You don’t need a doctor’s recommendation to shop at Sespe, but you might still want one. In addition, with a medical recommendation you have higher daily purchase limits, can purchase more THC per package, and your parental rights cannot be taken away simply because you use cannabis. Now, you have even more protections with a medical recommendation since the federal government has rescheduled cannabis for medical use.
Patient Eligibility
If you are a resident of the State of California, have a valid state-issued Driver’s License or ID card, and have a condition which may be helped by medical marijuana, you are qualified. Proposition 215 lists cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine, and “any other illness for which marijuana provides relief.” Physicians have recommended marijuana for hundreds of indications, including such common complaints as insomnia, PMS, post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, epilepsy, asthma, arthritis, ADHD, substance abuse harm reduction, and pain of any kind.
Doctor Requirements
Most patients go to a doctor who specializes in cannabis recommendations since they generally have a system in place to provide 24-hour verifications online or over the phone (even though you have the original, physical copy, dispensaries and delivery services will also need to confirm that it is indeed valid). You can, of course, get a recommendation from your primary care physician. You can download this example recommendation letter/form from Americans for Safe Access for your doctor to fill in or use as a guideline. For reference, the Medical Board of California’s full guidelines are here. You need a recommendation from a physician with a valid license; if your doctor loses their license, your recommendation will become invalid, so it is important that you select a reliable provider. Your cannabis doctor will request medical records from your primary care physician to confirm you have been diagnosed with a treatable condition — if they don’t, they aren’t following the Medical Board’s guidelines which state “it is incumbent upon that physician to consult with the patient’s primary treating physician or obtain the appropriate patient records to confirm the patient’s underlying diagnosis and prior treatment history.” In order to remain in good standing with the Medical Board of California, your cannabis doctor needs to adhere to the following official standards for recommending cannabis to a patient:
- History and good faith examination of the patient.
- Development of a treatment plan with objectives.
- Provision of informed consent including discussion of side effects.
- Periodic review of the treatment’s efficacy.
- Consultation, as necessary.
- Proper record keeping that supports the decision to recommend the use of medical marijuana
Doctor Credentials
Any licensed healthcare provider, including but not necessarily, your primary physician, can write you a recommendation. Below is a list of various healthcare providers who can also write medical marijuana recommendations in legal states (Please note: Each legal state may have varying forms of this list).
- Medical Doctor (MD)
- Physician Assistant (PA)
- Osteopathic Physician (DO)
- Osteopathic Physician Assistant (OA)
- Naturopathic Physician (ND)
- Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP)
- Psychiatrists
Telehealth Options
Providers follow the same standard of care, whether the patient is seen in-person, through telehealth or other methods of electronically enabled health care. Read the laws about telehealth medicine for more information. Physicians need not reside in California, as long as they have a valid, current California license.
There are tele-health doctors who specialize in cannabis recommendations and make the process very accessible especially for home-bound patients.
MMIC (Medical Marijuana Identification Card)
This is a statewide identification card and registry program administered by local county health departments. Participation in this program is OPTIONAL. Depending on your monthly cannabis usage and financial need, there might be a benefit from obtaining this state issued MMIC which exempts the cardholder from state sales tax (excise and local taxes still apply). The MMIC requires a doctor’s medical recommendation first to apply as well as a non-refundable application fee, currently $100, or if you are a Medi-Cal applicant, it’s $50 and fees are waived for indigent patients who are eligible for, and participate in, the County Medical Services Program. The card must be renewed yearly, requires your photo to be taken and must be applied for in person.
Caregivers
If you need assistance in obtaining and using medical cannabis, you may designate a primary caregiver who will then be legally permitted to handle and transport cannabis on your behalf.
A primary caregiver is a person who consistently assumes the responsibility for the housing, health or safety of the applicant (patient). This may be a friend or relative, or the owner, operator or employee of an appropriately licensed clinic, facility, hospice, or home health agency. A caregiver may have more than one patient, but a patient may not have more than one designated primary caregiver.
The caregiver cannot apply for this certification; the patient must apply for them. This consists of completing a Caregiver Designation Form. A qualified caregiver can be given this authorization at the time of your first visit when we verify the patient’s recommendation letter and photo ID. If you wish to designate someone as a caregiver, please ensure they meet the guidelines described above. Consult an attorney if you are unsure whether someone qualifies as a primary caregiver. The caregiver may also apply for an optional California MMIC.