There’s no getting around it — if you want a medical marijuana card, you have to get a pass from a licensed physician.
The process for getting a physician certification can vary from state to state and doctor to doctor, so patients often want to know how to get a medical card without a condition.
But is that possible? Can you get a medical marijuana card with a condition?
Can I Get a Medical Card Without a Condition?
So, can you get a medical card without a condition? Yes, but it’s not that straightforward.
Each state with a medical cannabis program has a list of qualifying conditions for patients.
Some states may have a few similar conditions, but the entire list varies widely, and some even leave it open-ended.
For instance, California, Virginia, and Oklahoma leave it up to the doctor to decide if a patient qualifies.
On the other hand, states like Missouri provide an extensive list of conditions but leave some leeway for doctors to interpret a patient’s need for MMJ, while other states strictly stand by their specific list of conditions.
But even in states like California, some doctors may not be willing to prescribe medical marijuana. And in states with rigorous programs, some doctors know that regardless of your medical history, they ultimately make the call since they more or less oversee your medical record.
This means that in any medical marijuana program, you are dealing with a range of opportunities.
If you’re ready to get a medical card but are unsure if you qualify, have no fear! Elevate Holistics can guarantee your satisfaction.
So, what’s the fastest and easiest route to getting a medical card with a condition?
How to Get a Medical Card Without a Condition: The Three Fundamentals
If you are looking to get some MMJ relief but are lacking a hard and fast condition, don’t give up after one pass over that qualifying condition list. There’s always hope.
Below are the three basic symptoms that you are likely to experience and suffer from at some point in your life.
And if these symptoms are chronic — that is, if they don’t leave you alone — they can affect your quality of life and become debilitating, which is a fundamental reason to seek relief and a great reason to get that relief through medical cannabis.
Now, most lists of qualifying conditions have some form of these symptoms on them, and chronic pain is usually always there along with anxiety.
Of all these symptoms, doctors might want to see some medical history proof of the chronic pain
For example, if you have constant back pain, they may want to know if you have had any procedures or tests to determine the cause. Then again, Writer’s Cramp (dystonia) has shown up on some qualifying condition lists.
What’s helpful to know, though, is that “treatments” can be anything from everyday NSAIDs to heating pads and physical therapy.
If you can say you experience any of these symptoms on a regular basis, medical record or not, you have a good chance of being approved by a cannabis doctor for medical weed.
So, for tips on how to get a medical card without a condition, the physician who evaluates your condition is a big factor.
To put it simply, you need a sympathetic marijuana doctor.
How to Get a Medical Card Without a Condition
Before we get to the main points, here are some examples of the medical situations that could land you an MMJ cert:
- Social anxiety keeps you from participating in family, work, and recreational events.
- You can’t get out of bed sometimes because of depression.
- You have panic attacks at scary times, like at work or while driving.
- Anxiety or depression takes your appetite away.
- You can’t concentrate on responsibilities at work and home because of anxiety.
- Lack of sleep is impairing your ability to function during the day.
- You have panic attacks because you can’t go to sleep.
- You worry all day about not getting enough sleep.
- Some states list migraine as a qualifying symptom. But if not, this can certainly fall under the category of chronic pain, which can be quite debilitating.
- Agoraphobia — fear of leaving the house — is another reason that has helped patients obtain a medical card.
- You are drinking way too much in order to deal with anxiety and depression, and you want to stop.
- You have regular pain in your hands, feet, back, neck, or shoulders.
That said, what do you have to do if you find yourself in one or more of these situations?
Advocate for Yourself
There’s no assured response from any doctor. No doctor is legally bound to give you an MMJ certification on the basis that you have a qualifying condition.
However, it is up to you to decide that you need medical marijuana treatment and do your best to access the wellness you desire.
In most states, medical marijuana has become legal because citizens fought for it and believed in its ability to heal. Advocates and citizens didn’t take no for an answer, so don’t lose hope easily.
Marijuana carries fewer risks than many prescription meds. For instance, there’s very little risk of death from a marijuana overdose, and it is not as addictive as opiates.
A cannabis doctor is likely to understand these immense benefits of marijuana, but you need to make a convincing case before they certify you for marijuana therapy.
So, one important tip for how to get a medical card without a condition is that you have to put your best foot forward and give it your best.
But how can you go about this advocacy and ensure you’re doing the right thing?
Explain the Effect Your Medical Card and Condition Has (and Will Have) on Your Life
If you choose one of the three fundamentals, be ready to talk about it. Even a compassionate cannabis doctor needs to believe you’re not just there to score some weed.
If you claim pain, come prepared to say how it negatively impacts your life or the people around you. Give particular instances of how pain interferes with your life.
Does it keep you from pulling your weight at work? At home? Does it keep you from getting enough rest? Are you worried about constantly gobbling Ibuprofen? Is it causing you to drink excessively? Is it giving you anxiety? Are you worried you may develop opioid addiction if you treat the pain with opiates?
Finding answers to these questions can go a long way.
You Don’t Want the Side Effects of Traditional Meds
Tell the doctor that you’ve seen what opioids do and the risk of addiction and overdose. How long-term NSAIDs use is damaging to organs. And the scary side effects of sleeping pills.
Even Benadryl can give a groggy hangover. If you’ve experienced any of these side effects or have a fear of them, it is a legitimate concern that makes a great argument for the safer MMJ alternative.
If you’ve had a friend who has self-medicated with alcohol and was able to get off that train with MMJ, that is another good point.
Bring up MMJ success stories too. It shows that you have thought well about your decision to follow this path to wellness.
Admit You’ve Not Always Had Access to Healthcare
If the doctor wonders why you don’t have any records as evidence of your condition, don’t be afraid to say that you have not always had access to health care.
Maybe you are a fan of the holistic approach or were raised not to trust or need doctors. Or, you haven’t always had insurance and just learned to get by the best you can.
But now, there is cannabis medicine for people like you. Medical marijuana is meant to provide safe access to everyone who needs it.
Why You Should Consider a Cannabis Doctor/Card for Your Medical Condition
Cannabis doctors tend to be:
- More compassionate and like-minded about cannabis.
- Less of the opinion that MMJ is a last-resort medicine.
- More familiar with and educated about medical marijuana, and therefore more comfortable with it.
These attributes aren’t because of anything shady. It simply comes down to understanding and education, which makes a lot of difference.
A cannabis doctor that is comfortable certifying a patient for medical marijuana is actually better than a doctor who is comfortable prescribing opioids fueled by an addiction pandemic.
To clarify, this does not mean that your regular family practitioner will refuse you or is uneducated about medical marijuana. But a medical marijuana doctor is more likely to understand why you need marijuana therapy.
Legitimate, licensed cannabis doctors are prone to compassion and are familiar with the landscape. For instance, they will likely not judge a vet because they’re reluctant to set themselves up in a slow system that doesn’t work for them.
They recognize that people’s symptoms can be debilitating and that it’s cruel to make suffering patients jump through hoops so that the prescribers can “feel comfortable” signing off on MMJ.
In conclusion, if you’re ready to see if you qualify for a medical card, Elevate Holistics is a safe and secure HIPAA-compliant telehealth clinic.
Our compassionate cannabis doctors are prepared to meet you for a quick, hassle-free evaluation from the comfort of your home.
Get Compassionate Medical Marijuana Care with Elevate Holistics
Now that you know how to get a medical card without a condition, are you ready to take a step forward on your wellness journey?
Here at Elevate Holistics, we are firm believers in the therapeutic benefits of marijuana and are happy to help you gain access to the wellness it offers, as we’ve done for over 70,000 patients.
That’s why we set up this service to help make marijuana easier access easy for you so that you can focus on enjoying medical marijuana.
As we’ve mentioned, compassionate marijuana doctors are essential to getting a medical card without a condition, and we have a team of qualified doctors who are willing to consult with you and give you a certification.
