Anti-Aging & Medical Cannabis Blog

Are you looking for a Delaware medical marijuana doctor near me, but not sure where to go? One question you should ask yourself in this process is what kind of doctor you want to see. If you had a broken bone, would you go to your dermatologist? The answer is no, so if you are looking to get a Delaware medical marijuana why would you see anyone other than a doctor that has expertise in the medical card field? This is question we come across all the time and the easiest and best way for you to get a Delaware medical cannabis card is to visit a doctor that specializes in getting patients through the Delaware medical marijuana process.

How To Start The Medical Cannabis Process

The initial process of starting your medical marijuana journey can feel very overwhelming. It is even more overwhelming if you don’t know what doctor to choose to help you access medical cannabis. Fortunately, there are many great resources to help you navigate becoming a medical cannabis patient. Below, discover how to easily start the process and ensure you are finding the right Delaware marijuana doctor near you.

Who Can Certify You For Medical Cannabis In Delaware

In Delaware there are several types of providers that can certify you for medical cannabis. It is important to note that your provider must be licensed to practice in the state of Delaware. Many who live near Maryland, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania may see a provider in one of those states. While that person can certainly see you for your medical needs, they will not be able to certify you for a Delaware medical marijuana card unless they are licensed to practice in Delaware.

In addition to being licensed in Delaware, only certain types of providers can certify you to access the state’s medical marijuana program. In Delaware only a MD (Medical Doctor) or DO (Doctor of Osteopathic medicine) APRN (Advanced Practice RN) also known as a nurse practitioner, or PA (Physician Assistant) can certify you. In other states you may see dentists, podiatrists, and even some others able to certify. This is not the case in Delaware.

Being able to certify, though, isn’t the only criteria you should look for. A good provider will go beyond simply being able to certify. Reputable providers will have training in medical cannabis in addition to their formal training. As you can imagine since marijuana is still treated as a Schedule 1 narcotic by the federal government most doctors and providers have little formal training in school about marijuana. That is why it is important to find a provider that really understands medical cannabis.

What You Should Expect From Your Delaware Medical Marijuana Doctor

The first thing you should ask for from your medical card provider is what the process will be like and what you should expect. Your provider should also be able to answer questions about dosages, how to adjust your dosage if necessary, and provide information about useful strains that could benefit your condition.

At Green Relief Health we believe cannabis physicians and providers should hold themselves to certain practice standards. The Society of Cannabis Clinicians has developed standards for clinical encounters, clinical decision making, documentation, and more—the full list of which can be found here. These can be useful guidelines for a patient to decide if their cannabis doctor or provider is providing them with the level of care they should expect.

What You Need For Your Delaware Medical Marijuana Doctor

Ok so you have found a qualified Delaware medical marijuana doctor but now you are looking for what you need to ensure that your appointment goes smoothly with your provider.

It is important that you understand the general conditions required to apply for (and use) medical marijuana in Delaware. Namely, these include:

  • You must be a resident of the state of Delaware. To establish this, you must have valid proof of identification. This includes either a Delaware license or Delaware state ID.

You must have a qualifying medical condition as defined by the state of Delaware. The conditions to qualify for a medical card in Delaware include the following:

  • Cancer
  • Terminal Illness
  • Positive status for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV Positive)
  • Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
  • Decompensated Cirrhosis
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS/Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
  • Agitation of Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Autism with aggressive behavior
  • Glaucoma
  • Chronic Debilitating Migraine
  • Anxiety (CBD Rich Card Only)
  • A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its treatment that produces one or more of the following;
    • Cachexia or Wasting Syndrome
    • Severe debilitating pain that has not responded to previously prescribed medication or surgical measure for more than three months, or for which other treatment options produced serious side effects.
    • Intractable Nausea
    • Seizures
    • Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including but not limited to those characteristics of Multiple Sclerosis.

Medical Records

The primary thing you will need to get a Delaware medical marijuana card is medical records establishing your qualifying condition. It is important to understand that the doctor will need complete access to your medical history.

Normally, this is as simple as contacting your general practitioner’s office and requesting that your records be released either to you or to the marijuana doctor who will be conducting your evaluation. At Green Relief Health, we can walk you through the entire process including contacting your doctor for you to help gather these records.

Delaware Medical Marijuana Office

After you have met with your Delaware medical marijuana doctor the final step before being able to access one of the state’s compassion centers is to submit an application to the Delaware Division of Public Health Medical Marijuana Program. The application process is easy and can be done either online or by submitting an application online.  Regardless of whether you are submitting online or through the mail, there is a $50 application fee with the state of Delaware.

If you are submitting your application online, you can simply click here. If you are submitting your application via the mail, you can print the application from the state of Delaware’s website. Once you have completed the application you can mail it to the following address:

Delaware Division of Public Health
Medical Marijuana Program
417 Federal St., Suite 140
Dover, DE 19901

Delaware Medical Marijuana Doctor Near Me Information

If you have additional questions about Delaware’s medical marijuana laws, qualifying conditions, or the medical card process in general Green Relief Health is here to help. You can contact us either through our contact page or by giving us a call at 302-564-9994.

This process can be confusing, and you should only be seen by someone that has experience with Delaware laws and that is a medical cannabis expert. If you want to setup an appointment to speak with one of our experts, you can simply click here. We are ready to help you through the process today.

Author

Ryan Nawrocki