On November 8 last year, Californians approved Proposition 64. This made recreational cannabis legal in the state for anyone aged 21-years or older, but what happens to medical patients? How does this law affect them? Must they still spend time and money on getting a Medical Marijuana Card in California, or even their medical marijuana recommendation? Will the process change for them or remain the same?

Technically, you do not need a Medical Marijuana Card under the law. However, it is highly advisable that you get one. Cannabis is still illegal federally, and enforcement still uncertain and riddled with misunderstandings. Furthermore, the state does want patients to register and comply fully with its regulations. Legally, you do need a recommendation letter from your doctor, but not an actual card.

Having said that, getting a Medical Marijuana Card is easy to do, very affordable, and well worth the state protection that it provides. It is much simpler to have your card with you, instead of carting your doctor’s letter around, and it ensures full compliance with state regulations, which makes purchasing high-grade medical cannabis a legal right of yours.

Medical Marijuana Recommendations in California

Unfortunately, cannabis dispensaries will not start catering to recreational consumers until early next year. It takes time to draft and implement rules and regulations for its sale and use. Under Proposition 64, the “Bureau of Marijuana Control” will not be issuing any licenses before at least January 1, 2018. It will only start providing licenses once all laws are final and in place.

Unless you are willing and able to wait until then, the law requires you to have a doctor’s letter of recommendation for you to enjoy the wonders of California’s marijuana industry. You will not be able to access delivery services or dispensaries without a physician’s say-so, nor will you be able to grow your own. Luckily, medical marijuana recommendations are very easy to get in California.

Easy Ways to Get Medical Marijuana Recommendations

Proposition 215, approved by voters in 1996, made medical cannabis legal for anyone using it to treat a medical condition. The bill’s liberal language says that this applies to “any condition for which marijuana provides relief.” Because of this, anyone in California can become a genuine medical marijuana patient, as cannabis relieves people of many common symptoms associated with most diseases these days.

You only need a state I.D., from any state within the United States, or a valid driver’s license to be eligible for medical patient status. You will also need an authentic letter of recommendation from a doctor, specifically stating that you may use cannabis as treatment. So, how do you get a legitimate medical marijuana recommendation in California?

Visit Your Primary Doctor

Few patients get recommendations from their primary physicians. This is because most will not write one for you. Although talking to the doctor who knows you is the quickest and easiest way to get a medical marijuana recommendation, this is only true if he or she will do it. Physicians are becoming increasingly willing to write cannabis recommendations, so it is worth discussing it with your doctor.

Go to a 420 Evaluation Center

Because of the unwillingness of most doctors to write marijuana recommendations for patients, a niche speciality has grown for those who will. Specialised “weed doctors” are writing letters for Californians in need of legal approval. You can find them at any 420 Evaluation Center, of which there are many in most major cities. Long queues and dodgy areas do not always promise a pleasant experience, however.

Consult with a Doctor Online

Going online is without doubt the safest, most affordable, quickest, and most convenient method of way of getting medical marijuana recommendations. You can purchase your Medical Marijuana Card at the same time, as well, and enjoy the benefits of official state protection. Thanks to the state’s telehealth laws, doctors can now legally consult with their patients online, which typically occur via video chat.

Getting a Medical Marijuana Card in California

If you purchase your medical marijuana recommendation online, consider getting a medical marijuana card too. Having one will allow you access to the highest quality cannabis available in marijuana dispensary in California, from any dispensary of your choosing. Although you can buy medical marijuana legally with just a doctor’s letter of recommendation, having a Medical Marijuana Card ensures full compliance with the state.

Fortunately, the entire process is quick and very easy to do. After discussing your health problems with a “weed doctor” online, he or she will email your marijuana recommendation to you immediately, which you can use just as quickly as you can print it out. If you order your Medical Marijuana Card for just a few dollars more at the same time, then you will receive it a few days later via ordinary mail.

Medical marijuana law in California enables patients to register voluntarily for a cannabis ID card. The California Department of Public Health issues Medical Marijuana Cards to with a doctor’s letter of recommendation to use it. Senate Bill 420 amended cannabis law to include additional protections for patients, caregivers, and legal dispensaries.

What is the Medical Marijuana Program?

The MMP is a registry program run by the state. Qualified patients, and their caregivers, can register for the right to use, carry, grow, and transport medical cannabis unhindered by federal law. The state issues Medical Marijuana Cards to patients, and its system enables officials to verify and validate the legitimacy of patients and their legal status.

Although experts advise getting a card, it is not compulsory. You do not have to join the MMP, but if you do, then you will have legal protection from the state. Despite widespread media and other efforts to encourage registration, patients only need medical marijuana recommendations from their doctors to use cannabis legally. Registering for a card is a regulatory requirement, but it is not law.

Finding Legal Marijuana Recommendations

It could not be any easier to apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in California. You can be a legal patient in minutes. Finding a doctor to write a recommendation letter for you is the hardest part. Not all physicians are willing or certified to do so. However, it is possible to find cannabis-certified doctors who help patients access their medicine. You need only look online:

Network of Cannabis-Certified Doctors

Most online marijuana dispensaries provide services that connect people with marijuana-recommending doctors. An entire network of them exists across the state. Some will even provide a portal for you to connect directly with one. If your health woes are real, he or she will write a letter for you.

Convenience

Everyone applying for a Medical Marijuana Card in California must have a written letter of recommendation from a qualified physician. You cannot get a card without one. Instead of navigating dodgy areas looking for doctors, you can find one online from the safety and comfort of home.

Virtual Consultations

Physicians consult easily with patients online. There is no need to visit one personally, as video chats are more than sufficient for marijuana recommendations. Patients must renew their Medical Marijuana Cards annually, and you can attend all follow-up consultations online, as well.

Qualified Doctors

Marijuana doctors in California are highly qualified medical professionals. They dedicate their lives to helping patients, instead of poisoning them with dangerous prescription drugs. These cannabis advocates are saving lives and are at the forefront of medical science.

Cost of Medical Marijuana Cards in California

Individual counties administer the MMP as they see fit. For this reason, fees vary by county for Medical Marijuana Cards. However, state-issued cards have set application fees, but counties still determine the actual administration fees you will pay. This is what it costs to get a Medical Marijuana Card from the state of California:

The application fee for Medical Marijuana Identification Cards is currently $66 for patients who are not part of Medi-Cal.
Those belonging to Medi-Cal only pay $33 for their Medical Marijuana Cards.

Your local county program or dispensary can help you find out exactly what you will pay in your specific area. They can probably do it for you in a few minutes or less. If the state denies your application, you have the right to appeal it. There is no charge to appeal. Simply submit an Appeals Form within a month of receiving your denial. Mail it to the Department of Public Health directly.

When you date and sign an Appeals Form, you authorize the county to release your information to the Department of Public Health, where it will undergo analysis. Appeal decisions made by the state Medical Marijuana Program are final and unchallengeable. Grounds for denial can include lack of required information, fraud, or not meeting regulatory requirements.

Cost of Medical Marijuana Recommendations in California

Online cannabis dispensaries offer package services for prospective medical patients. You can get marijuana recommendations alone for approximately $50, including service fees and other charges. Getting a pot recommendation and a Medical Marijuana Card together will cost roughly $70, and if you also want to purchase a growing license for 99 plants, expect to pay approximately $150 per year for it.

Conclusion

Many good reasons exist to get a Medical Marijuana Card, including extra protections, access to legal cannabis, and lawful compliance. However, you do not actually need one. You can join a dispensary community and purchase cannabis with your doctor’s letter of recommendation, but for the law to protect your rights as a medical patient, consider joining the Medical Marijuana Program.

Losing proof of your patient status is not a huge setback. In just 10 minutes, you can get a brand new one. We all know medical marijuana recommendations in California are necessary, yet easy enough to get. If you lose yours, then it will be illegal for you to use cannabis until you get replace it. Fortunately, the process is so simple you can even do it online.

Medical Marijuana Recommendations or a Medical Marijuana Card?

The approval in 1996 of Proposition 215 allowed all patients access to the healing properties of cannabis, provided their doctors recommended it for their use. Physicians can only “recommend” cannabis, and because federal law considers weed illegal, doctors may not “prescribe” it to patients. The law only requires a physician’s consent and advice to use medicinal weed legally.

Regardless of whether you call it a recommendation, MMID, prescription, license, ganja card, or medical marijuana card, it is really just advice from a physician to use cannabis to treat your condition. This is all dispensaries require from you: A simple recommendation in writing, stating your name, patient identification number, renewal date, actual date, embossed seal and your physician’s signature.

The authenticity of this information must be verifiable, either telephonically or online. Once you are a registered member of a dispensary, you will not need to provide all of this data again. A smaller ID card or digital ID will be acceptable, until it expires and becomes eligible for annual renewal. Losing your recommendation is much the same as simply renewing it. Here is how to do it:

Getting a Medical Marijuana Card Physically

You can go to your personal physician and ask him or her to write a recommendation letter for you. It may or may not work, depending on his or her belief in cannabis as a medicine. Most people choose to visit a cannabis-certified doctor specializing in medical marijuana recommendations. Known as 420 doctors, they are available in cities across California.

However, visiting a 420 Evaluation Center is not always a good experience. People must navigate areas that are often difficult to get to and frequently dangerous, particularly in Los Angeles and other large cities. Queues are often long, and many end up paying too much and leaving without the information they need to use cannabis effectively as a medicine. Luckily, you can bypass all of this and do it online.

Getting a Medical Marijuana Card Online

There are certain qualifying conditions to get a medical marijuana card in California. You can become become a legal medical cannabis patient from the comfort of your couch. This is the most popular, convenient, and safe way to do it. All you need is a device with Internet access to fill out a medical form, much the way you would at a traditional doctor’s office. If you already have medical documents, you can upload them online. Just be sure the site is HIPAA compliant for data privacy.

Prior to commencing your evaluation, you will be able to choose if you just want the recommendation letter, which is all the law requires, or if want a Medical Marijuana Card, as well. A card will allow you to visit your favorite dispensary repeatedly. Most evaluation services offered online only charge a fee if the doctor approves you. If not, the consultation will be free.

The evaluation itself requires just a few minutes of your time. You will need to consult with the doctor either telephonically or via video chat. In it, you will discuss the problems afflicting you, any medical history you might have, and even how cannabis may be able to treat you. Once approved, you will receive an email with a digital PDF document containing your recommendation letter.

Once you have this letter, you can print it out and use it immediately at most dispensaries. However, some still require you to provide the official written letter, which you will receive within two or three days via mail. It will include your signed doctor’s recommendation, an embossed seal, and your Medical Marijuana Card if you purchased it. Once you have this, you can buy cannabis legally and safely.

Conclusion

The use of medical marijuana is becoming increasingly popular. Hundreds of people become legal patients every week. Currently, there are more than 1.5 million registered patients throughout California. Without a doctor’s recommendation, using medical cannabis is illegal. If you lose yours, then you will have to replace it, which is, fortunately, very quick and easy to do.

You have three ways to get a medical marijuana recommendation in California: You can consult with your private doctor, visit a 420 Evaluation Center, or use an online service to get one for you. Becoming legal is affordable, necessary, fast, and convenient. Investing just twenty minutes of your life is worth the rewards of having a valid Medical Marijuana Card.