How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania allows you to use marijuana for certain medicinal conditions. However, you cannot simply walk into a dispensary and buy what you think you need. You must abide by a specific process before you can lawfully purchase, possess, and use marijuana. Specifically, Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program requires you to obtain a medical marijuana card.
The marijuana defense attorneys at Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys, LLC want to help you avoid drug charges. If you’re having difficulty obtaining a medical marijuana card or are facing charges related to your attempt at obtaining such a card, call us today at (412) 281-2146 to schedule a free and confidential case consultation.
Steps You Must Take in Order to Obtain a Medical Marijuana Card in PA
If you believe you medicinal marijuana would help your health condition, there are a number of steps you must take in order to lawfully obtain a medical marijuana card, including:
Create a Profile With the Pennsylvania Department of Health
The first step to getting a medical marijuana card is visiting the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s website and following the directions for new user adult patient registration. If you are a caregiver, you will see another link for you to follow.
Be careful during this process. The website is more particular than you might think. The state says the form should be filled out using all capital letters. Also, you need to enter your address exactly how it appears on your driver’s license. Do not include punctuation marks. Shorten words such as “street,” “avenue,” “road,” and “boulevard.” and cardinal directions. For example, 20 E MAPLE AVE is correct, while 20 East Maple Avenue is wrong and may cause an error on your profile.
Obtain Physician Approval
Before you can sign up for a card, you must have a physician certify that you are suffering from one of the 17 conditions Pennsylvania has approved for the medical marijuana program. These conditions are:
- ALS
- Autism
- Cancer
- Crohn’s disease
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- HIV/AIDS
- Huntington’s disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Intractable seizures
- Multiple sclerosis
- Neuropathies
- Parkinson’s disease
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Sickle cell anemia
- Damage to spinal-cord nervous tissue with neurological indication of intractable spasticity
- Chronic or intractable pain with neuropathic origins or where therapy and opiates have been ineffective
Obtaining a doctor’s approval can be a challenge. Not every physician is willing or certified to recommend marijuana. You may need to call around to doctors in your area to determine who can and will see you to potentially certify you for medical marijuana. Make sure that physician is covered by your insurance plan to avoid expensive visits. You can find an up-to-date list of approved medical marijuana practitioners here.
Pay the Application Fee
Once you have made your online profile and attained physician approval, you can then input your physician’s details and the certification information into your application. When you submit the completed application, you must pay a $50 fee.
Wait For Your Card
If your application is accepted, then your card will come in the mail. You must wait until you have your card in hand before you can purchase marijuana at a dispensary.
Purchase Medical Marijuana
Take some time to research the closet medical marijuana dispensary near you. There are a limited number allowed in the state. If you live in Pittsburgh, one may be close by. However, if you live in a rural community, you may be in for a drive. Call and check with a dispensary about their hours since they may differ.
Call Our Marijuana Defense Attorneys Today
You should always take drug crime charges seriously, even if you believe the situation is a misunderstanding and can be cleared up quickly. Medical marijuana is legal in Pennsylvania, however it is highly regulated. Also, recreational marijuana in the state is still illegal, and all marijuana remains illegal under federal law.
If you are a medical marijuana user in Pennsylvania and are facing criminal charges related to your medicinal use of the substance, contact the marijuana defense attorneys of Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys, LLC at (412) 281-2146 to schedule a case consultation today.