09/19/2016

Medical Marijuana Dispensing: Clarification

The New York State Department of Health (DOH) launched the State's Medical Marijuana Program January 7 as part of the Compassionate Care Act. The program makes approved forms of medical marijuana, available with a physician’s or nurse practitioner’s certification, at designated dispensaries across New York State.

Only MDs, DOs and nurse practitioners are authorized to certify patients for the program.

The program provides access to medical marijuana to certified patients suffering from cancer, HIV/AIDS, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), Parkinson's Disease, multiple sclerosis, intractable spasticity caused by damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, neuropathies and Huntington's Disease.

In order to obtain medical marijuana, a patient must receive a DOH Medical Marijuana Program certification from a registered practitioner. The patient must then access DOH's online Patient Registration System to apply for a registry identification card. Additional information regarding registration can be found at http://www.health.ny.gov/regulations/medical_marijuana/patients/.

To apply for a registry card, certified patients will need: a valid DOH Medical Marijuana Program certification form issued and signed by a registered practitioner, photographic identification, documentation of his or her temporary or permanent New York State residency, and designated caregiver information, if applicable. A patient who is under the age of eighteen or who is otherwise incapable of consenting must apply through a proxy.

Patients with valid registry identification cards are then eligible to purchase medical marijuana from one of the dispensing locations across the State. DOH selected five Registered Organizations to grow marijuana and manufacture it into approved forms. Each Registered Organization operates a manufacturing facility and four dispensing facilities.

Registered Organizations can be found at:
http://www.health.ny.gov/regulations/medical_marijuana/application/.
Locations of the dispensing facilities can be found at:
 http://www.health.ny.gov/regulations/medical_marijuana/application/selected_applicants.htm.
More information on New York's Medical Marijuana program can be found at: 
http://www.health.ny.gov/regulations/medical_marijuana/.