How To Get A Medical Marijuana Card

For many years I thought my friends with medical marijuana cards were just looking for a legal loophole to get high and goof around—and for the most part I was right. But I had never considered it before. Besides, I was perfectly happy with my stash of relatively low-dose recreational cannabis, which I started taking sometime in 2017 when my lower back pain became untenable. Then I injured my back (again) during a particularly intense month of contact combat training with fighters twice my size. It had been years since it last happened and I was in a panic. But I’ve been here before: the debilitating pain, the inability to move, and just all-around physical misery. And let me tell you: That kind of excruciating pain is not something anyone would ever want to live through again—or regularly, for that matter. When I wasn’t hoovering Aleve, CBD gummies and low-dose THC edibles to ease the constant pain, I was seeing a chiropractor, doing physical therapy thrice a week, and slathering myself with CBD topicals.

On occasion, I even had to rely on a cane to get around. Managing this recent bout of pain was also helped by the budtenders I had the pleasure of meeting in Nevada and California: They certainly knew their stuff. But the more I learned about cannabis and how my ailing body responds to it, the more I realized that it was time to see a professional about a medical marijuana card. But here’s the thing—I wasn’t looking to get high. And I didn’t want a card just so I could shop locally in Manhattan. So I didn’t go to one of those rent-a-New-York-doctor sites, say the right things for ten minutes, and get a card mailed to me. Instead, I did what I always do whenever I hunt for a new doctor: I asked a good friend in the cannabis industry to recommend a reputable doctor. I did my due diligence and took the medical part of medical marijuana seriously. I gathered whatever pain-related medical documents I had that, just in case they’d be handy. Simply download and print it. And I would recommend this approach to anyone. Plus, the entire process was fairly painless—and efficient.

My doctor was beyond helpful: Thanks to his recommendations and guidance on dosing, I’ve been experiencing lower pain and fewer flareups. And between medical-grade cannabis (which typically has a higher dosage) and regular mobility drills coupled with core strengthening exercises, I’m already on my way to a (mostly) pain-free life. And you can do it too. Cannabis was partly decriminalized in New York State in mid-2019. But that certainly doesn’t mean that anybody can walk around with joints and go all out at the park. Decades ago, there was such a stigma surrounding cannabis use. The word “stoner” carried with it visions of unkempt misfits unbothered by ambition, the business of life, the rat race, or “the establishment.” But no longer. These days, more and more people are taking cannabis as a means to improve their health—not to get zonked. After all, the plant is known for its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties.

A staggering growth projection. Choosing a doctor for the purposes of learning how to treat your condition with the help of medical marijuana is very much like picking a therapist: You’ve got to have rapport. And as a patient, you need to feel that you’re in good hands. Once you’ve picked a physician from New York’s list, schedule an appointment and talk about whatever it is that ails you. During the consultation be as detailed as possible, especially when answering questions related to your symptoms, medical history, and general lifestyle. This will help the doctor “prescribe” a suitable cannabis product for you. And by “prescribe,” the physician will help determine the starting dose you need, the best delivery method for your body, and the frequency with which you ought to be partaking. The whole process typically doesn’t last an hour if you’re an obvious candidate—and once the appointment is over, your doctor will then prepare your medical marijuana patient certification, which will be emailed to you in PDF form.