At this point, 17 jurisdictions in the US have legalized medical marijuana. There are sixteen states plus the District of Columbia. Each has defined debilitation conditions for which medical marijuana is acceptable. California has allowed pretty much any condition for which a physician deems marijuana to be useful, while others such as Delaware have strictly confined it to less than ten conditions.
In a state such as Arizona, potential patients must first go see a doctor for an in-person evaluation. The doctor reviews up to a year of pertinent medical records regarding the condition, does the comprehensive exam, and then if the patient qualifies the physician writes for the "certification".
The patient then sends the "certification" into the state and receives the medical marijuana card - then what? Some states have legalized medical marijuana dispensaries, such as California and Colorado. Patients are then able to visit the dispensaries and obtain a certain amount of marijuana to use medicinally for their debilitating condition. Granted, the prices may be of an extortional level, but the work has already been done right? There are various types of marijuana such as indica and sativa blends, and dispensaries typically make various mediums like edibles and ointments to go along with the smoking/vaporizing variety.
What do people do if dispensaries aren't allowed in their state for their medicine? All is not lost. Currently, patients may grow their own medicinal cannabis. In AZ for instance, people with patient ID cards can grow up to a dozen cannabis plants in an enclosed area for personal use. It is actually not that difficult for patients in the public to learn how to grow properly.
It may seem extremely difficult, but any patient with even a slightly green thumb can learn quickly. Hydroponics stores are all over which can teach people to grow medicinal marijuana as simple as teaching one to grow tomatoes.
An additional pathway for obtaining medical marijuana can be from caregivers. In Arizona for example, registered caregivers may supply up to 5 patients. This means each caregiver could grow up to 60 plants, and if the caregiver is a patient him or herself an additional 12 plants can be added to that total. Patients may receive their supply from a caregiver legally according to the specific amount allowed by the respective state.
Finally, people may get their medical marijuana from other legal patients. In Arizona it's allowed, other legal states vary on what's allowed. Even though marijuana remains federally illegal, the feds have made it clear in 2 memos, one in 2009 and another in 2011, that they are not interested in prosecuting patients, only operations like drug cartels.
In a state such as Arizona, potential patients must first go see a doctor for an in-person evaluation. The doctor reviews up to a year of pertinent medical records regarding the condition, does the comprehensive exam, and then if the patient qualifies the physician writes for the "certification".
The patient then sends the "certification" into the state and receives the medical marijuana card - then what? Some states have legalized medical marijuana dispensaries, such as California and Colorado. Patients are then able to visit the dispensaries and obtain a certain amount of marijuana to use medicinally for their debilitating condition. Granted, the prices may be of an extortional level, but the work has already been done right? There are various types of marijuana such as indica and sativa blends, and dispensaries typically make various mediums like edibles and ointments to go along with the smoking/vaporizing variety.
What do people do if dispensaries aren't allowed in their state for their medicine? All is not lost. Currently, patients may grow their own medicinal cannabis. In AZ for instance, people with patient ID cards can grow up to a dozen cannabis plants in an enclosed area for personal use. It is actually not that difficult for patients in the public to learn how to grow properly.
It may seem extremely difficult, but any patient with even a slightly green thumb can learn quickly. Hydroponics stores are all over which can teach people to grow medicinal marijuana as simple as teaching one to grow tomatoes.
An additional pathway for obtaining medical marijuana can be from caregivers. In Arizona for example, registered caregivers may supply up to 5 patients. This means each caregiver could grow up to 60 plants, and if the caregiver is a patient him or herself an additional 12 plants can be added to that total. Patients may receive their supply from a caregiver legally according to the specific amount allowed by the respective state.
Finally, people may get their medical marijuana from other legal patients. In Arizona it's allowed, other legal states vary on what's allowed. Even though marijuana remains federally illegal, the feds have made it clear in 2 memos, one in 2009 and another in 2011, that they are not interested in prosecuting patients, only operations like drug cartels.
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Learn more about AZ Medical Marijuana. Stop by Arizona MMC's site where you can find out all about where to get yourmedical marijuana card AZ.
