COMPREHENSIVE PAIN MANAGEMENT, PC

1. What conditions make me eligible to obtain medical marijuana?

You are potentially eligible for medical marijuana if you have been diagnosed with a specific severe, debilitating or life threatening condition that is accompanied by an associated or complicating condition. By law, those conditions are: cancer, HIV infection or AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury with spasticity, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, neuropathy, and Huntington's disease. The associated or complicating conditions are cachexia or wasting syndrome, severe or chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures, or severe or persistent muscle spasms.

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2. What is the first step to obtaining medical marijuana?

The first step is speaking with your treating physician about whether the medical use of marijuana is appropriate for your condition. If your physician determines this is the appropriate treatment for you and he or she registered with the New York State Department of Health's Medical Marijuana Program, he or she may issue you a certification for medical marijuana.

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3. How can I find a registered doctor?

Patients seeking access to medical marijuana should first go to their treating practitioners. Additional information for practitioners can be found on the Department's website: Practitioner Education for the Medical Marijuana Program. Practitioners may also identify registered physicians who consented to be listed, with their specialties, in the Medical Marijuana Data Management System, located online within the Department's Health Commerce System (HCS). The patient's treating practitioner can then make a referral if he or she is unable to complete the course and register.

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4. How can I obtain a certification if my physician is not registered with the Medical Marijuana Program?

First, speak with your treating physician to determine if medical marijuana is appropriate for your condition. If your treating physician would like to register with the program, additional information can be found on the Department's website: Practitioner Education for the Medical Marijuana Program.

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5. Can additional medical conditions be added to the list of conditions eligible for medical marijuana?

Yes, the Commissioner of Health may add other conditions to the list. To date, scientists and physicians at the Department of Health have already analyzed more than 2 dozen scientific studies on Alzheimer's, muscular dystrophy, dystonia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and rheumatoid arthritis. They also sought input from medical professionals and associations. Despite these comprehensive reviews, there is not enough scientific evidence at this time to support the inclusion of these additional conditions to the Medical Marijuana Program. However, the Commissioner has not stopped his review, and will evaluate new scientific evidence as soon as it becomes available. If sufficient scientific evidence becomes available to support the determination that medical marijuana will provide relief to patients suffering from any additional conditions, including these five, the Commissioner will act quickly to increase the list of covered conditions.

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6. What forms and dosage amounts of medical marijuana are allowed?

The Commissioner must approve any form of medical marijuana. Approved forms include liquids and oil for vaporization or administration via inhaler as well as capsules to take orally. Under the law, smoking is not permitted

The practitioner must include the following information on the patient's certification: the authorized brand and form of the approved medical marijuana, the administration method, and any limitations on the use of approved medical marijuana product. If a practitioner has a recommendation regarding dosage, it must be included on the certification, although a recommendation on dosage is not a requirement. Moreover, the total amount of product that can be dispensed may not exceed a thirty-day supply.