Things You Must Know if You Are a New York Medical Marijuana Patient

New York legalized medical marijuana in 2014 and with that, New York became the 23rd state to allow medical marijuana. People suffer from many health issues due to their busy lives. Some of the biggest issues include insomnia, depression, stress, anxiety, and many more. And marijuana has been shown to help people suffering from such conditions. There are a few more conditions that can be treated with medical marijuana like epilepsy, arthritis, and cancer. But New York is one of those states that have very strict medical marijuana laws. So, if you are a medical marijuana patient in New York, you must know these important points.

How Can You Get a Medical Marijuana Card in New York

So, are you looking to get a medical marijuana card in New York for your condition? Then you have to follow a procedure that starts with visiting your doctor to know whether your condition qualifies to get an mmj card or not. 

Only a licensed physician can give you an MMJ card. The physician must be registered with the New York Department of Health’s Medical Marijuana Program. Then, he will do an assessment of your condition. If he thinks medical marijuana can be helpful in treating your condition, he will issue you with a medical marijuana card NY. You would need to register yourself with the Department of Health’s online Patient Registration Program. Then you will get your Registry Identification Card that will allow you to buy medical marijuana.

Where Can You Buy Your Medical Marijuana From?

Once you have your MMJ card, you can buy your medical cannabis from any registered dispensary. There are many registered dispensaries all around the state. But, make sure you have your medical marijuana card with you when you go to buy medical cannabis or you won’t be allowed access to it.

Medical Marijuana Laws Are Very Strict in New York

Although the state has allowed the use of medical marijuana, the laws in the state are still very strict. If you suffer from a life-threatening condition like cancer, AIDS, ALS, or multiple sclerosis, then only you can get your medical marijuana card in New York. not only that, your condition must be complicated to qualify you for the medical marijuana certification. Also, you are not allowed to grow your marijuana at your own place, unlike in other states. 

Smoking Medical Cannabis is Not Allowed in New York

Yes, you can not smoke your medical marijuana in New York. According to the government of New York, smoking cannabis can be injurious to health. So, they decided to ban smoking marijuana. You can consume your medical marijuana in different ways. There other ways to consume cannabis like through tinctures, vaporization, etc.

Even the edibles are banned, which means, you can not consume medical marijuana through edibles either. The most common allowed method to consume medical marijuana is vaping or vaporization. You can use a vape pen that you buy from a dispensary to consume your medical marijuana. 

You can also use capsules infused with medical marijuana. You can consume them orally. So, if you are not comfortable inhaling cannabis, you can choose capsules.