Medical Marijuana

So, starting January, Florida will officially allow medicinal use of marijuana. To anyone that's lived in a state that has medical marijuana cards, how exactly do you go about getting one?

I don't ask purely for recreational use (though that, too) but I do have medical conditions that I think would benefit from it. Low grade depression, anxiety, and chronic pain from a bone disease called ankylosing spondylitis. But I get the feeling that if I walk into a doctors office and say "yo hit me up with that weed card" they'll probably say no.
 
So, starting January, Florida will officially allow medicinal use of marijuana. To anyone that's lived in a state that has medical marijuana cards, how exactly do you go about getting one? I don't ask purely for recreational use (though that, too) but I do have medical conditions that I think would benefit from it. Low grade depression, anxiety, and chronic pain from a bone disease called ankylosing spondylitis. But I get the feeling that if I walk into a doctors office and say "yo hit me up with that weed card" they'll probably say no.
I live in a state that allows medical marijuana. Some of my relatives even grow their own, legally.
But I couldn't tell you the first thing about applying or anything, since I have no interest.
Also, too bad about the AS, only know about it because my Pandora station has been beating me over the head with ads for it lately.

--Patrick
 
I live in a state that allows medical marijuana. Some of my relatives even grow their own, legally.
But I couldn't tell you the first thing about applying or anything, since I have no interest.
Also, too bad about the AS, only know about it because my Pandora station has been beating me over the head with ads for it lately.

--Patrick
I always find it weird when other people know what AS is, because outside of another member of this board also having it (and my dad having it, yay genetics) I've never known anyone to have ever even heard of it.
 
... a person must get a physician’s certification from a Florida doctor and be diagnosed with a debilitating medical condition. (Minors must also have written permission from a parent or guardian.) A patient can then obtain the required ID card. The Health Department is required to begin issuing ID cards within nine months.

Debilitating medical conditions are: “cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, positive status for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, or other debilitating medical conditions of the same kind or class as or comparable to those enumerated, and for which a physician believes that the medical use of marijuana would likely outweigh the potential health risks for a patient.”
I suspect once the law goes into effect you'll be able to find practices that will specialize in mmj scrips.
 
I always find it weird when other people know what AS is, because outside of another member of this board also having it (and my dad having it, yay genetics) I've never known anyone to have ever even heard of it.
One of my metamours was diagnosed with it less than a month ago. It's very uncommon but not that much.
 

GasBandit

Staff member
Makes me think a dispensary might find it a good idea to keep a doctor on site.

After all, Lenscrafters has optometrists on site.
 
I don't think it would be a bad idea to just bring it up to your doctor.
"I hear medical marijuana will be legal soon. Do you think it might help me?"
 
I always find it weird when other people know what AS is, because outside of another member of this board also having it (and my dad having it, yay genetics) I've never known anyone to have ever even heard of it.
The Pandora ad is always something like, "Don't ignore your back pain! It could be a painful condition called..ARCHEOPSTETRICIAN SPUDOWSKEWANOSIS" and I swear it sounds different every time (because it's a bunch of long words that people don't hear very often) but of course the correct spelling is on the ad image, right next to the picture of the guy holding his back in obvious discomfort.

--Patrick
 
I gotta go with @Shakey here, just talk to your doc about it. You're gonna want them to know all your meds anyway.
I don't take any meds. I don't like painkillers at all, and so I just deal with the pain from AS, which luckily for me is only bad enough to be nagging and annoying instead of being debilitating.
 
Ankylosing Spondylothesis?

(Can you tell I have a family member who has it?)

EDIT: "Spondylitis". I always mess that one up.

Disclosure: my stepsister has it. She used to be taller than me. I'm now taller than her by about two inches.
 
Ankylosing Spondylothesis?

(Can you tell I have a family member who has it?)

EDIT: "Spondylitis". I always mess that one up.

Disclosure: my stepsister has it. She used to be taller than me. I'm now taller than her by about two inches.
My dad's spine is fully fused, and every doctor that's ever looked at his x-ray is amazed he can still walk.
 
I don't take any meds. I don't like painkillers at all, and so I just deal with the pain from AS, which luckily for me is only bad enough to be nagging and annoying instead of being debilitating.
Well, that does change the main concern driving my advice. In that case, you may want to find a good website, like Leafly, for aggregating MMJ related info.
 
In Michigan it only took a few months for a whole slew of physicians to pop up specializing in mm prescriptions. This was years ago and I'd expect the process to be much quicker now.

You'll find that traditional doctors, particularly those associated with large healthcare systems, may appear reluctant to do so due to corporate policy and this might not change quickly for you.

Go ahead and talk to your doctor about it, but get a second opinion.

Also be aware that very soon there will be doctors willing to prescribe mm without actually meeting their patients. Personally I'd avoid receiving medical care from a doctor that never sees you, but that's a judgement call you'd have to make, and this isn't a hard and fast rule anyway - I'm treating my own sleep apnea, so if you've gotten to the point where you believe you are a better judge of your medical needs than your doctors, then finding a doctor that will aid you in your necessary care despite not meeting isn't unreasonable. But it does have risks, which you may not find out about until damage is done so be very careful if you go down such paths. You've only got one body.
 
Also, remember to take any advice I give with a grain of salt. While I find that cannabis does help greatly with my depressions, anxiety, and chronic back and joint pain - I'm using marijuana strictly recreationally.
 
Also, remember to take any advice I give with a grain of salt. While I find that cannabis does help greatly with my depressions, anxiety, and chronic back and joint pain - I'm using marijuana strictly recreationally.
I say up front that recreation is one of the reasons I want to try it, but if it can help with the other stuff too, great.
 
I'm actually really shocked that it hadn't been prescribed to me. My pain clinic Doctor hates the really strong patches I'm on and it would likely help for some of my secondary issues. It's legal here medically and Trudeau plans to make it completely legal soon.

I also have AS and it's evil.
 
My daughter and I stopped for Chinese food the other day and I had to explain the store with the green leaves on the window and the ATM inside :)
 

BananaHands

Staff member
So, starting January, Florida will officially allow medicinal use of marijuana. To anyone that's lived in a state that has medical marijuana cards, how exactly do you go about getting one?

I don't ask purely for recreational use (though that, too) but I do have medical conditions that I think would benefit from it. Low grade depression, anxiety, and chronic pain from a bone disease called ankylosing spondylitis. But I get the feeling that if I walk into a doctors office and say "yo hit me up with that weed card" they'll probably say no.
I paid 30 dollars to go to a doctor, have him take my blood pressure and tell me I'm stressed before sending me off with a prescription. Then, you go to a dispensary and they'll take your information. After that you just show up, show your ID and walk into what looks like a mom and pop drug store where all they sell is weed items and they'll give you a free sample for your first purchase.

It's also fully legal here now so my prescription means nothing. Sigh.
 
wdiv-marijuana-votes.jpg


So since the proposal here in MI apparently passed with 178% of eligible voters weighing in, I thought I'd also post the following video:


--Patrick
 
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