How to Legally Obtain Medical Cannabis

Medical cannabis derives from the same plant as recreational cannabis. It treats a variety of health conditions and illnesses. In the last decade, the use of cannabis has gained popularity.  Various cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD), are now being legally used as long as any tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) properties found in it remain within legal limits. However laws concerning medical cannabis can vary between each state, so knowing the laws where you reside or spend a lot of your time is vital to ensure you don’t break any laws.

Why Use Medical Cannabis? 

America is currently in the clutches of an opioid addiction epidemic. There are many medical professionals, such as medicinal physicians and surgeons, who are becoming increasingly concerned about this, especially as it shows no signs of abating.

Whilst medical cannabis does not provide an answer to every health condition, it can be a credible and natural alternative to pain and anxiety medications as well as antidepressants and many more types of medication, meaning less harm to your body and/or mind in the long term.

Medical cannabis can also provide alleviation of conditions, including some forms of epilepsy, inflammation, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep deprivation, muscle spasms, Crohn’s disease, and chronic pain.

It interacts with the human endocannabinoid system which compromises endocannabinoids that bind to cannabinoid receptors and their proteins, which are naturally found in the central nervous system. Cannabinoids in the cannabis plant tend to positively interact with this system. There are many different types of cannabinoids, each with its own healing properties. The most common are CBD and THC.

Does the Medical Profession Support the Use of Medical Cannabis?

Although we cannot say every medical professional advocate’s medical cannabis use, mainly because of the stereotypical view held of it being a recreational illegal drug, attitudes towards it are changing, along with the law.

Regardless of your location in Virginia, you can easily arrange a telemedicine evaluation. You can book your appointment with a doctor to address your concerns right away. If your medical needs are suited to medical cannabis treatment, you will be connected with a licensed doctor in your State.

Prior to this appointment, we would advise collating any relevant medical paperwork. This could be a doctor’s note or a recent prescription. This paperwork will be reviewed by the doctor at your appointment. The doctor will also ask you some further questions about your health to determine your suitability for medical cannabis. Please note that qualifying conditions vary from state to state. If you have a similar condition to someone who lives outside of Virginia and didn’t qualify for a medical marijuana card, it doesn’t mean that the same will necessarily apply to you.

Your certification will be issued immediately if the doctor is of the medical opinion that the treatment of your health condition is suited to medical cannabis. Your card will take between 7 – 10 days to arrive. Your card cannot be issued by another doctor once our doctor has issued you with one. The good news for any VA patients in possession of Virginia marijuana cards by licensed online doctors is that there are five dispensaries in your State. This means you can legally purchase cannabis as long as you present a valid licensed card, with your name on it.

What Else Should I Know?

• Your patient records will remain confidential, including your registration status.
• All medicinal cannabis is provided by the medical card apart from the flower itself.
• Insurance does not currently cover medical cannabis because it is still illegal at a federal level. This means you will have to pay for both your initial appointment of $50 and the yearly renewal fee of $50 if your card is for yourself. The initial appointment fee is refundable should you not qualify for a medical marijuana card.
• Children can use medical cannabis but their parent(s) or legal guardian(s) have to apply for it on their behalf. For children, parent(s) or legal guardian(s) will have to pay an initial fee of $25, which is the same cost for a yearly renewal. If the child doesn’t qualify for medical cannabis then a refund for the initial fee will be issued.
• In most states, your physician’s certificate will last for a year and you will need to renew this before you renew your medical card to enable you to receive the latter.
• You can only use your medical marijuana card in the state that it was issued in.

Medical cannabis is a natural alternative to many prescription drugs. It can be beneficial to anyone on long term medication if one of our doctors believes your medical needs would be suitable for it. So contact us today to find out if you’re eligible for a medical marijuana card.