Misconceptions About Getting A Medical Marijuana Prescription
Medical marijuana is a relatively new concept. Some states just legalized it recently, and there are other states in which medical marijuana is still not legal. As with many new and emerging concepts, there are a lot of misconceptions floating around about medical marijuana prescriptions. Here are a few key ones worth debunking.
Your regular doctor can and will give you a medical marijuana prescription
Sometimes this is true, but other times it is not. A lot of primary care physicians do not know that much about medical marijuana, and since it is not something they know well, they don't feel comfortable prescribing it. So, don't be surprised if your request for a prescription from your usual doctor is met with a "no" or a blank stare. Most people get a medical marijuana prescription from a doctor who specializes in medical marijuana. If you're having trouble locating one in your area, you can call a local dispensary. They can typically give you a list of doctors to call.
If you have a prescription, you can take your medical marijuana anywhere
For most medications, as long as you have a prescription, you can take your meds over state lines, on the plane, and so forth. This is not the case with medical marijuana. Since cannabis is still illegal on the federal level, you cannot take it across state lines — even with a prescription. You're also not allowed to bring it on an airplane, even with a prescription. Additionally, having a prescription in one state does not necessarily mean you can buy medical marijuana in different states. Some states have reciprocity — they will sell to prescription holders from other states. Some states do not.
A prescription tells you what kind of marijuana to buy and use
When people get their medical marijuana prescription, they often expect it to say something along the lines of "smoke 3 puffs of an indica strain twice a day." But in fact, all a medical marijuana prescription card does is give you permission to visit a dispensary and purchase from them. It will be up to you to choose the best strains to use, how much to use, and the best method for use. Dispensaries employ people called budtenders who can guide you in making these decisions.
Hopefully, this article has cleared some things up and you don't encounter any big surprises when getting your medical marijuana prescription.