Medical Marijuana Doctor and Medical Cannabis Basics
Sometimes information about medical marijuana card certifications can be confusing and we at AR MMJ Cards like things simple, so we wanted to walk through some of the basics of medical marijuana* including general cannabis-related definitions, medical marijuana doctors, qualifying conditions, MMJ Cards, and dispensaries. Within the article, there are several resources linked to help ensure your medical cannabis journey is more simplified.
What is medical marijuana? What conditions are medical cannabis recommended for in Arkansas?
According to WebMD, “Medical marijuana uses the marijuana plant or chemicals in it to treat diseases or conditions. The marijuana plant contains more than 100 different chemicals called cannabinoids. Each one has a different effect on the body.” Medical Marijuana can be used in Arkansas for 18 Qualifying Conditions including:
- Cancer
- Glaucoma
- Positive status for human immunodeficiency virus/ acquired immune deficiency syndrome
- Hepatitis C
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Tourette’s syndrome
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Severe arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Cachexia or wasting syndrome
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Intractable pain which is pain that has not responded to ordinary medications, treatment or surgical measures for more than six (6) months
- Severe nausea
- Seizures including without limitation those characteristic of epilepsy
- Severe and persistent muscle spasms including without limitation those characteristic of multiple sclerosis
- And any other medical condition or its treatment approved by the Department of Health.
Medical cannabis is most often used for the treatment of pain, nausea, insomnia, mood disorders, and inflammation. According to Harvard Health, “the most common use for medical marijuana in the United States in for pain control. While marijuana isn’t strong enough for severe pain (for example, post-surgical pain or a broken bone), it is quite effective for the chronic pain that plagues millions of Americans, especially as they age. Part of its allure is that it is clearly safer than opiates (it is impossible to overdose on and far less addictive) and it can take the place of NSAIDs such as Advil or Aleve, if people can’t take them due to problems with their kidneys or ulcers or GERD.”
What is a MMJ or Medical Marijuana Card?
According to Leafly, “a medical marijuana card (also known as “MMID” or “cannabis card”) is an identification card used by patients to enter medical dispensaries (or “cannabis clubs”) and purchase the plant to treat their corresponding health ailment or symptoms.”
A qualifying patient in Arkansas uses a Medical Marijuana Card at a dispensary to purchase medical marijuana products.
To receive a medical marijuana card in the state of Arkansas, a patient must receive a medical marijuana card certification from a licensed Medical Marijuana Doctor. The patient will be age 18 or over (or have parental consent), be diagnosed with a qualifying condition (link to other question below), have written certification from a Medical Cannabis Doctor, be an Arkansas Resident, and not be a member of the Arkansas National Guard or United States Military (due to state law regulations).
Once the patient receives medical marijuana card certification from an Arkansas Medical Marijuana Doctor, the patient can apply to the state to receive their dispensary card. For a detailed walk through of how to apply to the State of Arkansas for your medical marijuana card, check out our video on YouTube.
Arkansas does offer medical marijuana for visiting patients, there is an application that must be competed and approved. Visit the State of Arkansas’ FAQs page for the application for medical marijuana patients in other states who are visiting Arkansas.
What is a medical marijuana doctor? How do I qualify for a dispensary card?
A medical marijuana doctor in the state of Arkansas is a licensed Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) with a current DEA number. At AR MMJ Cards, our founder is a MD, Dr. Daniel Whitelocke is an experienced medical doctor, who has worked as a surgeon or in family medical clinics prior to founding AR MMJ Cards. He passionately studies and researches information and data on cannabis to ensure he is educated about all aspects of medical marijuana and is able to provide accurate information to his patients. Some topics of his studies include qualifying conditions, medical marijuana benefits by condition, medical marijuana potency, possible side effects from cannabis, marijuana terpenes, cannabinoids, THC, and CBD. To read more of Dr. Daniel and team’s blogs, check out AR MMJ Card’s Blog.
At AR MMJ Cards, we charge $100 for cannabis card certifications and $99 for renewals. Our medical marijuana card certifications are conducted using telemedicine. Telemedicine visits are completed virtually with a Medical Marijuana Doctor and patient. To see if a patient qualifies for a cannabis card certification, the patient will complete paperwork through a secure portal. The customer care team will reach out to patients that qualify to schedule an appointment with a doctor at AR MMJ Cards.
Patients only pay for telemedicine visits where a medical marijuana certification is recommended! To start your cannabis certification with one of our card certification doctors, visit our site. Once certification has been received, a patient can apply to the state of Arkansas for their MMJ card.
What are medical marijuana dispensaries and how do I find one?
According to High Times, “Marijuana Dispensaries exist because federal law prohibits cannabis from being prescribed and filled at pharmacies. What is a dispensary without the marijuana? A place that specializes in carrying and selling a specific type of product. So, a marijuana dispensary is where you want to go when you need any type of cannabis product.” Dispensaries vary in their medical marijuana offerings, but usually carry high quality and lab tested medical marijuana products including flower, vape cartridges, edibles, and wax concentrate.
The products have a label that lists THC and CBD strength, medical marijuana type (indica, sativa, or hybrid), strain name, price, and weight. Depending on a medical marijuana patient’s condition, specific terpenes, type, and strength of the cannabis product can impact a condition positively. When Dr. Whitelocke or another Medical Marijuana Doctor at AR MMJ Cards meets with a patient, the specifics will be discussed as to which cannabis strains or terpenes may be a good fit for the patient’s condition. At AR MMJ Cards, we are dedicated to helping patients and ensuring that marijuana medicine is a good fit – we aren’t your average Medical Cannabis Doctor (Read more about us)!
AR MMJ Cards has reviewed several Cannabis Dispensaries in the Arkansas area including The Releaf Center, Acanza, Purspirit and others. To read our Medical Marijuana Dispensary Reviews, click here. For a full list of dispensaries, review the list on Arkansas.gov.
Resources:
For more information about the State of Arkansas and Medical Marijuana, make sure to check out their website – https://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/topics/medical-marijuana
For more information on MMJ card certification, medical marijuana doctors, and blogs related to cannabis, check out our site – https://www.armmjcards.com.
