A Medical Marijuana Card[1] is a legal document issued by a licensed California physician, which allows for the legal purchase of cannabis within the California and Nevada States. To obtain California Medical Marijuana Card, one must be a state resident and get a licensed medical doctor's written recommendation for cannabis to treat their conditions and symptoms[2].

To get a recommendation, a licensed physician must complete an evaluation, which confirms the age, identity, proof of residency and also obtain a statement toward the patient's conditions and symptoms that may be treated with medical cannabis. A doctor's evaluation may be completed in an office, clinic, or online under the provisions for Telemedicine set forth by the California Medical Board. The cost of Medical Marijuana Recommendation in 2018 ranges from about $50 to $100 dollars. The validity of medical marijuana card California is confirmed online by suppliers and law enforcement.

History

In 1996, Medical Cannabis was re-legalized in California in under Proposition 215. Prior to 1937, cannabis and hemp were legal for any purpose in America since the first colonies were formed.

According to the historical record, the use of cannabis and hemp as a medicine dates back thousands of years, as evident in many ancient manuscripts, including the bible, Greek, Arabic and Chinese writing among many others. The earliest archaeological evidence of hemp cultivation dates to 10-12 thousand years B.P. in Taiwan [3]. In 2016, a pouch of cannabis in Central Asia was recovered and carbon dated to about 2700 B.P. and laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of psychoactive THC, and other cannabinoids now known for their medical efficacy [4].

Industrial and Indian hemp was an important crop in American from its inception [5]. At the time of Independence, all American farmers were required to grow hemp as it was a vital component of textiles, rope, canvas and other materials critical to the military and the defense of the nation. Indian hemp, which contained about 3 to 4 percent THC was also grown and used recreational for relaxation by several of the county's founding fathers.

From the 1700s to 1930's cannabis medicines were widely used and prescribed by doctors and dispensed in drug stores, usually as an alcohol tincture. Cannabis medical use was described in the US Pharmacopoeia in 1930 to treat a wide variety of conditions.

In 1937, the US Federal Government gave way to a successful lobby group composed of pulp and paper, pharmaceuticals, cotton and the bureau of alcohol control, where both cannabis and hemp (without psychoactive ingredients) were declared to be a scheduled drug; dangerous, illegal and without medical value [6].

The phrase marijuana was coined by the Federal Government as a propaganda tool, borrowing from a Spanish-Mexican term for a traditional non-cannabis smoking herb. Today, the original words cannabis and hemp are increasingly used as the government coined term marijuana falls out of favor. In the 1960's to present, cannabis would be a major tool in the War on Drugs, and law enforcement machine to incarcerate or charge millions of Americans, which resulted in multi-billion dollar profits and expenditures in private and public incarceration fees; court, enforcement, prisons, etc.

In the early 1980's, the medicinal effects of cannabis were rediscovered and popularized particularly on the west coast, with California being a center of innovation with it's strong intellectual community known for innovation. By the early 1990s, the widespread knowledge of the medicinal benefits of cannabis was apparent by many Californians, including those in positions of power.

Pressure mounted from activists, cancer patients, victims, humanitarians and cannabis Aficionados, lobbied aggressively, which resulted in the creation and passing of the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, officially known as Proposition 215 [7]. Proposition 215 allowed for the Adult use of cannabis if recommended by a California licensed physician to treat specific conditions and symptoms. The landmark legislation of Proposition 215 would be the beginning of the end of Federal decriminalization of cannabis, and within twenty years more than half of Americans had access to legal Cannabis. In 2018, President Trump officially declared that the Federal Government would not interfere with State Cannabis laws.

CANNABIS IN CALIFORNIA

Cannabis in California is now legal for medical and recreational use. Over that past thirty years, California has been at the forefront to reform cannabis laws in America and worldwide. Starting in 1972 with the nation's first initiative was born in San Francisco. Though the 1972 initiative was unsuccessful, solidarity in the movement to legalize medical marijuana solidified, which resulted in the California being the first state to legalize medical cannabis under the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 (Proposition 215).

To clarify the scope and application of Proposition 215, in 2003, the California Senate Bill 420, known as the Medical Marijuana Program was subsequently passed in 2003. In November 2016, California voters approved the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (Proposition 64) to allow adults to use cannabis recreationally under certain provisions. California's main regulatory agencies are: the Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC), the Department of Food and Agriculture, Department of Public Health and the Cannabis Regulatory Authority (CRA).

420 EVALUATIONS & RECOMMENDATION

Today, the process of getting a medical marijuana doctor's evaluation is generally completed online, using a PC, tablet or other device, using an APP or website of a provider of medical cannabis doctor services. Most online medical marijuana card website's process is similar, where the first-time patient or renewal patient creates a user profile, provides California ID, proof of residency, and completes a brief questionnaire about their conditions and symptoms.

Video teleconference [8] between patient and doctor is also popular but is not necessary and is optional for routine applications. Digital Recommendations can be issued hours or even minutes after an evaluation is completed by a licensed physician, which allows for immediate use by the client. Physical medical marijuana license and signed recommendation hard copy is usually delivered by USPS a few days later.

TELEMEDICINE

The California Medical Board encourages the use of Telemedicine [9] for the benefit of both doctors and patients. Telemedicine is recommended to treat patients remotely when the quality of care is equivalent to that of an in-clinic visit with a doctor. By streamlining routine process, the quality of service tends to improve because doctor's have more time.

In the field of Cannabis Care, using Telemedicine, the forms can be easily and quickly filled out with documents in order for the acting physician, thereby greatly improving the efficiency of the process. Under Telemedicine, for non-routine cases should include a video conference to establish if an in clinic visit and supplemental testing are required.

QUALIFYING CONDITIONS AND SYMPTOMS

The conditions and symptoms that qualify for treatment under legislation defined in Proposition 64 [10] using cannabis and derivative products includes:

A licensed medical marijuana doctor may recommend the medical use of cannabis for any persistent medical symptom that substantially limits one or more major life activities (described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) or, if not alleviated, may cause serious harm to the patient’s safety or physical or mental wellbeing

Anorexia and Cachexia

AIDS

Arthritis

Cancer

Chronic pain

Glaucoma

Migraines and Headache

Multiple sclerosis

Seizures and epilepsy

Severe nausea

Spasticity and Muscle spasms

VOLUNTARY STATE MMIC PROGRAM

The MMIP (Medical Marijuana Identification Program), or MMICP (Medical Marijuana Identification Card Program) (also referred to as) are administered by county health departments [11].

Registration fees cover the costs of the program, with a 50% discount for Medi-Cal patients. State Medical Marijuana Card has an expiration date of one year after application. The California Department of Public Health maintains a 24-hour telephone & online website where law enforcement and dispensaries/suppliers can verify medical marijuana cards [12].

The system has safeguards to protect patient privacy, police may identify whether persons are medical marijuana patients in one way only, through their unique identification number appearing on the card. California NORML recommends that patients register, but this program is optional. Persons designated as "primary caregivers" are also eligible for mmj cards. [13]

BENEFITS OF MEDICAL CANNABIS CARD

Medical cannabis patients are exempt from much of state and municipal cannabis tax, which typically varies between 25 and 40 percent.

Young adults aged 18 to 21 can only buy cannabis legally with a medical cannabis recommendation and medical cannabis card.

Medical patients have full access to all strains and concentrates, as opposed to recreational users, which may not be allowed access to stronger strains and concentrates.

Medical patients have higher allowances for cultivation and possession of cannabis compared to recreational users.

THE BEST MEDICAL MARIJUANA DOCTORS NEAR ME AND ONLINE CANNABIS CARDS PROVIDERS

The most popular California Medical Cannabis Evaluations Clinics are: MMJDOCTORONLINE, HELLOMD, 420EVALUATIONSONLINE, PRESTODOCTOR, NUGGMD, EAZEMD, WEEDRECS. We match any online competitors price! Just send us a link and we will match it immediately.

Suppliers that advertise mmj recommendations and medical marijuana cards for under $25 are usually illegitimate.

REFERENCES