For folks living in the United Kingdom, the idea of being able to go see a doctor and ultimately go home with a big bag of weed is the stuff of pure fantasy. And with the way things are going right now, it’s probably going to stay like that for some time. By contrast, those living in the United States…or at least about half of the population, anyway…now have access to life-changing medical cannabis for a wide variety of purposes.
As time goes by, the world is slowly beginning to wake up to the incredible medicinal properties of cannabis. From chronic pain to depression to insomnia to the relief of chemotherapy side effects and so much more, medical cannabis is changing millions of lives for the better – every single day. But at the same time, there are plenty of people across the US who simply do not know where to start.
If you are suffering from an on-going medical condition and have found little relief in conventional treatments, there’s every chance medical cannabis could help. If you’re lucky enough to live in a region where medical marijuana is legal, it’s simply a case of finding a qualified, capable and responsible doctor to provide you with the relevant prescription. The only problem being that as cannabis remains illegal at a federal level, it’s still a subject of real controversy and not all doctors are willing to work with it. Even if their patients ask directly, this doesn’t mean they’ll get it.
So how can you find yourself a qualified cannabis doctor for help, advice and to sign the forms you’ll be needing?
Check Out Your State’s Qualifying Conditions
Medical Marijuana
Well, first of all you need to find out whether the condition or conditions you’re suffering from are actually accepted by your state, in terms of qualification for medical cannabis. There’s no black-and-white rulebook for the country in general, with each state on its own determining what does and does not qualify a person for medical marijuana use. You’ll be able to find this out by carrying out a little research online, though be sure to read all the terms, conditions and small-print you come across. If in any doubt, contact an expert for further advice.
Get Your Medical Records
If and when you pay a visit to any doctor regarding the possibility of obtaining medical cannabis, it’s inevitable that they will need to see your medical records before going any further. You are legally entitled to access your medical records and to keep copies of them, so be sure to reach out to your current healthcare providers and make the necessary requests. It’s possible that the medical cannabis doctor you see will be happy to request the information on your behalf, but it will save you time and unnecessary delays if you sort it yourself in advance.
Get a Referral
If you are currently dealing with a doctor that is unwilling to work with medical marijuana for any given reason, this need not be interpreted as a dead end. Instead, you are perfectly within your rights to ask the doctor to refer you to someone else, who may be more inclined to help you obtain what you need. That being said, some doctors are so strongly against the whole thing that they will refuse to even point you in the right direction, so don’t be too surprised if this is what happens.
Search the Web
The largest and most helpful resource at your disposal when it comes to finding a cannabis doctor is the internet. All you need to do is carry out a quick web search for an online directory, which will hold all the information you’ll need about the various weed doctors in your area. All you need to do is state where you are, in order to be returned with detailed listing of exactly who has the required permission to prescribe medical cannabis near you. Take down the contact details, make a few calls and away you go!
Visit a Dispensary
Visit a Medical Marijuana dispensary
If you live in the vicinity of a medical cannabis dispensary, you may also be able to access plenty of helpful information by paying it a visit. If they have been in business long and have earned a strong following, they will probably be familiar with at least a few of the doctors in the area that send patients their way. If not, they should at least be able to point you in the direction of somebody that may be able to advise you further.
Check Out Reviews and Ratings
Just like with any other service provider or business currently in operation, the web is littered with reviews, ratings and recommendations when it comes to cannabis doctors. Given the fact that there are thousands in business up and down the country, it is inevitable that not all will be performing to the same high standards. Quite to the contrary, in fact. You only need to check out the reviews on offer to see how different the experiences of patients are from one doctor to the next. Some are much more selective and strict with who they will prescribe to than others, some aren’t exactly reliable when it comes to specific products they prescribe and so on. Try to remember that you are a paying customer with all the rights in the world, meaning you don’t have to and should never settle for a second-rate provider.
Check Out Home-Growing Rules
Depending on where you live, it’s perfectly possible that you may have every right to grow your own medical marijuana plants at home. You’ll certainly be restricted with regard to how many and may need a license to do so, but it’s always an option to consider. Of course, you’ll need to go through the process of obtaining a license in the first place, which means seeing a cannabis doctor willing to give you the green light. If you’re successful though, you’ll never have to worry about running short or about paying to dispense another cannabis prescription ever again.
Persevere
Last but not least, finding a good cannabis doctor that has your best interests at heart can be a challenging and long-winded process. It might be a case of getting shot down in flames by countless cannabis doctors, before finally finding one that’s actually willing to listen to your case and give you exactly what you need. As already mention, every cannabis doctor out there is different in one way or another, so don’t ever give up due to any number of setbacks or bad experiences. If you persevere long enough, chances are you’ll gain access to the medical marijuana you need sooner or later.
