A patient’s diagnosis of a life-threatening, debilitating or severe condition qualifies you to receive the MMJ card from a certified physician. These conditions for New York include:

-AIDS

-ALS

-Cancer

-Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy

-Chronic Pain

-Crohn’s

-Damage to the spinal cord or nervous tissue

-Epilepsy

-HIV

-Huntington’s Disease

-IBD

-MS

-Neuropathies

-Parkinson’s

-PTSD

-Ulcerative Colitis

-Replacement for opioid prescriptions

Your first step is to talk with your physician and determine if medical marijuana usage is right for your condition. If it is the right treatment, you will need to get a certification from a New York registered medical marijuana physician. After you receive your physician’s certification, you need to register online and provide a copy of your photo id and proof of residency. When you receive your approval, you will also receive a temporary card so you can start receiving your medical marijuana. Once you receive your MMJ card, you must carry on you at all times.

After you receive your temporary or permanent MMJ card you can go to the dispensary. Remember to bring your MMJ card and your photo ID.

The cost for your initial MMJ Certification with Medwell Health and Wellness Centers is $175 and MMJ Re-Certification / Renewals is $150

If you are looking for a physician, you need to make sure the physician completed the certification and is in good standing with the state. The state-run dispensaries have locations all across New York

Your MMJ card is good for one year from the date of your certification. But there are a couple of exceptions - terminally ill patients or patients that want an earlier termination date.

If you have another MMJ card from another state, it is not valid in the State of New York. You will need to register with the New York Marijuana Registry to legally purchase medical marijuana.

New York does not place any age restrictions on the MMJ card. As a parent, you can receive an MMJ card for your child if he or she meets a qualifying condition.

According to New York’s medical marijuana law, smoking marijuana is against the law. It is against the law for a patient with an MMJ card to possess any plant material.

The legal forms of medical marijuana include lotions, patches, chewable, lozenges and ointments.

You may designate up to two individuals as your personal caregiver. But, they must also complete the online registration with the New York Marijuana Registry. Your caregivers can obtain your medical marijuana but it is against the law for them to cultivate it. It is against New York law to possess any plant materials.