What Are the Qualifying Conditions for Medical Marijuana in New York
Thanks to the Compassionate Care Act, medical marijuana in New York has been legal since 2014. Possession of about 2 ounces of medical marijuana was decriminalized this year and now it is considered a violation rather than a crime. However, the qualifying conditions for medical marijuana are relatively more stringent as compared to some other states. Patients only qualify for it if they are diagnosed with certain life-threating or debilitating conditions. If you are interested in purchasing medical marijuana products in New York, then following are the conditions you will need to qualify:
New York Residency
Meeting the residency criteria of New York’s medical marijuana program is the first step. You must demonstrate current residency in NY state in order to participate in the program. Following are the things you will need to provide as a proof of residency:
- New York State Non-Driver ID Card or ID number from your New York State Driver’s License
- Copy of a government-issued ID card containing your name and NY state address.
If you are a temporary New York resident receiving treatment for a qualifying condition, then you may provide hospital bill, utility bill, a lease, or other documentation that is approved by the Department of Health.
Qualifying Medical Conditions
In order to qualify for medical marijuana in New York, you must have a qualifying condition and experience complicating or associated symptoms. These are the qualifying medical conditions:
- Cancer
- ALS
- Neuropathy
- HIV/AIDS
- Epilepsy
- Chronic Pain
- Substance Use Disorders
- PTSD
- Spinal Cord Injury with Spasticity
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Huntington’s Disease
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Any condition for which opioid is prescribed
These are the qualifying complicating or associated conditions:
- Seizures
- Severe or Persistent Muscle Spasms
- Severe Nausea
- Severe or Chronic pain
- Opioid Use Disorder
- Cachexia/Wasting Syndrome
More qualifying conditions are being added to the medical marijuana program on an ongoing basis for areas such as:
After providing details about New York residency and qualifying condition, you will need to acquire a patient certification. It is recommended that you be honest about your health situation when discussing medical marijuana and explain why you believe you need the help of marijuana doctors in New York. Once you are approved for the program, your patient certification form will be submitted.
Patient Application
Once you have acquired your patient certification, the next step is to complete an online patient application for New York’s medical marijuana program. For this, you will need to visit NY.gov, create an account, and then access the online application form by navigating to Health Applications > Medical Marijuana Data Management System. You will need to provide the required information to fill the form. You will receive your medical marijuana card in the mail once your application is approved.
Caregivers
As a patient, you can appoint up to two caregivers. A caregiver is a person you trust who will be allowed to make dispensary purchases on your behalf providing that you cannot visit the dispensary yourself. Your caregiver(s) will need to register via the online system once your application is approved.
Visiting the Dispensary
With medical marijuana card, you can start purchasing marijuana products at any approved dispensary in New York. eDocMMJ.com.