If you’re new to medical marijuana, all the info surrounding it can be hard to process. Legalese and medical terminology are hard to read through if you have no experience with them. But, no worries — we’ll give you the low-down on finding natural relief in Napa, Calif.
To sign up for the state’s medical cannabis program, you must live in California and be 18 or older (or have a parent/guardian’s permission).
As for qualifying health problems, California law includes the following diagnoses:
It also approves symptoms that can seriously harm you or reduce your ability to do any of the major life activities defined by the ADA. The ADA’s major life activities include:
If your medical issues make it tough to get through everyday life, you can probably get the green light to use MMJ in California.
To verify that you qualify for medicinal cannabis, check in with your doctor and ask them to complete the form provided by the state (English version, Spanish version). If they certify your condition and that you’d benefit from medical marijuana, you can use it as a part of your application.
Once you’re sure you can get MMJ, you just have to complete the state’s program application and turn it in to your county’s relevant office.
Your application must include:
Card-holders can carry up to one ounce of marijuana or eight grams of concentrated cannabis. You can get your medicine at a dispensary or growing collective. Although everyone will be able to buy cannabis without a doctor’s recommendation in 2018, you may want to get a card to cover the gap between now and then.
Regardless of legal status, immigrants and other non-citizens should use caution when traveling with their medicine and documentation. NORML reports that ICE has used them as grounds for deportation, citing the federal Controlled Substances Act.
Californians can use any doctor to get a recommendation for medical marijuana. However, sometimes a doctor won’t agree to sign one due to their belief that MMJ doesn’t work as a medical treatment. If you can’t convince them otherwise, you can use our directory to find a doctor who will recommend cannabis for your application.