What is Medical Marijuana Evaluation? [Guide]
An important step for the attainment of the medical marijuana card is the evaluation of the patient’s condition at the medical marijuana evaluation center. All residents who want an MMJ card, have to go through a medical cannabis consultation session in order to secure a recommendation letter.
Make Sure You have a Qualifying Medical Condition
The first step involves the identification of the medical condition. Most patients qualify if they have any of these health conditions:
- Aids
- Cancer
- Glucoma
- Epilepsy
- Multiple sclerosis
Consultation
The patient should consult his primary healthcare provider who would then evaluate the patient’s condition to see whether he is qualified to receive a medical marijuana treatment.
Schedule your Appointment
Schedule your appointment with a certified medical marijuana specialist who evaluates the primary health provider’s recommendation and other legal documents of the patient. The certified doctor asks a series of questions to the patient as per the given state guidelines. This could be a rigorous process where the patient feels he is being asked too many questions. The doctor has a legal protocol to cover the state laws and he asks those questions under the said guidelines. Further, the certified health expert will perform necessary tests to evaluate your exact condition.
Doctor’s Recommendation
The doctor gives the patient a certification which is the letter of approval of medical cannabis treatment. He will also prescribe dosage and medicines for the patient’s line of treatment.
Online Evaluations
Online medical cannabis evaluation is also available. The patient connects to the doctor for a video/audio consultation in a safe and reliable environment. Once the questions are complete, the doctor might send you a PDF certification which you can take a print of. You can also get a hard copy of the letter of recommendation by mail. Online medical cannabis evaluation is safe and all the personal data and health information of the patient is kept confidential, conforming to the federal laws.
Normal Doctors Cannot Prescribe Recommendations
Health experts cannot prescribe marijuana treatment to patients just like any other drug prescription. A medical marijuana prescription is illegal and the patient cannot claim that the prescription comes from a certified physician and is hence is valid. (In majority of the states)
The stigma around cannabis usage is gradually reducing in the U.S. society and the government is also issuing guidelines and policies for better marijuana management. States with marijuana laws require some form of registry and certification of the patients. This certification act as a protection against arrest and criminal charges for the personal use of marijuana.