With 29 states and 2 territories having legalized medical marijuana, and with up to 83% of Americans agreeing with cannabis legalization, it’s easier than ever for many people in the US to get a medical marijuana card.
Telehealth - which is available in California, Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts and Maine, where an in-person, physical meeting is not necessary to establish a relationship with a doctor - has made getting a medical marijuana card simpler still. Physicians at Doctor Frank are licensed to practice in California.
If you’re looking to start an online evaluation right away, you can do so by following these steps …
- CLICK HERE and Register Online.
You will be asked to enter your name, email and password. This takes 2 minutes and you’ll be asked a couple of questions about how you’re hoping cannabis can help you and your medical history (medical records can help here, but aren’t compulsory in the state of California). Cancer/chemotherapy, AIDS/HIV, depression, anxiety, chronic pain and glaucoma seem to be qualifying conditions in most states with a medical marijuana programme (MMP), and Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), epilepsy and multiple sclerosis (MS) are also included on the list in many states.
Please have photographic ID and proof of address ready. We are HIPAA-compliant and do not share your information with anyone. You must be 18 or over to apply for a medical marijuana card for yourself or as a caregiver in California.
- Be Seen By a Physician in Minutes.
Once registered, you’ll enter the virtual waiting room and be seen by a physician. Please ensure your microphone and camera are working on your phone or laptop so the doctor can see and hear you.
- Qualify and Receive Your Medical Marijuana Recommendation in Minutes via Email.
Once you have your recommendation letter in your inbox, you’ll be able to go to medical marijuana dispensaries immediately. A hard copy of the letter and MMJ card ought to reach the address you provided within 2-3 days. You’ll be given a unique patient number, which is logged onto a private doctor’s registry that confirms your medical marijuana recommendation letter is legal. This is the case if you request a medical marijuana card (which we recommend) or not, and registering with the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH’s) medical marijuana identification program (MMICP) is voluntary.
Should you register with the MMICP, the CDPH will have your ID number and personal photograph on file. This can be helpful as a medical patient may still be potentially detained by law enforcement until their recommendation letter is confirmed valid, whereas MMJ card details on the MMICP can be validated immediately and easily, arguably giving patients an extra layer of legal protection. The federal government does not run any state-level medical marijuana program (MMP), and so far there have been no attempts to charge MMPs with federal crimes.
There are many different state laws when it comes to getting a medical marijuana card. Possession amounts vary, many have restrictions on whether or not a person can cultivate their own, some states have cannabinoid-specific restrictions (e.g. no high-THC strains), there are some key differences in the type of doctor that can recommend cannabis, how often a patient has to validate their recommendation, and so on.
However, there do seem to be some general rules that apply state-to-state. Medical marijuana applicants often have to be aged 18 or over; caregivers also must be aged 18 (or 21) or over and appropriately trained; more often than not, a bona-fide physician-patient relationship must be established; you must have a qualifying condition; and the doctor recommending you must be licensed to practice in the state they’re operating in. Should you wish to read more about the similarities and differences in laws with regard to medical marijuana, then you can do so by going to the
MMJ State Guide on Doctor Frank.
