It’s a safe bet that Americans as a whole will continue to spend even more on weed than PSLs. Here’s why.
When reports came back showing legal cannabis sales outpaced Starbucks sales in North America, it raised more than a few eyebrows. As we previouslyreported, in 2021, legal cannabis sales (medical and recreational combined) were between $24.5 billion and $27 billion, while Starbucks sold a reported $20.5 billion.
At first this might come as a surprise simply because Starbucks is such a famous and successful institution, while marijuana and its dispensaries are still relatively, well, green. These numbers are even more shocking once you remember the fact that marijuana is still illegal on a federal level and there is a complete prohibition on its sale and consumption in more than a dozen states.
How, then, did cannabis outsell the world’s biggest coffee retailer, and what does this mean for the future of cannabis sales?
Americans love a good cup of joe, but cannabis is what they really gravitate towards when times get a bit tough. And 2021 was a trying year both economically and mentally for most of us.
Marijuana, however, proved it is a strong product in both boom times and challenging ones. “Invest in products that people will always want, in good times or bad. And when it comes to providing a product that people crave the world over, marijuana passes the test,”wrote Investing Daily. Marijuana’s ability to thrive in all economic times make it a very marketable product.
While lockdowns and stimulus payments may have helped weed sales a bit in 2021, this growth does not appear to be a one-time thing. In fact, marijuana sales are projected to reach $33 billion in 2022, according toFortune, which would be 32% growth from 2021. This shows marijuana on a steady growing path that may help it continue to outpace the coffee retailer and possibly other iconic companies.
Not only are existing markets showing strong sales, but several states legalized recreational weed this year and are already reporting huge numbers. “New Jersey’s launch of adult-use sales, expected in the second quarter, will likely cause the most substantial jump in any market in the U.S. in 2022,” Jessica Lukas of cannabis data company BDSA toldForbes. BDSA is forecasting sales to increase 220% in 2022 versus 2021.
The last two years have been tricky and uncertain times, but marijuana is growing at a steady rate. Even as state and federal lawmakers battle it out on whether or not marijuana should be legalized, the cannabis industry is poised to march ahead with record gains year after year.
This growth is likely only the beginning for an industry that has nowhere to go but up, which can only lead one to conclude that Americans as a whole will continue to spend even more on pot than pumpkin spice lattes.
New research from Washington state shows that legal marijuana appears to debunk the “gateway drug” theory.
New data shows some of the benefits of legal marijuana. Published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, the data links legal cannabis sales with a decrease in the use of alcohol, cigarettes, and pain medications in young adults.
The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Washington, who noticed trends in substance consumption in people between the ages of 18 to 25 following the legalization of marijuana in their state.
Researchers explained that the study demonstrated a converse effect to what many predicted with the legalization of cannabis. “Contrary to concerns about spillover effects, implementation of legalized non-medical cannabis coincided with decreases in alcohol and cigarette use and pain reliever misuse,” they wrote.
While they suggest that the link between legal marijuana and the weakening of the consumption habits of other drugs should be looked into, their results “may suggest increased importance of cannabis-specific prevention and treatment efforts.”
In any case, the study proves one of the main criticisms against legal cannabis: the “gateway drug” argument, which claims that having access to marijuana facilitates the consumption of other drugs.
“Real-world data from legalization states disputes longstanding claims that cannabis is some sort of ‘gateway’ substance,” said NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano. “In fact, in many instances, cannabis regulation is associated with the decreased use of other substances, including many prescription medications.”
Teen and young adult use is one of the main concerns of legal marijuana, with responsible parties concerned about the drug’s effects on young brains. The evidence that exists is conflicting and difficult to parse, made more complicated due to marijuana’s illegality on a federal level.
“A lot of the literature on cannabis legalization is difficult to compare due to differences in state policies, the states included in each paper’s analysis, the time periods that researchers are examining, the way use is defined, and other issues,” said Nicolas Schlienz, Ph.D., research director at cannabis education platform Realm of Caring.
Studies on marijuana show how little we know about the drug and its effects on the population. In order to get an accurate picture of its effects on people and our communities, more studies are needed along with more freedom for researchers who are interested in asking the necessary questions.
There is still no cure for diabetes and it’s still not a condition that has been recognized by the FDA and medical authorities as one that can be treated with cannabis.
With more than 37.3 million Americans suffering from diabetes, this serious condition needs addressing. Diabetes is so common that it’s likely we all know someone who has it. Unfortunately, 1 in every 5 people who has it isn’t even sure that they have this condition.
This is not good news, because there are serious complications that can arise from diabetes, including nerve damage (neuropathy), cardiovascular disease, foot damage, kidney damage, Alzheimer’s, and much more.
Once you have diabetes, it can be very difficult to reverse it. For type 1 diabetes, treatment will require regular insulin injections, carb counting, and constantly checking for blood sugar levels. Meanwhile, for type 2 diabetes, this involves changing your lifestyle entirely and checking for blood sugar levels, as well as some diabetes medications which may require insulin, prescription drugs, or both.
However, cannabidiol (CBD), a powerful anti-inflammatory cannabinoid and non-psychoactive component in cannabis, has been shown to be promising in the treatment and prevention of diabetes — naturally.
After all, CBD works with the endocannabinoid system which helps to regulate many important functions in the body including immunity, appetite, sleep, pain, and mood. The endocannabinoid system is also important for helping the body maintain homeostasis.
What The Studies Say
There are several studies out there that back up the claims: CBD may indeed help people suffering from diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is the more prevalent form of diabetes among the two, and it’s strongly associated with being overweight. There have been many studies supporting the use of CBD as well as THC in preventing excess weight gain, as well as helping people keep it off. In 2020, a review revealed that CBD was promising in positively impacting factors that lead to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. Researchers also found that CBD was effective in reducing inflammation while altering the way the body metabolizes glucose.
In an older study from 2017, researchers found out that CBD was effective in greatly reducing neuropathy caused by diabetes. Neuropathy is characterized by muscle weakness, tingling, and numbness, which would otherwise be treated through strong painkillers. With CBD, there’s no need to rely on pharmaceutical drugs any longer for the treatment of neuropathy.
A study published in the medical journal, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, in 2020, shared the results of a survey conducted from 2005 to 2018 involving 340 participants with diabetes. They were asked about their cannabis consumption including both THC or CBD in the last 30 days. The results showed that 78% of participants reported to using cannabis which wasn’t prescribed by a physician. “Diabetes patients might still use cannabis for medical reasons, but not have a prescription,” explained Omayma Alshaarawy, MBBS, PhD, lead author of the study.
In an article in EndocrineWeb, Rory Batt MSc, who researchers the link between type 2 diabetes, CBD, and the endocannabinoid system, CBD can also have benefits on pancreatic health among those with this condition. “CBD can also help to protect the pancreas from becoming destroyed by overactive immune cells. Effectively, this means someone may be able to keep producing insulin themselves for longer. However, unless they ultimately change their diet as well, they will inevitably end up with a pancreas that cannot produce insulin — but CBD could significantly extend the time until that happens.”
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Last May 2021, the results of a Phase II trial revealed that taking CBD sublingually in tablet form was effective in reducing pain scores among patients who have diabetic peripheral neuropathy by around 50%. The randomized and double-blind, placebo-controlled study involved 54 patients who were suffering from painful diabetic neuropathy, affecting their feet. They were randomly given 1:1 proprietary sublingual tablets of Pure Green Pharmaceutical’s 20mg CBD, thrice a day or placebo.
Pure Green reported that the patients who were given the treatment experienced significantly reduced pain levels compared to the placebo group. Those who were given the CBD also reported statistically significant changes when it came to quality of life, and improvements for anxiety and sleep quality.
“Achieving clinical and statistical pain relief for these patients in just a few weeks is very gratifying and frankly unexpected. Interestingly, the results of this placebo-controlled trial mirrored those of Pure Green Pharmaceuticals’ open-label pDPN trial where both studies revealed a significant drop in pain scores by approximately 50 percent. Patient safety always comes first and was our primary marker. There were no adverse events in either clinical trial to patients on treatment medication,” explained Pure Green’s Chief Medical Officer and a board-certified anaesthesiologist, Dr. Debra Kimless.
Other Ways CBD Helps Treat Diabetes
There are other ways that CBD can help with diabetes, particularly with chronic inflammation which causes blood sugar levels to keep spiking until diabetes occurs. CBD’s powerful anti-inflammatory properties helps the endocannabinoid receptors decrease inflammation, which also reduces blood sugar levels.
In addition, the endocannabinoid system plays a significant role in promoting homeostasis, as well as how the body reacts to the decrease and increase of insulin. The lack of insulin production results in diabetes, but CBD has been shown to enhance the endocannabinoid system, thus helping to increase insulin secretion and promote homeostasis.
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What To Do If You Want To Medicate With CBD For Diabetes
At the time of writing, there is still no cure for diabetes and it’s still not a condition that has been recognized by the FDA and medical authorities as one that can be treated with cannabis.
But given the promising studies we have available, as well as anecdotal evidence, patients with diabetes are encouraged to talk to physicians who are knowledgeable about cannabis if they want to use CBD complementary to their existing therapies to help manage the symptoms of diabetes and keep them under control.
While an increasing number of surveys show that more Republicans are supporting marijuana legalization, some GOP lawmakers are not only opposing cannabis reform, they’re mocking it.
Last week, Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma said that the state’s medical marijuana makes it too easy to obtain cannabis “no matter what” the patient’s medical condition is, reported Marijuana Moment.
“We’re a state that has medical marijuana laws,” the senator said during last week’s speech on the Senate floor discussing abortion rights, which he opposes. “You have to have a medical prescription from a doctor to be able to get it. So you know how you get it? The medical marijuana place actually has a doctor that you can just call that’ll write a script to you that’ll write it for no matter what.”
You could say, ‘My left toe hurts every other Thursday,’” he added, “and they would say, ‘Great, that’s a medical condition.’”
Lankford stressed that, like marijuana, it would be too easy to get an abortion if the Democrat-led Women’s Health Protection Act becomes law.
He strongly opposed a provision in the abortion-rights bill, which was blocked in a 49–51 vote on Thursday by Senate Republicans and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
This was the second time in 2022 that the upper chamber voted on the issue, but without advancing the bill. The measure sought to ensure access to abortion nationwide.
Lankford also pointed out that under the bill, the decision is up to the discretion of the health care providers performing abortions and that it would allow them to justify abortions at any point in a pregnancy.
“We get the joke. If the person who’s actually selling the product is the one who’s actually prescribing it, that means you could do it at any point,” he said. ”So this bill is not about protecting children prior to viability. This bill is about aborting at every single stage of pregnancy.”
A new poll from Texas shows that marijuana is more popular than the country’s Republican and Democrat representatives.
Marijuana is a topic that’s slowly separated itself from political parties and policies. In Texas, a new survey shows that the drug’s legalization is more popular than the state’s governor or the country’s president, going over political parties and the typical arguments of blue versus red.
The university’s poll reached over 1,232 registered voters during the week of May 2. Results showed that an overwhelming majority of Texans support medical marijuana (83%) while a smaller yet still significant percentage support its recreational use (60%).
A closer look shows that support for the drug wasn’t heavily impacted by political parties; 91% of Democrats supported medical marijuana while 74% of Republicans did the same. 85% of independents agreed.
Aside from political parties influencing cannabis opinions, the poll gathered a variety of information on different political issues, including the people’s opinions on their governor and political leaders. It found that medical and recreational cannabis was more popular than Governor Greg Abbott and Governor Dan Patrick, both of whom don’t consider marijuana among their priorities.
The poll found that medical and recreational marijuana is also more popular than political figures like Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Ted Cruz, and more.
Bipartisan support for marijuana has been increasing over the years and is pivotal for reaching federal legal marijuana. Marijuana’s growing acceptance is one of the topics that go against most trends; while politics remain a hot-button issue, marijuana has become one of the topics that most people agree on, no matter their age or political leanings.
Fetterman — an unofficial spokesman for Pennsylvania’s efforts to legalize the plant — is determined to fight for the cause on the national level if he reaches the U.S. Senate.
The 2022 midterm elections are heating up as politicians on both sides are batting around different strategies to reach their goals.
A recent survey from Morning Consult and Politico revealed that four out of ten voters overall said ending cannabis prohibition should be prioritized, shedding light on Democrats’ midterm strategy.
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John Fetterman, an American pro-marijuana politician serving as the 34th Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania and currently the top Democratic Senate candidate on Tuesday’s primary in the state, is loud and clear regarding cannabis reform.
“It’s high time that we get our sh*t together and legalize weed in PA + USA. More justice, jobs, revenue, and freedom. That’s not Reefer Madness – that’s just common sense,” reads the description on the top-selling campaign T-shirt that’s selling on Fetterman’s website for $35.
In a Twitter note from Sunday, Fetterman said that he’d recently been hospitalized after suffering a stroke. He canceled all of his public appearances in the days leading up to Tuesday’s primary election in which Pennsylvania voters are choosing a candidate to succeed Republican Senator Pat Toomey in the 50-50 chamber and a term-limited Democratic governor.
Still, Fetterman — an unofficial spokesman for the state’s efforts to legalize the plant — is determined to fight for the cause on the national level if he reaches the U.S. Senate.
“It never should have been illegal in the first place,” Fetterman, who has 14 years of experience as a small-town mayor, told Forbes’ A.J. Herrington in a telephone interview. “This is a plant with no known medical overdose. This is a plant now that’s helped 350,000 people, just in my state alone, with their medical issues.”
Cannabis Is Bringing More Voters
The sentiment among Pennsylvanians suggests that Fetterman’s legalization efforts make a difference.
“If [candidates] support marijuana, they’re more about the people,” Casey Lofties, 25, from York, said on Saturday in an interview. “I feel like even though they’re older, that they’re still listening to the younger people who are eventually going to be making America, America.”
Some political strategists agree that a cannabis-friendly approach could bring a win in both the primary and general elections in the race for Senate majority, Politico’s Natalie Fertig writes.
More importantly, the issue of cannabis could bring more voters into the whole polling process.
“You’re talking about a state that Joe Biden won by only 80,000 votes,” Mike Mikus, a Democratic strategist in Pennsylvania said. “So many people, new voters or people who … may have decided to sit out the election — if you bring them out because of this issue, that is how you win these campaigns.”
Interestingly, Marsha Cohen, a law professor at UC Hastings College of the Law, recently said that Biden could get back some young voters if he decides to sign the MORE Act, which recently passed the House of Representatives.
“Young people may also be those least likely to be responsive to pollsters right now because they might not care. This [bill] might ‘talk’ to them,” Cohen told Newsweek.
Paul Quirk, a political scientist at the University of British Columbia in Canada, went a step further, saying that the President “would be hard-pressed to veto” legislation that supports cannabis use because he can’t allow losing the younger generation of voters, reported the news outlet.
“Vetoing marijuana legalization would make Biden public-official enemy No. 1 to many of the young voters whose support he badly needs to win back,” Quirk added.
With leaders in both parties eager to move marijuana legalization forward, it seems like legalizing marijuana in some form is a low hanging fruit.
President Biden’s political career has not exactly made him the poster child for marijuana legalization. Earlier in this career, he was among the many who supported the War on Drugs and anti-marijuana legislation. With time, the President has changed and liberalized his views significantly. But has he changed them enough to keep Democrats in power?
Legalization bills are popping up on both sides of the political aisle, and the public support for marijuana legalization is at an all-time high.Two-thirds of this nation’s citizens believe marijuana should be legal, according to a recent Pew Research Centerstudy.
Meanwhile, some Republicans are going so far as to call out the President for his dated and conservative views on marijuana. This leaves many wondering exactly when and how the White House will take a stance on weed as the concept itself continues to grow in popularity among voters.
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With all this forward momentum, and so close to a very important midterm election, it is puzzling to some as to why the President has not taken a stronger stance on marijuana legalization. “It’s almost as if the President doesn’t recognize the astounding increase in support for marijuana legalization over the last two decades,”wrote Harry Enten For CNN.
But before judging where Biden stands today, it might be wise to look back on where his views were just a few years ago on the campaign trail, when he repeatedly referred to marijuana as a gateway drug. Additionally, as we have reported before, he supported federal policies that made it easier for law enforcement to crack down on marijuana offenders, most notably his authorship of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.
WATCH: @JoeBiden on marijuana legalization – “There is not nearly been enough evidence…as to whether or not it is a gateway drug,” he said last night, “It’s a debate.” Biden said states should decide on legalization & that he supports medical marijuana. @CBSNewspic.twitter.com/s4CE32phLS
He softened his stance a bit later on the campaign trail to say marijuana should be decriminalized, but the legalization should be left to individual states, saying that “states should be able to make a judgement to legalize marijuana. I think that’s okay.”
Strong proponents of marijuana legalization may have been concerned when the Biden administration fired five White House staffers who admitted to past marijuana use. “Many of these staffers lived in states where cannabis use and sale is perfectly legal, casting doubt on Biden’s campaign pledge that states should be free to implement their own cannabis laws without federal intervention,” according toForbes. This action can look hypocritical, and suggests that maybe the idea of “decriminalizing” was more of a figurative concept than an actual game plan.
With marijuana being less a partisan issue than other issues, and the public noticeably supporting it, one has to wonder exactly what the holdup is. “With legalization seeming such an obvious political win, all that’s stopping Biden, current and former aides say, is public health,” according toThe Atlantic. In other words, the President wants even more evidence to prove marijuana is safe for public consumption.
While public health is certainly a reason to consider one’s stance on a myriad of issues, other lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are progressing beyond Biden’s stance on marijuana while he waits for this alleged definitive public health data.
As we previouslyreported, Republicans, including Rep. Matt Gaetz (who called him a “recalcitrant boomer”) have taken Biden’s inaction on marijuana legalization as an opportunity to undermine his understanding of the desire of American people.
While these opinions may be inaccurate, it does seem that now might be the time for the Biden administration to take some concrete action on marijuana policy. With leaders in both parties eager to move marijuana legalization forward, it seems like legalizing marijuana in some form is a low hanging fruit. The president just has to pick it off the tree.
With the CBD popularity growing everyday, more and more people are trying it in various forms due to its therapeutic properties. However, despite the legalization and hype, people still don’t know much about CBD and everything surrounding it. Here are facts about CBD you might now know.
As both CBD research and consumption continue to grow, the information pool about CBD is also expanding. If you already use CBD or are thinking of buying it from online retailers, it’s better to know a thing or two before trying it.
Photo by Erin_Hinterland via Pixabay
CBD is Changing Medical World
CBD has come out as a solution to many health related conditions that were hard to treat before. Many research trials have proven the positive impact of CBD on treating a rare condition of epilepsy. In fact, the FDA has approved a CBD-based drug to treat Dravet Syndrome. It has also shown positive results to control symptoms in cancer patients. It is also used to treat depression, PTSD, anxiety, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and high blood pressure. CBD might not be a panacea to treat all health problems, but it does help control many health issues that has made it a trigger to revolutionize the medical world.
CBD Can Be Given to Animals
Many pet owners are giving CBD to their furry friends. You can easily find CBD products for pets, like CBD treats, oils, tinctures, etc. However, there is very little to no research on CBD’s effects on pets. Many pet owners, however, claim that CBD has helped their pets to sleep better, relieve pain, pacify anxiety and depression. If you also want to give CBD to your pets, better consult the vet and choose the best products to get better results.
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CBD Helps Battle Addiction
Unlike THC, CBD does not get you high. In fact, it directly combats THC’s effect and helps in battling against addiction. Various nicotine and opioid users have reported less craving for these drugs after using CBD products, which is why many addiction treatment centers are turning to CBD as a remedy to treat patients.
The CBD Industry Is Thriving Right Now
CBD mania has grown to an extent that the CBD industry has become one of the fastest-growing industries in history. To be more precise, the CBD industry is growing 107% per-year, and is expected to increase. The next few years will see an explosive boom in the CBD industry with equal opportunities for sellers and buyers to fetch benefits. It also means that its users will be able to consume CBD in various other amazing forms.
Most people refer to CBD as a non-psychoactive substance, which is true if by psychoactive they mean getting you high. Yes, CBD doesn’t react with CB1 receptors, and doesn’t cause high feelings. So, it is not psychoactive by this definition. But if you check the literary meaning of psychoactive, it means any substance that affects the brain and behavior. By this definition, CBD is psychoactive as it affects the endocannabinoid system of your body; it regulates the functioning of the brain’s neurotransmitters that impacts mind and behavior. So, the reality of CBD being psychoactive or not depends on which lens you are using to perceive it.
Other Hemp Compounds Increase CBD Efficiency
There are around 115 known cannabinoids in the hemp plant and CBD performs better when combined with these compounds. That’s why it is always recommended to buy broad-spectrum CBD products instead of isolates because they contain a wide range of naturally occurring cannabis extracts, terpenes, and other cannabinoids, but not THC. All of these additives work together to boost the impact of CBD and broaden the spectrum of health benefits.
CBD has been in use for a long time, but it’s still a mystery for many due to a vast pool of information and on-going research. If you want to try CBD, it is always better to know essential things about this compound to make an informed decision. Moreover, make sure to buy CBD products after carefully vetting the sellers to avoid fake sellers that are growing in numbers with the increase in CBD demand.
A new study on elderly mice might provide a new way forward, something that could target dementia and take steps in correcting it.
Researchers from Stanford University have made a breakthrough discovery regarding memory loss. They discovered it was possible to reverse memory loss in mice, animals that have a similar genetic makeup to humans. If all works well, these results could translate to humans and provide alternate ways of treating the condition.
The study, published in the journal Nature, showed that a spinal fluid infusion from young mice was able to revert memory loss in elderly mice. Per researchers, this discovery is groundbreaking and could result in a whole new set of studies and tests that could then lead to new ways of treating memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease.
The study used elderly mice, who, just like people, often have problems with their memory as a side effect of aging. Researchers then spent months devising a way to successfully extract spinal fluid from young mice, and then provided it to the elderly, hoping to encourage their brains to have better functioning.
The gamble worked, with elderly mice behaving as well as young mice in terms of completing memory tasks. Researchers called out FGF17, an element present in the spinal fluid, as one of the substances responsible for this improvement.
These results are incredibly encouraging and something that, if replicated on humans, could lead to drugs being mass-produced as new and effective ways of treating these conditions.
Dementia is a widespread side effect of aging, one that affects around 5.8 million people in the United States. While the condition is treated with medications, these are usually effective in managing symptoms and reducing the stress associated with the disease.
Stanford’s study on mice might provide a new way forward, something that could target the disease itself and take steps in correcting it, greatly improving people’s quality of life and slowing down the progression of the disease.
The use of cannabis as alternative medicine has increased over time as legalization laws came into effect. It was mainly to meet the demands of patients whose treatments have not responded effectively to regular prescribed medication.
Thus, receiving a medical marijuana card allows you to buy cannabis products legally that can help treat symptoms of your illness. While the process of acquiring a medical marijuana card may differ from state to state, there is a general procedure you can expect to follow when applying for one. With that said, here’s how you can get a medical marijuana card in your state.
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Check If You Have A Qualifying Condition
One of the first necessary steps to acquiring a medical marijuana card is checking if you qualify for one. In any case, each state has different laws and criteria on what conditions permit issuing a card. However, the general qualifier is having a chronic illness that impacts your way of life.
It means that you cannot carry on with your daily life due to symptoms of an illness that affect your physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. Some of these qualifying conditions include but aren’t limited to:
Cancer
Chronic Pain
Multiple Sclerosis
Parkinson’s Disease
Epilepsy, Migraines, and Seizures
HIV and AIDS
Autism
Anxiety
There are about 17 recognized qualifying conditions, all in all, depending on your state. Checking the list in your state before you apply for a card can save you time just in case you might not be eligible. This is because the entire process takes time, effort, and money while not guaranteeing that you get a card in the end. This information is available on your state’s health department website.
Consult With Your Physician
Once you have determined that you have a qualifying condition, the next step is to consult with your primary care doctor. This step is to inform them about your interest in medical marijuana and to get an expert opinion on whether your condition can be managed by marijuana in the first place. Since your doctor has your medical records and history, they’ll be able to advise you on whether you should pursue applying for a card.
In addition to this, you may need to undergo further testing to find out whether you’ll be a suitable candidate for your state’s medical marijuana program in the future. It is usually in case you’ve recently experienced worsening symptoms of your illness and if standard treatments have been ineffective on you. Your doctor can also assess whether the medical marijuana is likely to react with other medicine that you’re taking.
Make An Appointment With A Doctor Licensed to Certify Cards
In most cases, general practitioners aren’t licensed to conduct certification for medical marijuana cards. Thus, you’ll have to find a specialist in your state who has the license to do it. Most of these doctors are experts in cannabis medicine and are registered partners of your state’s medical marijuana program.
You can find their contact information on your state department’s health website. Alternatively, if you prefer being discreet, you can search the database of a licensed medical cannabis company in your state, such as a Medical marijuana doctor in Virginia.
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The point of the appointment is for the certifying doctor to verify and interpret the severity of your qualifying condition and evaluate whether you can benefit from medical cannabis. They also need to approve that no other options for treatment are viable for you.
Be expected to ask for proof of your condition, such as medical records, MRI, and X-ray scans. This is why the previous step with your primary care doctor is necessary. After being approved by the certifying doctor, they will explain the medical marijuana program to you and advise what cannabis medication can work for you. All of the information they will give will be general advice since no doctor is allowed to prescribe cannabis products to you.
Register For Your States Medical Marijuana Program
The final step in getting your medical marijuana card is signing up to be a medical marijuana patient. Your certifying doctor would, in the meantime, send an emailed recommendation to you. You’ll need this as proof of approval to complete the signup. This step can become quite a tedious administrative process depending on how much information your state demands from you.
If you don’t want to bother with the process, some companies can complete the signup for a fee. Otherwise, you can visit your state health department’s website and fill in your details on their application form. On the website, you will find instructions on how to proceed and what they need from you.
There is a fee involved in issuing the card, and it can range from USD$20-USD$200. Once you’ve registered and have sent in your application, your health department can take up to 30 days to review and approve it.
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Receiving Your Medical Marijuana Card
After your application has been accepted, you will finally be issued a medical marijuana card which will be delivered to your home address via mail in a few weeks. It officially validates your status as a medical marijuana patient.
The card is valid for one year and will have to be renewed annually for the same cost paid during the application. Once you’ve received the card, you are then allowed to legally purchase medical marijuana products at approved licensed dispensaries in your area.
In some cases, you can even be permitted to grow your own medical cannabis at home if it’s deemed necessary by your certifying physician. Thus, ensure that you always have your unexpired card to show law enforcement whenever the situation calls for it.
Conclusion
Getting a medical marijuana card in your state requires you to complete several steps, which start with finding out if you qualify for one. You’ll then need to check the list of conditions for your state and visit your doctor.
After this, you’ll need to see a certifying doctor so they can write a recommendation that you need to include when filling out the card application. Once done, you have to wait for it to be mailed to you. And after receiving it, you can start using it to get the medical cannabis products you need to alleviate your condition.
