What is a Marijuana Doctor? (And How Do You Find Them?)

You may have seen signs for marijuana doctors when driving down the freeway, or have noticed that you need an appointment with an MMJ physician before getting your medical card. But, what is a marijuana doctor in the first place?

Cannabis doctors have been around for decades, but their roles have changed quite drastically over the years. 

Today, we’re focusing on modern marijuana doctors, what they do, and how you find one for yourself. (But don’t worry — you don’t have to look far.) 

What is a Marijuana Doctor? 

No, a marijuana doctor isn’t a physician you go to that hands you an eighth of weed after your appointment. How cool would that be, though? 

So, what is a marijuana doctor? 

Marijuana doctors, also known as medical marijuana physicians, are healthcare professionals who specialize in evaluating patients for a medical marijuana prescription/recommendation. These recommendations are essential for getting a medical marijuana card. 

They may be licensed in the state they practice and have undergone specialized training to help them determine whether a patient is eligible for the program based on qualifying medical conditions. 

Marijuana doctors must have certain qualifications such as valid medical licenses granted by either the state or federal government in order to prescribe medical cannabis. 

Depending on their specialty, they may also need additional training in how to assess and diagnose patients for medical cannabis use, including how to properly evaluate the effects of various strains and dosage forms of cannabis products. 

Additionally, some states require these healthcare professionals to complete continuing education programs that cover topics such as opioid addiction and safe prescribing practices.

What is Seeing a Marijuana Doctor Like? 

Having an appointment with a marijuana doctor can actually be quite similar to a typical doctor’s appointment. You can do either in-person or telehealth appointments depending on your preference.

Your in-person marijuana doctor appointment is going to vary depending on your location. However, you can expect to wait in a waiting room and fill out information regarding medical history and cannabis consumption.

Then, once it’s your turn, you’ll get called back to meet with the marijuana doctor. 

Here, your doctor will talk with you about your qualifying medical conditions, as well as the treatment options you’ve tried in the past to remedy these symptoms. If you can prove that alternative treatments haven’t proven successful for your qualifying condition, your MMJ doctor will write you a recommendation for medical marijuana.

From there, you will register with the state, submit your recommendation, and pay a fee (in most places) to get your physical MMJ card.

If you want to skip most of those steps, you can schedule a telehealth appointment with Elevate Holistics, instead.

With our appointments, you will meet with your marijuana doctor online, either over the phone or computer. Then, if you’re approved, we can complete the state registration process for you with our full-service add-on. This way, all you have to do is show up to your appointment and we’ll handle the rest. 

How to Find Medical Marijuana Doctors Near Me

Along with wondering, “What is a marijuana doctor?” A lot of people are frantically searching “Marijuana doctors near me” in order to see what kind of options they have in the area.

While this isn’t necessarily a bad idea, there are more efficient ways of finding cannabis physicians.

Telehealth marijuana doctors are incredibly popular these days, as it allows people in the most rural parts of the state to gain access to cannabis as medicine, as you don’t even have to leave the house. 

However, you have to make sure you’re scheduling your appointments with legitimate, trustworthy telehealth platforms like Elevate Holistics. 

The first step in finding a legitimate marijuana doctor online is to do some research on the various options available to you. 

Take some time to read reviews from previous customers and make sure that any potential physician has positive feedback from those who have used their services before. 

Also, make sure that the website hosting the directory is up-to-date and accurate so you don’t end up wasting your time searching through outdated information.

Once you have narrowed down your search, you can always contact the company directly with any questions and concerns you may have. How they respond — and how quickly — will show you all you need to know about their MMJ doctors.

Here at Elevate Holistics, we’ve served close to 100,000 customers, with thousands upon thousands of five-star reviews that show just how happy our patients truly are. 

If you’re in Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or West Virginia, our expert marijuana doctors would love to help you get your MMJ card right from home. 

How to Become a Medical Marijuanas Doctor 

Now you’re no longer wondering, “What is a marijuana doctor?” But, rather, how can you become one yourself? 

In order to become a qualified marijuana doctor, physicians must demonstrate expertise in areas such as anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and alternative medicine like naturopathy or chiropractic medicine. 

They should also be able to demonstrate knowledge of other plant-based medicines used in medicine today and understand the potential risks associated with different forms of consumption (e.g., smoking versus vaporizing). 

Finally, it is important for marijuana doctors to stay up-to-date on the latest scientific research related to cannabis use so that they can make informed decisions when prescribing this form of treatment.