Since the legalization of marijuana in the United States, more people have become open to the idea of combating medical conditions with medical marijuana. However, in most states, like Missouri, before you can purchase medical marijuana at dispensaries, you need to obtain a Medical Use of Marijuana card. The Missouri Department of Health started taking patients’ applications for Medical marijuana in June 2019 and has issued several mj cards in Missouri. About 25,000 residents in the state have received their mj cards through the help of simple steps. So if you are thinking of getting one for yourself, here are some basic steps to follow.
Steps to Obtaining Medical Use of Marijuana Cards
Step 1: Qualifying For the Mj Cards
To qualify as a medical cannabis patient in Missouri, you must be a resident in Missouri, have a medical condition that qualifies for medical cannabis treatment, and be above the age of minority (18+) or be emancipated.
If a patient is below the age of minority and isn’t emancipated, the guardian, parents, or caregiver will apply to be in the care of the card on behalf of the young patient.
How to Prove That You’re A Resident Of Missouri?
To prove you’re a resident of Missouri, you must provide one of the following
- Current Missouri utility bill
- Missouri’s identification card
- Missouri’s driver’s license
- Missouri’s vehicle registration
If you can’t provide any identification cards listed above, the Medical marijuana program department will accept any other means of identification. However, your chances of qualification become slim.
What Are The Medical Conditions That Qualify For A Medical Marijuana Card?
Like every other state in the United States, Missouri has a long list of eligible medical conditions. Though, when patients initially voted for the approval of various medical conditions, the conservative legalization measure excluded several health conditions. However, the law review and amendment 2 included many other health conditions in the list. Some of the approved Medical conditions for cannabis treatments include
- Cancer
- Sclerosis
- Chronic Pain
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- Migraines
- Sickle cell anemia
- HIV or AIDS
- Hepatitis C
- ALS
- Neuropathy
- Arthritis
- Insomnia
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Chronic Psychiatric disorder
- Huntington’s disease
- Crohn’s syndrome
- Severe muscle spasms and several other chronic or terminal diseases.
If you’re unsure if your medical condition is included in the list of eligible medical conditions, consult your doctor for more information. When your doctor examines your condition, they can determine whether you qualify or not.
Step 2: Medical Evaluation
The next step after qualification is to perform your medical cannabis evaluation. Your best option is to allow your family doctor to perform your evaluation; that’s if they are registered with the Medical Use of Marijuana Program. But if your doctor is not registered, you’ll have to contact a licensed doctor. If you’re using a new physician, ensure that you don’t hold back any medical history. Your doctor will evaluate you through the electronic patient’s application.
Medical cannabis isn’t a medication that can be prescribed but can be recommended. For this reason, your doctor will analyze your condition to confirm if you need a medical marijuana recommendation. After the evaluation, you’ll receive a recommendation notification within a few days.
Step 3: Application for Medical Use of Marijuana card
Once you have your recommendation for a certified physician, the next step is to visit Missouri’s website at medicalmarijuana.mo.gov. You’ll find a patient application form on the website that you must fill out diligently within 30 days of receiving your medical cannabis recommendation.
After that, visit the department application website, fill out your data and give detailed medical history. If you have any questions, contact your doctor for help. Once you’ve submitted your form, you’ll receive an approval mail within a few weeks. If you’re notified via your email that you need to make corrections, endeavor to correct them within 7-10 days to avoid cancellation of the application. After you’ve submitted your form, you’ll receive approval mail within a few weeks. You’ll find your medical marijuana identification card in your approval email, which you can print out.
The government issues the medical marijuana card to identify and certify medical cannabis patients. Your certification card saves you the stress of feeling uncomfortable when approaching a pharmaceutical dispensary to purchase marijuana. The Medical Use of Marijuana card will last for about 3 years before you’re requested to apply for a renewal.