What You Should Look For In A Good "Marijuana Doctor"
Marijuana doctors, or more specifically doctors that prescribe marijuana for medicinal purposes, are rather uncommon. There are a number of reasons for this, most notably the fact that a doctor's license is issued by a federal organization, and marijuana is still illegal in terms of federal law. However, doctors under the state jurisdictions where marijuana has been legalized may take the risk to prescribe this drug. If you live in such a state, here are some things you should look for when you are trying to find a doctor that will prescribe marijuana. (These doctors do not typically advertise it, which is why you will have to track one down.)
Is the Doctor Certified to Prescribe Marijuana?
Technically, any doctor can prescribe any medication that is available for purchase. However, doctors that prescribe marijuana in certain states are required to be certified. The states that require doctors to be certified are keeping track of which doctors prescribe this drug, the doses these doctors prescribe, and how often prescriptions for medical marijuana are written by the certified doctors. In a sense, it is a regulatory thing, but in reality, it is not as highly regulated like other medical practices and treatments. Before you ask a doctor to write a prescription for medical marijuana for you, you have to make sure he/she is certified to do so (unless certification of medical doctors is not required in your state).
Will You Need a Medical Marijuana Card?
In some states, patients are required to have a medical marijuana card. The card entitles them to receive and purchase medical marijuana from legal dispensaries in small quantities. It also tracks how much marijuana patients are buying/receiving, and it makes sure that patients are not selling their medical marijuana in large quantities for cash because the patients are only receiving single-use doses at a time. Check with your state to see if you need to apply for a medical marijuana card, which is issued by the state and only when you have been diagnosed with certain acceptable medical conditions from the state-approved list. Your medical marijuana doctor should be asking to see this card each time he/she writes you a new script in accordance with state marijuana laws.
Can You Visit a Natural Health Care/Holistic Medicine Doctor?
Marijuana in its natural state is technically a "natural" medicine. You may be able to find a holistic or natural medicine doctor that prescribes medicinal marijuana near you. Just make sure it is legal for him/her to write scripts and provide you with the product.