The law legalizing medical marijuana use in Florida was enacted in 2016 and came into effect in January 2017. The amendment allows patients with various debilitating medical conditions to buy medical weed. Although this amendment has been in existence, it only became effective recently when dispensaries started opening in abundance across the state.
Since Marijuana use still remains illegal nationally, the laws governing medical marijuana use and the process for obtaining it varies from state to state. In every state, having a medical marijuana card is a basic part of the process. This is important especially in a state where the recreational use of cannabis is illegal. The card allows the holder to possess a stipulated quantity of cannabis for medical purposes. In Florida, the process of obtaining this card is simple and straightforward.
Qualifying ailments for MMJ in Florida
You might want to know the qualifying ailments that allows you to use marijuana legally in Florida. Generally, you are likely to get approval for a medical marijuana card if you have a debilitating medical condition as deemed fit for your physician. Some of the possible qualifying conditions include:
- Epilepsy
- Cancer
- HIV/AIDS
- Glaucoma
- Seizures
- Chronic muscles spasms
- Crohn’s diseases
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s diseases
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder etc.
Patients suffering from any terminal condition that has been diagnosed by a physician apart from the state-approved physician issuing the certification are qualified to get a card. Chronic non-malignant pain due to any of the qualifying medical conditions is also enough ground to apply for an MMJ card in Florida.
Steps to getting an MMJ card in Florida
1. Book an appointment with your physician and obtain your medical record:
This is first before any other thing. You need to get your medical records from your physician. This is important to ascertain your state of health before your card is issued. For patients younger than the age of consent (18 years) or those that are terminally ill, the opinion of a second physician must be sought and this should be reflected in the medical records that will be submitted by the patient.
2. Set up an appointment with a marijuana doctor for a consultation:
The next stage will be to book an appointment with a registered medical marijuana consultant and sending in your medical history. Consultation would be an average of 15 minutes and it is carried out to evaluate your ailment and determine if you are qualified for medical marijuana treatment.
Your physician will have to enter your name and other information into the Compassionate Care Registry and this is also called the Florida Marijuana User Registry. This registry is run by the Ministry of Health so safety is assured. This step is a major requirement before your MMJ card is issued in Florida. You will also need to submit proof that you are a resident in Florida to have your application approved.
3. Get approval for your application:
Once your information has been entered in the Compassionate Care Registry, your completed application will be submitted to the Office of Medical Marijuana Use at the Florida Department of Health. This approval process usually takes time, it is the longest of all the steps in the process. It could take up to three weeks or more for your application to be reviewed before it gets approved.
Cost of getting your card
Carefully following the steps highlighted above will get you a marijuana card. Getting a marijuana card in Florida is not free. The things you need to pay for during your application includes:
- The cost of meeting with the state-approved marijuana consultant. This varies depending on the doctor you are seeing.
- The application itself costs 75 dollars, this is a fixed fee.
Note that the cost of getting your medical marijuana card is not covered by insurance. Medical cannabis cards in Florida have a 1 year validity period after which they must be renewed. You are expected to send in an application for renewal at least 45 days before the card expires.
Although it is possible to go through the process of obtaining your medical marijuana card on your own, a more convenient alternative is by using Veriheal to get your medical marijuana card in Florida. Veriheal as a healthcare technology company is one of the reliable online platforms that simplify the process of obtaining an MMJ card in Florida.
By applying on the Veriheal platform, you are connected to state-certified marijuana physicians in Florida. Veriheal also offers an online consultation service. This is not only more convenient but also cheaper.
Once your application is approved, you can begin buying marijuana from any dispensary in the state. Veriheal also assists with this as well as you get a referral to some of the best dispensaries based on your location where you can obtain cannabis legally.
