It is important to keep in mind that every state has different rules and regulations when it comes to marijuana usage. Because of these discrepancies, the steps to obtaining medical cannabis may be different in every state. However, if you are new to the cannabis community or have never dealt with medical marijuana before, we are here to walk you through the steps you should take in order to purchase medical cannabis.
1. Go to your primary care physician and get a diagnosis of a condition that medical cannabis can be used to treat
As cannabis gains popularity, doctors have become more liberal with recommending it, so getting the initial doctor’s recommendation should not be an issue. However, they do still have to follow the rules, and they won’t give you a doctor’s recommendation without an actual diagnosis, so if you don’t have any medical conditions, it is best to stick to recreational cannabis. Just a tip: be sure to write down your doctor’s contact information and your diagnosis. You’ll want to have this information handy when you visit the doctor who will actually give you your card.
2. Find a doctor that prescribes cannabis and make an appointment
Once you’ve located a medical marijuana recommending doctor, you’ll need to supply your diagnosing doctor’s information for the marijuana-prescribing doctor’s records.
3. Answer a few questions
Just normal doctor’s appointment stuff. The recommending doctor will call you in, read your forms, ask you about your situation, and then give you a stamp of approval.
4. Get your card
You’ll go back into the waiting room to get your doctor’s recommendation (and marijuana card, if you wish to pay extra for that convenience) and they’ll send you on your way.
Great, now you’ve got a medical marijuana card! But the journey isn’t over yet. Now it is time to visit either a strictly medicinal or retail dispensary and choose your preferred form and dosage of marijuana. Check out our blog on how to pick the right medical cannabis for you.
1. Find a dispensary
Visit the Kind website and check out our wide variety of cannabis products delivered straight to your door.
2. Visit the dispensary and tell them you’re a new patient
This will require your state ID/driver’s license, your marijuana doctor’s recommendation, and your marijuana card. The card is not necessary but if you want to use it to get in with your government-issued ID later on you’ll need to give it to them for a photocopy. Regardless of the card, you still need to have your actual doctor’s recommendation with you every time you visit a new dispensary. They need to keep a copy of it on file.
3. Fill out a new patient form
Just normal information like name, DOB, etc. but depending on where you choose to purchase your marijuana, they may ask you a few more personal questions.
4. Purchase and Enjoy!
Congrats! You are now the proud new owner and consumer of medical marijuana.
Use responsibly and be sure you learn how to properly store your chosen form of cannabis. Some edibles may need to be refrigerated, and some last forever while others expire. Good luck with starting your cannabis journey, and remember to always be Kind.
