The push for the legalization of medical marijuana in the United States has been a slow going one. Over the last decade, we have taken numerous strides in creating compassionate care from state to state in the form of medical marijuana as an alternative medication. The progress has felt really slow, but when I look back to a time even 5 years ago, it seems we have really begun to pave a way and make space for the cannabis plant in the medical world. Finally, we are getting to a point in our society that recognizes the benefits and effectiveness of using medical marijuana to treat a variety of chronic health conditions, ranging from cancer to anxiety. 

Each year, we look forward to seeing more states declare their own medical marijuana programs and begin to accept patients into the program. If you have a health condition and rely on prescription medications, medical marijuana could be right for you. If you live in a state that has a medical marijuana program, it is definitely worth applying for. However, it is important to keep in mind that, at this time in the United States, the use of medical cannabis is a privilege and not a right. This means that no one is necessarily entitled to using medical marijuana as a treatment option.

However, many people all over the country are beginning to use cannabis as opposed to less natural and more dangerous prescription medications. If you are thinking about applying for a medical marijuana card in your state, the first thing that you’ll want to do is check to see if you have one of the qualifying conditions for use of an MMJ in your state. The process for applying for a medical marijuana card is not overly difficult or complicated, but it can leave a few people confused as to why they were rejected from the program in the case that they were not approved. Today, I am writing this article to talk about some of the common reasons for being denied a medical marijuana card after you have applied for one in your state.

One of the steps that one needs to take in the process of applying for a medical marijuana card is to have a doctor referral for your current health condition. You must first schedule a doctor’s appointment before applying, in order for the doctor to analyze your medical situation and needs and make a decision about what he or she thinks would be right for you. The doctor will take a lot of factors into consideration, including your past medical records, any history of drug use or overdose, and current health symptoms and conditions. This allows the practitioner to check for any risks that the patient may have for using medical marijuana.

After this assessment, the doctor will then decide whether to refer you to the medical marijuana program or not. In some cases, doctors may not approve a patient. If this is the case, one might consider simply moving on to a different doctor to try and get referred to the medical marijuana program. While that is completely legal and your choice, I recommend first considering the advice of the first doctor that declined you. While cannabis is very safe and generally risk-free, it does have risks for certain medical patients that may have underlying health conditions. 

Another reason that a patient may be denied from the medical marijuana program is if your chronic health symptoms are undiagnosed. As I mentioned earlier, each state has a list of qualifying health conditions for its medical marijuana program.