Marijuana can help a lot of people in a lot of different ways. Learn how to apply to be a New Jersey medicinal cannabis patient, proper telehealth procedures, and how it can help.

Depending on a patient’s condition, a doctor may recommend medicinal cannabis for its therapeutic properties. There are properties found in active compounds called cannabinoids. The two primary cannabinoids are delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).*

THC, the psychoactive component, may help alleviate the pain, nausea, and insomnia caused by certain medical conditions. CBD is the non-psychoactive element of medicinal cannabis. It can help in managing anxiety, inflammation, and other symptoms of pain.

Patients must meet several requirements to be eligible for the NJ Medicinal Cannabis Program. All applicants must be New Jersey residents. Applicants must prove NJ residency by providing a government-issued photo ID. It could be a driver’s license or a state ID card. Applicants are encouraged to bring additional proof of residency, like utility bills or tax documents.

You must receive and prove a qualifying medical diagnosis by a New Jersey-based healthcare professional who’s also registered with the NJ Medicinal Cannabis Program.

Note that applicants must prove an established “bona Fide” patient-doctor relationship with a registered practitioner. Applicants must provide documentation of multiple appointments during a specific time window, including treatment and care.

The application requires a healthcare provider statement. It is an official letter from a healthcare provider certifying the qualifying condition and a recommendation for medical cannabis. The statement must also include a registry ID and patient reference number.

The next step is creating a patient portal account with the state’s medicinal cannabis program. Applicants submit documents through the portal, including a full-face photo for the medical cannabis ID card. There’s also an option for selecting an Alternative Treatment Center (ATC) also known as a dispensary.

Patients are provided free Digital ID cards. They must present them at ATCs for access. Physical cards are available for a small fee. Both forms of ID are valid for two years.

Medical cannabis may assist with the pain management of the following conditions in New Jersey.

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Anxiety
• Cancer
• Chronic pain
• Dysmenorrhea
• Glaucoma
• Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease
• Intractable skeletal muscular spasticity
• Migraine
• Multiple sclerosis
• Muscular dystrophy
• Opioid Use Disorder
• Positive status for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Seizure disorder, including epilepsy
• Terminal illness with prognosis of less than 12 months to live
• Tourette Syndrome

Patients with autoimmune disorders may also use medical cannabis for pain management.

Forms of consumption vary widely. they include.

• Smoking or vaporizing
• Tinctures
• Capsules
• Edibles
• Topicals like creams and lotions

A medical professional may recommend a specific type based on the patient’s medical condition.

Accessing medical marijuana doctors through telehealth platforms can streamline the process.

This process starts with a telemedicine evaluation by a licensed healthcare practitioner who’s certified to recommend medical cannabis. These evaluations are conducted through video conferencing platforms.

Online doctors assess patients’ medical conditions during virtual appointments. This includes reviewing health history to determine if patients meet the qualifying criteria for medical cannabis approval.

Once approved, patients receive a medical cannabis certification. This includes a patient ID card that legally authorizes patients to purchase and use medical cannabis in their state.

Telehealth medical cannabis evaluations are especially convenient for patients with mobility challenges.

Medical cannabis regulations vary from state to state. Federal law still classifies cannabis as a Schedule I controlled substance. So, the therapeutic use of cannabis is not recognized by federal law.

However, 40 states, including New Jersey, have implemented legal medical cannabis programs.

However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved cannabis as a medicine. They have approved specific cannabis-derived products though.

One example is Epidiolex (CBD). It may be used for certain epilepsy diagnoses. Marinol (dronabinol) is a synthetic cannabinoid to treat nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy treatments. Cesamet (nabilone) may also be used for this purpose.