Proposition 215 came into effect in 1996 after voters approved cannabis for medical use. Patients can grow their own medicine, use it as needed, and carry it with them at all times. However, you need a Medical Marijuana Card in California to prove your patient status, or at the very least, a doctor’s letter of recommendation. So what conditions qualify you to be a medical patient?
- Health Benefits of Marijuana
- Buying Medical Cannabis Legally
- Qualifying Conditions for Medical Weed
- Getting a Medical Marijuana Card in California
- Accessing Medical Cannabis in California
Health Benefits of Marijuana
Every day new studies emerge proving the medicinal properties of cannabis. Plenty of anecdotal evidence exists too. People are curing themselves of epilepsy, cancers, and other terrible diseases the pharmaceutical industry is still unable to cure. Not only does weed cure, but it also prevents.
All bodily systems benefit from cannabis, which kills foreign invaders, heals damaged tissues, and stimulates new cell growth. Marijuana also affects mind and mood, and people use to treat conditions such as depression, anxiety, mental disorders, and stress-related issues.
Buying Medical Cannabis Legally
Nobody is exempt from applying for a Medical Marijuana Card in California. You need one to purchase weed legally. To get one though, you need a legitimate illness and a letter of recommendation from your physician. Fortunately, it is easy to get medical marijuana doctor recommendations in California.
Once you are legal, you can buy or grow whatever your doctor stipulates in his or her letter. According to Senate Bill 420, you have the right to purchase as much as you need to treat your condition effectively, regardless of regulatory limitations. Your Medical Marijuana Card exempts you from them.
Qualifying Conditions for Medical Weed
The list of medical conditions that automatically qualify you for a Medical Marijuana Card is exhaustive. It is impossible to discuss them all in detail. The law allows you to treat certain illnesses with cannabis, particularly if you are not responding well to pharmaceutical treatment.
Here is a list of conditions that qualify you for medical patient status in California:
Parkinson’s Disease
Seizures
Spasticity
Muscle Spasms
Multiple Sclerosis
Chronic Pain
Nausea
Hepatitis C
HIV/AIDS
Lyme Disease
Migraines
Cancer
Crohn’s Disease
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Epilepsy
Glaucoma
Wasting Syndrome, or Cachexia
Alzheimer’s Disease
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Anorexia
Arthritis
ADD/ADHD
Side Effects of Radiation
Side Effects of Chemotherapy
Fibromyalgia
Anxiety
Cardiovascular Disease
Autoimmune Disorders
Atherosclerosis
Asthma
Depression
Muscular Dystrophy
Hypertension
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Spinal Cord Injuries
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Premenstrual Symptoms
Menstrual Cramps
Neurological Disorders
High Blood Pressure
Tinnitus
Tourette’s Syndrome
Schizophrenia and Psychosis
High Eye Pressure
Inflammatory Diseases
Insomnia
Fatigue
Cramps
This is by no means all of them. Cannabis treats many other conditions effectively too, and physicians recommend marijuana for most everything these days, from mild issues to terminal ones. According to the California Department of Public Health, you qualify if your illness is self-limiting or harmful to you.
Getting a Medical Marijuana Card in California
California is possibly the easiest state to get a Medical Marijuana Card. You can get one online or your dispensary can do it for you. If you have the documentation required, you will have no trouble becoming a legal medical marijuana patient. This is what you need:
Medical Proof
Although most conditions qualify you immediately, you must be able to prove that you have one. Your medical records should be sufficient, as will proof of your doctor’s diagnosis.
Residency
You must live in California to get a Medical Marijuana Card here. Your California I.D. should suffice for this requirement, but your utility bills, passport, or your state I.D. is also acceptable.
Physician’s Letter
Only California-licensed, cannabis-certified doctors may recommend cannabis to patients. Find one and get a letter from him or her stating that you require cannabis as treatment. You need this to get a card.
Register
Once your doctor writes a recommendation for you, you will need to register and apply for your California Medical Marijuana Card. You can register at the following address:
California Department of Public Health,
Public Health Policy and Research Branch,
Medical Marijuana Program Unit.
Accessing Medical Cannabis in California
It is illegal for doctors to prescribe cannabis. This is just a legal technicality, however. They may only recommend it to patients. Because weed is still a federally classified Schedule 1 drug, you will not find it at your local pharmacy. You will need to join a licensed cannabis dispensary to access your medicine.
Get Authentic Medical Marijuana Recommendations Online
You can get medical marijuana recommendations online. Many marijuana-certified physicians will write you a letter after consulting with you over video chat. Most reputable dispensaries in California offer this service, and once you have your letter, they can register you as a medical patient and send your Medical Marijuana Card to you in the mail.
