Here's What to Do When Your Doctor Won't Recommend Medical Marijuana
Have you ever thought about how it might be easier to deal with certain physical issues if you could get approved for a medical marijuana card? In many states it is currently possible to do so, but you have to be well educated and well-informed in order to make it work. Currently, marijuana is legal in more than 17 states. At least thirty-three states allow you to have access to marijuana, provided that you can prove you have a medical need and you get a medical marijuana card from a licensed physician.
The Statistics on Medical Marijuana
Although there aren't any more recent statistics available, the statistics from 2016 suggests that there were approximately 641,000 individuals that were granted a medical marijuana card. Those same statistics suggest that the number jumped to 814,000 the following year. Out of these individuals, more than 60% of them applied for a medical marijuana card in order to help control chronic pain, an issue that an overwhelming number of people deal with on a daily basis.
Qualifying Medical Conditions for Medical Marijuana Use
In truth, there are a number of reasons that it might be a good idea for you to apply for a medical card. Many studies have suggested that marijuana can help with a number of different physical and mental health conditions. There are certain requirements for a medical marijuana card. Just some of these conditions are listed below:
* chronic pain
* epilepsy
* other neurological conditions
* migraine headache
* gastrointestinal disorders
* anxiety
* arthritis
* back pain
* neck spasms
* seizures not related to epilepsy
* ADD/ ADHD
* OCD
* back spasms
As research continues on the potential benefits of medical marijuana, it's likely that more conditions will be added to this list as time goes on. As you can see, there are many different conditions that it could potentially help. If that is the case, then why is it sometimes so difficult for people to get a medical marijuana card? The answer may not be as simple as you would like it to be. In reality, there are a number of different factors that have to come together in order for you to get the card that you're seeking. If there is an issue at any point in the process, you may have to reapply. Some of the things that could potentially keep you from getting a medical marijuana card will be discussed below.
You Don’t Need to Prove That You Have a Qualifying Medical Condition
You have to be able to prove to a licensed physician that you have a qualifying condition in order for them to consider approving you for a medical marijuana card. If you're not able to do that (or if your physician doesn't believe that your condition is severe enough to warrant a medical marijuana card), he or she may not approve you for one. This is designed to keep people from seeking a medical marijuana card when they don't have any physical or mental health issues, yet want to be able to legally smoke weed. Therefore, the first thing you have to do is establish that you have a qualifying condition in order to build a paper trail that will eventually lead you to getting a card.
You May Have the Wrong Doctor & Nee to Talk to a Medical Marijuana Doctor
Some doctors will not recommend a medical marijuana card, regardless of what qualifying condition you have or how severe it is. While some physicians are supportive of medical marijuana, others are not. If your physician happens to be one of the Individuals who refuses to grant any medical marijuana card whatsoever, it isn't likely to matter how many times you ask, you're probably not going to be recommended for one. If that's the case and you truly believe that medical marijuana can help you, it may be time to see a different doctor. Nothing says that you have to go to the doctor you've been going to for the last 20 years in order to get a recommendation.
If you're worried about seeing a different doctor that is out of your insurance network, ask your current position for a referral. That will allow you to see someone out of your network without being forced to foot the entire bill on your own. It's also a good idea to just look around and see if there are any other physicians in your area that are in your insurance network. It requires some effort on your part, but if you truly want to get a medical marijuana card and your current physician isn't cooperating, it may be your only recourse.
Dealing With the Legal System
Unfortunately, marijuana is still classified as a Class 1 drug in the United States. As far as the legal system is concerned, marijuana and heroin are considered to be in the same category. Despite the fact that medical research has shown that marijuana can be extremely beneficial in some cases, the federal government refuses to remove marijuana from the Class 1 schedule. Until that happens, the legal system regarding the use of marijuana can become extremely difficult to understand.
Each state has their own laws regarding use of marijuana, both for medical purposes and recreationally. However, the state laws and the federal laws don't always agree with each other. It leaves a lot of legal questions open about who can use marijuana and when. Therefore, it's always a good idea to find out what the state laws are where you live. They vary a great deal from one state to the next. Therefore, it is imperative that you find out whether or not marijuana can be used recreationally in the state where you're living or if it is approved only for medical use. If it is approved only for medical use, you will have to get a medical marijuana card in order to purchase it. Even then, it's important that you adhere to the standards regarding the amount that you can purchase and how much you can have in your possession at any one given time. Since these laws vary so much from state-to-state, you have to take the responsibility of learning what those laws are in each state in order to keep yourself out of legal hot water.
Doctors Don't Always Agree
It's also worth noting that despite the fact that so much research has gone into the potential benefits of medical marijuana, the FDA has yet to approve it. Unfortunately, this means that some doctors won't even consider granting you a medical marijuana card. However, others would far prefer to do exactly that as opposed to writing one prescription after another for potentially harmful drugs that may or may not work. It's worth remembering that many prescription medications have a whole host of potential side effects and some of them can be dangerous, even deadly. If you can find a doctor that is willing to grant you a medical marijuana card, you may be able to successfully deal with the medical issues that you have without taking drugs that carry so many side effects. It's also possible that the marijuana will be more effective in combating those conditions than anything you've taken in the past.
Making the Laws Work for You
At the end of the day, you have to put in the research necessary to understand the laws in your state and then work within the confines of those laws. It is only then that you may be able to reap the potential benefits of using medical marijuana as opposed to more traditional prescription treatments. There are many conditions that marijuana can potentially help, conditions that many people suffer from. If you are one of those individuals, it's worth doing the research because it could potentially be a game-changer. Imagine what it might be like to live your life without debilitating pain everyday.
Perhaps you suffer from crippling anxiety that makes it almost impossible to get out of the house. Marijuana could potentially help curb those feelings of anxiety, thereby allowing you the opportunity to enjoy life more fully. Your first step is to get evaluated and get diagnosed by a licensed physician. Your second step is to have a frank discussion with your physician about the potential for getting a medical marijuana card. From there, you can start working through the process. If you still have questions, you can ask for help from your physician or even a local dispensary, as the individuals there will be more than happy to help you answer any questions or concerns that you might have.
What should you do if you don't currently have a physician, yet you are suffering from chronic pain or believe that you have another qualifying condition? One of your first steps could be to simply walk into a dispensary and ask about the process of getting a medical marijuana card in your state. Remember, these people are experts at helping people navigate the legal process. As a result, they have answers to virtually any question you can think of and then some. They can also help you find a doctor in your area, typically one that is more apt to grant you a medical marijuana card than some other individuals.
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