Posted by Marijuana Doctors on 06/08/2018 in Doctor Resources
Currently, medical marijuana is legal in 29 U.S. states. New York joined the crusade in July 2014, when Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature passed the Compassionate Care Act. The law aims to regulate the “manufacture, sale and use of medical marijuana.” The act also strives to strike a balance between helping residents relieve symptoms of severe conditions and protecting the public.
As of May 2018, there are 1,644 registered medical marijuana practitioners and 56,204 certified patients in the state of New York. With so many patients in need of treatment, there is a high demand for registered physicians in the state. In fact, according to survey results released by the Drug Policy Alliance, more than half of patients and caregivers have not been able to find a physician to certify them in the state of New York.
If you are interested in joining the growing community of registered physicians and helping fill a need, let this be your doctor’s guide to medical marijuana in NY. We’ll show how to recommend medical marijuana in NY and how to help your patients get certified.
Medical cannabis uses the chemicals in the marijuana plant to treat illness or disease. Medical marijuana can help relieve the symptoms of a wide range of conditions, from Alzheimer’s disease to glaucoma. Patients also often use it to help themselves cope with symptoms associated with life-threatening illnesses. The active chemicals in medical marijuana, cannabinoids, have been shown to reduce anxiety, relax muscles, improve appetite, and even kill cancer cells.
Not anyone can grow marijuana for medical purposes under state law. According to New York regulations, approved marijuana must represent a specific brand with a defined cannabinoid content, and registered manufacturers must adhere to strict guidelines. Physicians do not dispense medical marijuana. A registered physician is only responsible for recommending a specific dosage and form and certifying patients.
Registered manufacturers shall only manufacture medical marijuana products that have been approved by the New York Commissioner of Health. The following forms are currently approved:
New York law prohibits smoking marijuana, as smoking the plant carries known health risks.
Physicians must only certify patients who meet the right criteria as established by law. Any patients with severe or life-threatening conditions might qualify for the medical marijuana program. Qualifying conditions include:
Patients must also have one of the following related conditions:
Before you consider recommending marijuana in New York, read the following summarized points taken from the bill for the Compassionate Care Act:
If you are concerned about the legal risks of recommending medical marijuana treatment and certifying patients, consider the following practitioner prohibitions. As you will see, there are rules to follow, but the risks are not as abundant as one might think. As a registered practitioner, you may not:
As a registered physician, you will also have certain reporting requirements, which include reporting:
Other provisions to be aware of include:
According to survey results published by the Drug Policy Alliance, 29 percent of patients stated their doctors named legal concerns about certifying patients for medical marijuana. In reality, the legal risks are minimal for doctors regarding medical marijuana, because they only certify patients. As long as you follow the few rules of being a registered medical marijuana doctor, there should not be legal issues to worry about.
To participate in New York’s medical marijuana program, you only need to complete a few steps. Here’s what it takes to be a registered medical marijuana physician in the state of New York:
You can fulfill the requirements to become registered in the following three easy steps.
The approved four-hour course must provide the following content:
Where can you take the approved online course? The NYSDOH has approved the following two education providers:
Once you have completed the registration process, you will be able to issue certificates. Certification involves:
You can access the PMP registry through the Health Commerce System (HCS). Within the HCS, you will fill in patient information and submit the form to certify the patient. You will need to submit the following information:
You will need to fill in the following patient information:
For patients who are temporary residents of New York, you shall state:
For a patient who is not a resident of New York but receiving care and treatment in the state, the certificate should be valid for a period no longer than the patient expects to be receiving treatment in New York, and should not be valid for more than one year.
Once the form is complete, you will click the submit button and print one copy to give to your patient and another to keep in your practice for five years. Date and include a handwritten signature on the printed certification.
Once you certify a patient, they must obtain a registry identification card by completing an NYSDOH application. During the application process, they will need to designate up to two caregivers to possess and monitor medical marijuana on their behalf. Designated caregivers must also apply separately and register with the NYSDOH to obtain a registry identification card.
To become a designated caregiver, a person must complete the following steps:
Within 30 days of receipt, the NYSDOH shall approve, deny or determine the application is incomplete. They will notify the caregiver in writing, by email or phone if the application is inaccurate or incomplete, and explain what documents are necessary to continue. Once they have completed their application, the caregiver will receive a registry identification card.
If the NYSDOH requests more information, the applicant will have 30 days to submit required documents. Otherwise, the department will deny their application. Likewise, the NYSDOH may deny registry if the applicant is already a designated caregiver for five currently certified patients or fails to provide accurate information.
Once certified patients and designated caregivers have obtained their registry identification cards, they may visit one of the registered dispensaries in the state to buy approved products. Each registered organization can have up to four dispensing clinics. Below is a list of registered dispensaries in New York:
When a patient acquires a registry identification card, they can reap the benefits of medical marijuana treatment without legal repercussions. As long as a patient follows the rules and carries their card on them when they are in possession of medical marijuana, they can:
As a registered physician, there are certain things you can and cannot do regarding certification. It is essential to avoid certifying patients who do not have qualifying conditions. In general, you will have the authority and responsibility to:
As a registered physician, you cannot:
Are you ready to help your patients with difficult symptoms and join the exciting frontier of medical marijuana? Are you already a registered physician? If so, do not forget to register here, with the most trusted source for doctors and patients seeking medical marijuana guidance and information.
With medical marijuana being relatively new, you want to stay informed about any changes that are made. Our site will help you stay on top of the latest news regarding medical marijuana in the state of New York. When you register as a certified physician with us, you’ll enjoy the following benefits.
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