How to Apply for a Medical Marijuana ID Card

In the United States, 13 states have recognized medical marijuana: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington; although California, Colorado, New Mexico and Rhode Island are currently the only states to utilize "dispensaries" to sell medical cannabis.

Seven U.S. states are currently considering medical marijuana bills in their legislatures: Illinois, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and North Carolina. South Dakota also has several petitions in interest of medical marijuana legalization.
Information from wikipediia.org
Graphic from www.wweek.com

Eligibility

Any patient (even a minor) with a serious medical condition. Qualifying conditions are:

• AIDS 


• Anorexia


• Arthritis


• Cachexia


• Cancer


• Chronic Pain


• Glaucoma


• Migraine


• Seizures


• Severe nausea


• Persistent muscle spasms


• Any other chronic or persistent medical condition that either:
  
  
  
  
  • limits their ability to conduct one or more major life activity as defined by the American Disability Act of 1990; or
  
  
  • may cause harm if not alleviated.
  
  
  
  

Click here to connect directly to the CDHP Website Medical Marijuana Program
INSTRUCTIONS:
You must complete the Application/Renewal form (CDPH 9042) and provide the following information in order to receive an identification card. Submit both the CDPH 9042 and the following information to your county health department (or its designee).
1.
Provide a government-issued photo identification card (such as a driver's license) issued to you.
If you are under the age of 18 and lack photographic identification, you may substitute a certified copy of your birth certificate in place of the photo identification. If you designate a primary caregiver on your application form, your primary caregiver must present photographic identification at the same time you submit your application. A primary caregiver may use a certified birth certificate if they are under the age of 18 and lack government-issued photo identification.
2.
Provide proof of your county residency with one of the following items:
- A current rent/mortgage receipt or recent utility bill in your name bearing your current address within the county;
- A current California motor vehicle registration in your name bearing your current address within the county; or
- A California Driver's License or a California Identification Card issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) with your current address within the county listed.
If you only possess a California Driver's License or California Identification Card with an older address listed outside the county, you may submit a DMV-issued Change of Address Certification Card (DL 43) listing your current address within the county when you present your identification. If you are less than 18 years of age, you may use any of the previously mentioned residency evidence belonging to your parent or legal guardian if they also reside in the county.
3.
Written documentation from your doctor recommending that the use of medical marijuana is appropriate for one or more of the following serious medical conditions you suffer from: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS); anorexia; arthritis; cachexia; cancer; chronic pain; glaucoma; migraine; persistent muscle spasms, including, but not limited to, spasms associated with multiple sclerosis; seizures, including, but not limited to, seizures associated with epilepsy; severe nausea; or any other chronic or persistent medical symptom that either substantially limits the ability of the person to conduct one or more major life activities as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or, if not alleviated, such chronic or persistent medical symptoms may cause serious harm to your safety, or your physical or mental health.
4.
Your doctor may use the Written Documentation of Patient's Medical Records form (CDPH 9044) to serve as the medical documentation. This form may be obtained from your county or from the California Department of Public Health web site at:
5.
The administering agency is required to verify an applicant's medical documentation. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that the authorized medical release of information is on file with their medical provider.
6.
Contact your local county health department for office locations and identification card fees.
7.
Medi-Cal participation at the time of application entitles the applicant to a 50 percent reduction in fees. Application fees are nonrefundable.
8.
If you submit an incomplete application and/or fail to provide all the previously mentioned information, your application will be denied and you may be restricted from reapplying for six months.
CDPH

Cannabis illustration from 512 A.D.

Medical marijuana. Cannabis cards. Taxing marijuana. Legalizing marijuana. Pot seems to be on the minds of a lot of people these days, from President Obama down to the casual recreational smoker. I do not smoke weed at this point in my life. I don't care for how I react to it, and it doesn't bring me the same pleasure it did when I was younger. However, I do believe there is a large population of people who benefit from the effects of marijuana, my son falling into that category.

I support the right of individuals who choose to smoke marijuana as a means of improving their quality of life. Some of those nearest and dearest to me are individuals who benefit from making this choice. Unfortunately, they face persecution and a lack of understanding due to the Federal Government's classification of Marijuana as an illegal substance.

As we all know, marijuana is a hot topic in our country. Right now, the focus is slowly beginning to shift from the war on this "drug," to the potential monetary benefits that local and state governments could realize through the legalization of the product, and the resulting taxes. Oakland, CA has taken a step in what I consider to be the right direction, and moved to tax medical marijuana. In fact, it is the medical dispensaries who really moved to tax themselves for the benefit of their community. I can only hope that the movement grows, and our state and federal governments come to their senses and allow the cultivation of marijuana become an asset, rather than throwing tax dollars down the drain fighting it.

I grew up during the 1970's and 1980's. During this time, I have seen people use and abuse many different drugs. From alcohol to acid, cocaine to crank, marijuana to "shrooms," I have seen individuals of all ages abuse drugs. I was a recreational marijuana smoker during most of my teens and continued until I was married. I drank like a fish during this time. I experimented with various recreational drugs, and never really found anything that I really enjoyed, or felt compelled to use. Out of everything I experienced, by far the drug that I saw do the most damage was the one drug that is legal in the United States, and that is alcohol. In high school, a very good friend of mine was convicted of manslaughter after he lost control of his car while drinking and his girlfriend lost her life. My mother died as a direct result of alcohol abuse when I was 22. My ex-husband lost his job and custody of our children due to alcohol abuse. I have several aunts and uncles who are alcoholics. There was a point in my life I nearly became one. I can say from experience, walking away from alcohol was 100 times harder than walking away from marijuana.