The laws set to govern the use of medical marijuana vary from state to state. As a patient, I need to learn and follow these rules if you want to benefit from the Mass medical card online application. The rules and conditions set by Massachusetts are quite elaborate, and patients can easily apply for and get medical marijuana cards. This post shall address the qualifying conditions for a medical card in MA. Keep on reading for more insights.
Which are the qualifying conditions for a medical card in MA?
If you intend to apply for a medical marijuana card in Massachusetts, you need to understand the general eligibility criteria for an MMJ card. All patients who want to apply for a medical marijuana card should meet the criteria mentioned below. These conditions were set by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS). They include:
The patient should be at least 18 years of age. That is, if you want to apply on your own. Minors can also benefit from the medical marijuana program. However, a caregiver who is at least 21 years old must apply on his or her behalf.
The patient who needs to apply for a Massachusetts medical marijuana card needs to have at least one of the qualifying conditions for medical card in ma. The patients need to provide at least two approvals from two licensed doctors. A qualifying medical condition in Massachusetts is a “debilitating life-limiting illness.” This is an illness that does respond to other types of treatments and may lead to death within two years.
Exceptional Illnesses
Patients may also apply for a medical marijuana card even if they don’t have life-limiting medical conditions. However, they need to meet the standards mentioned below:
- If the patient is a minor, the parents or legal guardians should have all the information on the possible neurological side effects of medical cannabis.
- The mind minor’s legal guardians or parents must submit written consent to treatment.
- The doctor who is administering treatment to the patient must prove that the benefits of using medical marijuana are more than the disadvantages or potential risks.
Other requirements to qualify for a medical marijuana card in Massachusetts
All the mentioned requirements are necessary for the Mass medical card online application. Besides that, the patients also need to come from Massachusetts. Only residents of Massachusetts are allowed to apply for the MMJ card in Massachusetts. There are various documents that are needed to prove that a patient is from MA. They include:
A Massachusetts state-issued ID card or a driver’s license
A U.S. military ID or passport. If you are going to use any ID for the following documents, then you also need to submit one of the following records as proof of residency:
- A lease, loan, or mortgage that was issued less than six months from the time you are applying. The document should have the patient’s name, signature, and address.
- Car insurance policies or utility bills that are less than 60 days old.
- A marriage certificate that is less than six months old.
Qualifying medical conditions for Massachusetts patients
We started by stating that a patient who wants to apply for an MA MMJ card must have at least 1 qualifying medical condition. Below are the qualifying requirements for a medical marijuana card in MA. A patient must have to apply for an MMJ card in Massachusetts.
- ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
- Brain Tumor/Glioma
- Breast Cancer
- Brain Cancer
- Kidney Cancer
- Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Cervical Cancer
- Mouth/Oral Cancer
- Colon/Colorectal Cancer
- Liver Cancer
- Stomach (Gastric) Cancer
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Leukemia
- Prostate Cancer
- Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Ovarian Cancer
- Thyroid/Parathyroid Cancer
- Multiple Myeloma
- Sarcoma
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Crohn’s Disease/Ulcerative Colitis (UC)
- Skin Cancer
- Vulvar Cancer
- MS (Multiple Sclerosis)
- Testicular Cancer
- Glaucoma
- Kaposi Sarcoma
- Hepatitis C
- HIV/AIDS
- AIDS-Related Lymphoma
- Primary CNS Lymphoma
Other patients who may also apply for medical marijuana include those who suffer from “other conditions as specified in writing by a qualifying patient’s physician,” according to Section 2©. These conditions include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Chronic Back Pain
- Anorexia
- RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis)
- Insomnia
Conclusion
Since cannabis can treat a wide range of medical conditions, patients have to be approved first before they can apply for a medical card. If you live in Massachusetts and have at least one of the mentioned medical conditions, you can apply for an MMJ card. In most cases, cannabis is used to manage pain related to these medical issues. By following these rules, you will access medical cannabis legally.
