Consequences of Getting a New York Medical Marijuana Card

The Basics

What “Getting a Medical Card” Means in New York Now

One of the biggest impacts of certification is the official recognition of your cannabis use as being medical in nature.

This helps alleviate the shame around using cannabis, makes it easier to speak openly with other physicians, and frames cannabis as one of many treatment options.

The recreational dispensary is centered on adult-use customers, while medical dispensaries are geared towards patients.

Having a medical certificate from New York allows you to access:

• —Medical cannabis product lines, with many variations in THC: CBD ratios and potencies, along with a variety of delivery methods beyond smoking, such as tinctures, capsules, sublingual sprays, and sometimes topical applications.
• —A higher likelihood of being able to find products suited to particular objectives, such as managing pain, insomnia, nausea, muscle spasms, stimulating appetite, or anxiety management.
• —A more measured route when it comes to dosage levels by starting with lower doses and gradually increase.

These advantages will be especially helpful for individuals experiencing chronic pain, cancer symptoms, neurological disorders, or mental health problems.

Consistency is of utmost importance to many medical patients, who want to be able to trust their products each month.

By becoming a medical patient, you will experience these practical impacts:

• —You can buy a bulk quantity at once, depending on your recommendation from your health practitioner and the laws of your state, rather than going shopping frequently like recreational patients.
• —Your reliance on changes in the recreational market becomes less important, as they do not affect your products in any way.
• —With medical products being generally more stable, you can design a long-term strategy based on their continued availability.

This is especially useful if you depend on cannabis every day to work properly.

The medical marijuana certification in New York usually comes with an expiration date, after which you will need to renew it.

This way, there is automatically built-in room for follow-up sessions:

• —There are specific periods when you can check out what works and what doesn’t work with the help of a medical professional.
• —Your doctor can adjust the dosages for you, change the type of product, or reduce your usage of cannabis products based on the current situation.
• —Potential side effects or interactions with other medications can be caught earlier.

In this manner, cannabis use does not become a “set it and forget it” experiment but rather a monitored one.

In addition to that, another important outcome of obtaining a medical certificate in New York is that you will be able to have many different assessments performed online.

It is particularly useful in cases where:

• —You have problems with mobility or chronic pain
• —You live in a small city or suburbia that is far away from big medical centers
• —You don’t have much time to spend visiting a medical center because of work or family duties

It has become increasingly common for people in New York State to go through the entire assessment procedure remotely, receiving their certificates without even going to a regular medical institution. For example, NYMarijuanaCard.com offers such services to patients living in New York.

As a medical cannabis user, you also have documented proof of your cannabis use. This is helpful in certain circumstances because:

• —It shows your doctors that you’re on cannabis as part of your medical treatment. This can assist in managing prescription drug interactions.
• —It can inform your family or caregivers that you’re taking your cannabis use seriously as a treatment, rather than using it recreationally.
• —In some legal or bureaucratic instances, though not a get-out-of-jail-free card, this document could help make a distinction between your case and recreational or illegal use.

A formalized process is ideal if you wish to use cannabis in a medically serious way.

Visibility in Medical and Certain Official Records

Cannabis for Medical Certification will appear in:

• +The records kept by your health care professional certifier
• +Any record system used in the state for medical cannabis
• +Any other record system used where there exists a connectivity among all of the health care professionals you are consulting

While most people view such transparency positively, there might be some exceptions. Individuals who would find this aspect unsettling could include:

• +Individuals working in more conservative professions
• +People with a strongly held anti-cannabis belief system within their family/community
• +People who have concerns about their insurance/legal prospects

Please note that all medical records are private, but not secretive.

Possible Issues with Firearms and Certain Federal Rules

To begin with, marijuana continues to qualify as an illicit substance in accordance with the federal statutes. This creates a conflict in law arise in that what is legally permissible at the state level becomes prohibited at the federal level, particularly where firearms and background checks or clearances are involved.

These include:

• +Federal questions when obtaining and holding firearms inquire about involvement in the consumption of illegal controlled substances. In this case, marijuana still qualifies as an illegal controlled substance under the federal statutes.
• +One could easily find oneself in a grey area due to being a medical marijuana patient, depending on how the federal laws may apply.
• +Applicants for federal jobs will likely face challenging questions owing to the consumption of marijuana, even though the use was within the limits of the law in the State of New York.

Anyone involved in guns, regulated jobs, and federal positions needs to seek legal advice before obtaining medical marijuana.

Employment and Drug Testing Complications

While New York offers better protection to cannabis consumers than other states, there are some special circumstances regarding employment within particular spheres of activity.

Some possibilities in terms of employment consequences:

• +Employers can retain the right to enforce their drug policies that involve testing for THC in safety-sensitive and federally regulated industries.
• +A certificate for the medical use of cannabis would not automatically imply an obligation from the employer to make adjustments and not pay attention to positive results for THC, especially when the industry is federally regulated.
• +To the contrary, if you take prescribed drugs and have good supervision by doctors, the certificate would help explain the results and prove that the consumption was not illegal but controlled.

In view of the fact that policies vary greatly, you should:

• +Review the company’s policy
• +Talk to the HR department confidentially if required
• +Take legal advice if necessary

Responsibility and Legal Risk If Misused

Being a medical cannabis user does not give you any right to get involved in activities that pose health hazards to yourself and others.

It is still up to you to:

• +Stop driving under the influence of weed
• +Steer clear of operating heavy equipment and getting into risky situations under the influence of weed
• +Ensure proper storage of your products out of reach of kids, young people, and pets
• +Obey the rules of carrying marijuana and avoid distributing your medication to other people

If you get involved in violating traffic regulations meant for impaired drivers or hurting other people, your claim of being a medical marijuana user will not help you in court. You might even find yourself in trouble for your irresponsible behavior.

Time, Cost, and Ongoing Commitment

To begin with, the matter of “life logistics” comes into play:

• +You need to make sure you set aside the time for the evaluation and renewal of your medical marijuana certification.
• +While it has been confirmed by the State of New York that the fee for patients to register will be taken off, practitioners can charge the same as with any other consultation as far as the process of evaluation and renewals goes.
• +It is on you to remember when the time comes for you to get your certification renewed so as not to encounter any inconvenience.

For many patients, it is worth it because of the stability and direction it gives them. Nevertheless, it remains part of the greater problem of having a medical cannabis certification in the state of New York.

The Verdict

Is Getting a Medical Card in New York Worth It?

For most people who are interested in receiving cannabis treatment continuously, the benefits that come from certification are far greater than any disadvantages that may come from it.

However, if you:

• —Work for an organization that heavily regulates its employees or is controlled by the government
• —Are planning to purchase and keep firearms
• —Are very concerned about having an official history of consuming cannabis

…then it would be advisable to wait some time and gather more information before proceeding with your intention.

As far as the purposes of your cannabis use go, if your objectives are to alleviate pain and enhance your well-being, then getting certified is usually the right choice.

Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Will getting a medical card in New York put me on a public list?

No. Your certificate appears in state and medical databases but not in any searchable publicly available list and is mainly for verification of your status by dispensaries and health care practitioners.

Can having a medical card affect my ability to buy or own a gun?

It may pose problems regarding firearms under federal law, and thus one contemplating both must seek legal counsel first before applying.

Does a medical card guarantee my employer will excuse a positive THC test?

No. Some employers can apply rigid drug policies to employees, particularly those working in federal or safety-sensitive positions.

Will my regular doctor automatically know if I get a medical cannabis certification?

Your certifying practitioner will have the information on file, but no others unless there is an exchange of your medical records or permission to release it.

Can I drive legally in New York if I’m a medical cannabis patient?

Yes, you can still get a license to drive, although you are prohibited from driving under the influence of marijuana while certified.