More than 300,000 Florida residents have qualified for a medical marijuana card since the state legalized its use for certain health conditions. Do you think you might qualify?
Here’s some advice from certified medical marijuana clinics and doctors about what you should know before seeking a recommendation for medical marijuana treatment.
How do I find a certified doctor?
The state has made it simple: Go to the “Physician’s Search Tool” on Florida’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use site to find a doctor that has taken the state required training and is certified.
There are more than 2,300 Florida doctors in specialties including family care, oncology, gynecology and dermatology who are on the list, broken down by county.
There also are dedicated medical marijuana clinics that have certified doctors.
Still, further checking on the selected doctor is always a good idea.
The state site’s search tool will tell you whether the doctor’s license is “clear and active,” which means the doctor doesn’t have any disciplinary action or public complaints against him or her in Florida.
For a full search on a doctor practicing in Florida, go to the Department of Health’s site.
You also should consider how extensive of a consultation you want, because there are all kinds.
Do you want a doctor who will treat you on an ongoing basis to monitor marijuana’s effectiveness on your health condition? Or do you want the quickest path to a medical marijuana card? There are trade-offs that may involve costs and your health.
Dr. Anthony Hall, a certified medical marijuana doctor and neurologist in Lauderhill, says consumers need to be aware that a medical marijuana treatment appointment is for a “medical examination.” He says some people expect a five-minute survey and they’ll be signed up for a card.
“There’s going to be a full medical history and examinations. I look at images and lab results,” he says.
Dr. Paul Weisman, a former emergency room doctor who now focuses on medical marijuana treatment, says patients often look him up for help after they’ve obtained a card.
“I have tremendous amount of people call me after they’re certified. They didn’t know what to do,” says Weisman, a qualified doctor who provides medical marijuana treatment under the name of Concierge Cannabis Centers in Plantation, Boca Raton and Wellington. He also travels to some patients’ homes.
Weisman says his goal is to treat patients so they can live their “highest quality life.”
Some patients find they are sensitive to THC, or or tetrahydrocannabinol — the chemical responsible for the euphoric sensation or “high.”
“No two people are the same. And we change every day, from an additional injury or recovering from an injury or illness,” he says.
Am I likely to qualify?
Some people get anxious about going for a medical marijuana treatment exam.
“One woman didn’t sleep all night because she was worried about the exam,” says Colleen Murray, a registered nurse who manages Canna Wellness in Boynton Beach. But she says the clinic’s exam is pretty simple.
The patient’s blood pressure is taken, pulse and weight checked, and then the doctor reviews the patient’s medical history as relayed by the patient.
But Hall says prospective patients should be aware that be “not every single disease in the world qualifies for medical marijuana treatment, and not every type of medical marijuana can be used by every patient.”
He has had patients who have diabetes come in seeking medical marijuana treatment, for example, but that is not a health condition on Florida’s list.
In Florida, medical marijuana is recommended for serious health conditions such as cancer, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis and post-traumatic stress disorder. (See a full list on the state site, knowthefactsmmj.com.)
But doctors also can recommend medical marijuana for chronic pain, but it must be related to one of the stated or a “comparable” one.
Weisman gives this example: Crohn’s disease is on Florida’s list, so a comparable health condition may be ulcerative colitis, a disease that affects your large intestine or colon.
Hall says when he first began medical marijuana treatment in 2016, most patients had cancer or epilepsy. Today, chronic “non-malignant” pain is the largest reason people seek a card. As a neurologist, he often sees patients who have sciatica, or back pain caused by the sciatica nerve; or lumbar disc herniation that causes pain in the back, neck or leg.
“A person who has had surgery, but no success from surgery” is a common candidate for medical marijuana treatment, he says.
Dr. Vania Fernandez, a pain specialist and certified medical marijuana treatment doctor, says pain comes in all forms, but she may recommend medical marijuana for a patient who has had multiple back injuries, as one example.
Fernandez, who operates the Medical Cannabis Treatment Center in Hollywood, says she wasn’t happy with how patients were seeking a card, such as via FaceTime with a doctor they may never see again.
So she decided to become qualified herself.
What should I bring to my appointment?
If you’re a Florida resident, bring your driver’s license or passport. If you’re a seasonal resident, bring a lease or deed, as well as other proof of residence such as a utility bill and a document from a financial institution or government agency.
You could bring some medical records to aid your qualification for a card, but you don’t have to do so.
There’s no longer a requirement to seek medical records from physicians who have previously treated the patient, according to Murray of Canna Wellness.
But you can expect individual doctors and clinics to each have their own requirements.
Before Dr. Fernandez will treat a patient with medical marijuana, she contacts their other doctors to coordinate care. “I’m not required to do that, but my treatment could influence or even help what they’re doing,” she said.
Fernandez also requires a urine test of patients to make sure they’re not on another controlled substance that mixed with medical marijuana, could make them sleepy or lethargic.
After being diagnosed with a qualifying condition, patients must apply for a Florida registry identification card.
They also are required to sign a detailed consent form.
Patients must acknowledge that cannabis is still a controlled substance by the federal government, could potentially be addictive, could affect coordination and motor skills, have potential side effects such as depression or psychotic symptoms, could result in cancer if smoked, and a list of other scary warnings.
Fernandez says some patients change their mind about applying for a card after they read the warnings in the consent form.
How much does it cost?
A medical marijuana exam, which typically runs from $200 to $300, won’t be accepted by your insurance, so shop around. Ask what the stated price, often found on the clinic or doctor’s site, includes. Does the cost cover only the initial exam or required follow-up visits?
“I think some people are being overcharged,” says Weisman, who charges on a sliding scale according to the patient’s income, from $169 to $199 for the certification exam, according to his site.
Clinics and some doctors see patients every seven months, as required by the state. But some doctors may want to more closely monitor a patient after starting a medical marijuana regimen.
Be aware there may be an extra charge if you’re seeking smokable pot.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation this spring that makes smoking medical marijuana legal, as long as is recommended by a qualified doctor and the patient has tried other delivery methods, such as vapor.
How long does it take to get my card?
Generally, it takes about 10 days for the state to review the application and process payment, which is $75, according to the state site.
Hall says the state doesn’t give enough notification to registered patients when they need to renew their cards each year, so some show up at dispensaries and are surprised their car has expired.
Electronic renewals are only available 45 days prior to a card’s expiration date, according to the state site. Renewal also costs $75.
Where can I take my card and recommendations?
Medical marijuana doctors and clinics can’t dispense pot products. Those who obtain their Florida medical marijuana card can go to any state-licensed medical marijuana treatment center.
Find the list of licensed medical marijuana treatment centers on the state site.
South Florida has a wide choice of dispensaries including Surterra Wellness, Trulieve, CuraLeaf, VidaCann and Fluent (formerly Knox Medical). Their specialists offer a variety of products that meet your doctor’s treatment and dosage recommendations.
Doctors, as well as dispensaries, usually advise to “start low and go slow” with any cannabis treatment. Here are some other warnings that doctors give patients:
Start any new medication in the evening or weekend if you can stay home and relax; avoid any work hours, Fernandez says.
Patients should be aware that it often takes a few months for some medical marijuana treatments to have their full effect, according to Hall.
Avoid marijuana treatments when you need your best cognitive function, such as when working or driving, Weisman says. “You have to be careful how much THC you ingest,” he says.
One of his working patients learned quickly when he mistakenly cut a $35,000 check instead of $3,500 when doing payroll.
“People have to tailor this to what they’re doing — staying at home or going to work,” Weisman says.
