Facts About Medical Marijuana

You can discretely obtain a medical marijuana card inPennsylvania without visiting a dodgy strip mall. Legitimate concierge primary care offices will see patients referred by their providers just for certification without being members.  

Here are some quick facts about Medical Marijuana in Western PA: 

Fact #1: There are 24 conditions that could qualify you for medical marijuana use.

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Anxiety disorders
• Autism
• Cancer, including remission therapy.
• Chronic Hepatitis C
• Crohn’s disease
• Damage to the nervous tissue of the central nervous system(brain-spinal cord) with an objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity and other associated neuropathies
• Dyskinetic and spastic movement disorders
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• HIV / AIDS
• Huntington’s disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Intractable seizures
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Neurodegenerative diseases
• Neuropathies
• Opioid use disorder for which conventional medical interventions are contraindicated or ineffective, or for which adjunctive therapy is indicated in combination with primary therapeutic interventions.
• Parkinson’s disease
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Severe chronic or intractable pain of neuropathic origin or severe chronic or intractable pain
• Sickle cell anemia
• Terminal illness
• Tourette syndrome 

Fact #2: You need 2 items to get a medical marijuana card in Western PA.

You must be a resident of Pennsylvania to get a medical marijuana card in PA. Acceptable proof of residency are a PA driver’s license, or a Pennsylvania issued ID card. The second item you need is a letter from your primary care doctor that certifies your qualifying condition from the list above to the issuing provider. Not all PCPs can issue medical cards, but any can provide a referral.  

Fact #3: Marijuana is still a federally regulated, Schedule I Controlled Substance.

The government defines a schedule I controlled substance, in part, as having a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision.

Many clients ask if having a medical marijuana card will keep someone from losing their job if tested in a urinalysis. You should direct questions of this nature to your Human Resources Department, as the stance on marijuana depends on each individual employer’s grounds of employment and termination.  

Fact #4: The FDA has not approved marijuana to treat any disease.

The Food and Drug Administration is a federal level organization that regulates how foods and medications may be marketed to consumers. They ensure that the “organic” labels on your foods mean exactly what they say. They also ensure ingredients in foods and medications are legal and non-harmful to humans.  

The 24 conditions applicable to issuing a medical marijuana card outlined above are state regulated. A state’s refusal to follow Federal law is called nullification. Nullification, historically, is a theory that a state can nullify any federal laws which they deem unconstitutional. Since police are state entities, they uphold laws and regulations held permissible by local governments.  

Fact #5: In the state of Pennsylvania, doctors cannot advertise their ability to issue medical marijuana cards.

When Pennsylvania signed medical marijuana into practice inApril 2016, a provision restricted doctors from advertising services. Your local concierge primary care office could offer this service to qualifying individuals, but cannot advertise the service in writing, email, or in promotional material. 

Want More information about medical marijuana in Western PA?

Connected Health takes pride in being infinitely helpful to our clients. Part of providing a concierge touch to healthcare, is having outstanding customer service. If you are ready for relief with medical marijuana, but are unsure what to do, give us a call today at 724-933-4305. Our friendly staff will do their best to point you in the right direction.

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