registered doctor may look through your medical history and use it to classify your migraines under the chronic pain category. That effectively makes you eligible for certification of a medical cannabis card in New York.?

Note: Once the doctor has recommended you for the card, you have to wait. You will probably receive additional information, like your registry ID from the state’s health department through email.

States like New York will require you to go an additional step of registering with the state’s health department.

Can You Get Your Medical Marijuana Card Online?

You may have noticed that plastic cannabis ID cards are slowly becoming a thing of the past. The new era ushers in the possibility of applying for your medical marijuana card online.

Florida and California are pioneering the process of obtaining a card online. The condition for this process is you apply and undergo an online evaluation in a registered online clinic.

You will be notified once the application process is successful. In some states, you will receive an email with a Patient Certification that contains the registry ID that you’ll use to purchase medical marijuana. In other states, you must wait until your card is mailed to you.

Use Your Card to Visit a Registered Cannabis Dispensary in Your State

Every state maintains a list of registered marijuana dispensaries on its regulatory body’s website. Other states like New York go the extra step of requiring every dispensary to post a Dispensary Verification Tool near the main entrance.

Additionally, you will need to carry your driver’s license or any legal identification card to gain access into a cannabis dispensary. These are strict regulations by the dispensary owners to avoid revocation of their licenses.

?State laws also require cannabis dispensaries to maintain a record of the products they sell for audit purposes. Your ID is required to verify that the dispensary doesn't sell you more cannabis than you are permitted in a day.

Don’t be afraid to stroll around the store and see the CBD and THC products on display. Interact with the cannabis pharmacists or budtenders to learn about the various products and how to use them effectively.

Source: Detroit MetroTimes

Ask them questions like how to use some of these CBD or THC products effectively. For example, how to prepare a bong to smoke a THC product or how many CBD oil drops to add to your beverage.

But don’t let them influence you into experimenting with the various CBD or THC products in their stores.

?Your doctor should be the only person who changes your medical cannabis prescription. If the specific product is unavailable in that store, obtain it from another dispensary.

Note: You must also carry some cash incase the store doesn’t accept credit cards.

Looking for More Information on Cannabis Use in Your State?

There’s a thin line between what is legal and illegal with state and federal laws on cannabis growth, possession, use, and sale. Subscribe to the Health Insider to continue learning what is legal regarding cannabis use and purchase in your state.