MEDICAL MARIJUANA CERTIFICATION APPROVAL

You may have wondered at some point if medical marijuana was an appropriate therapy for you.  As you may know, it is now legal for adults over 21 to purchase up to 3 ounces of marijuana without physician approval, and for many this might well be the best option.

Medicinal/medical marijuana and non- medical marijuana (“adult-us marijuana”) are similar, and in many cases, identical in quality.  Neither is FDA regulated, although the “medical” may sound like it is.  Some people who could benefit from the use of marijuana may be more comfortable getting it via the medical process, obtaining physician approval and then purchasing it through a licensed dispensary.   Medical access may have some advantages:  

  • A somewhat lower cost 

  • Less tax on the medical product

  • Ability to purchase more at one time

Otherwise, the products are not readily distinguishable, and much like cigarettes or vaping products, differ brand to brand, farm to farm, and not based on medical vs. non- medical.  BOTH TYPES ARE LEGAL, both have high levels of THC providing benefits for such things as chronic pain, muscle spasm, sleep, relaxation (anxiety), and enhancing libido.

With its many benefits, marijuana does offer a solid medical option for those suffering from these problems, should be considered and not automatically shunned because of its long reputation as a street drug.  Used properly and responsibly, marijuana is a valuable medical treatment. The choice of medicinal vs. adult-use (or non-medical) is yours. (Note: Traveling to another state or country with either type of marijuana is currently illegal, so that is NOT a distinction).

If you opt for medically-approved marijuana, be aware that it is available only for certain medical conditions.  These include the following, per the state of New Jersey

  •  Seizure disorder, including epilepsy if resistant to conventional therapy

  •  Intractable skeletal spasticity if resistant to conventional therapy

  •  Glaucoma if resistant to conventional therapy

  •  Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

  •  Multiple sclerosis

  •  Terminal Cancer

  •  Muscular dystrophy

  •  Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's disease

  •  Terminal illness with prognosis of less than 12 months to live

  •  Severe or Chronic pain, severe nausea or vomiting, cachexia or wasting syndrome which result from the condition or treatment of: Positive status for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or cancer.

  •  Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

  •  Anxiety

  •  Chronic Pain of Visceral Origin

  •  Chronic Pain Related to Musculoskeletal Disorders

  •  Migraine

  •  Tourette's Syndrome

  •  Opioid Use Disorder, as an adjunct to Medication Assisted Therapy

  •  Dysmenorrhea

In my office, we can discuss this option to determine if this would be a good choice for you. We can look at your situation as a whole and decide together whether your situation and medical condition warrant providing a medical marijuana registration with your state. (This is a state-by-state process.) Most importantly, as I am a natural physician, we can determine if other options would be as good as or better than marijuana and should be tried before using marijuana or in conjunction with it.  This is a service not provided by the one-stop-shop national marijuana approval companies, who essentially spend a few minutes with you and sign you up for a few hundred dollars without seriously looking at your overall health.  Do not rule the marijuana therapy option out, but, for optimal results, consider it thoughtfully with a physician trained in the use of a wide range of natural approaches to health.