As Seen On The Morning Scramble
Since 2011 the AMMA (Arizona Medical Marijuana Act) has been helping patients gain safe access to medical cannabis for the treatment of a variety of conditions. Currently, there are more than 50 licensed dispensaries and over 60,000 patients statewide participating in the program. Arizona has set a national benchmark in the way medical cannabis programs are managed, with other states following our template for a very effectively administered program.
Qualifying Conditions For MMJ in Arizona
The Arizona Department of Health Services determines the conditions that qualify for the Medical Marijuana Program. If you currently suffer from any of the following conditions you may already qualify:
- AIDS [Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome]
- Alzheimer’s
- ALS [Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis]
- Cancer
- Crohn’s Disease
- Glaucoma
- HIV [Human Immunodeficiency Virus]
- Hepatitis C
- PTSD
- Cachexia or Wasting Syndrome
- Severe and Chronic Pain
- Severe Nausea
- Seizures [including those characteristics of epilepsy]
- Severe or Persistent Muscle Spasms [including those characteristics of multiple sclerosis]
Periodically Arizona Department of Health will review requests to add qualifying conditions that may benefit from the use of medical marijuana. To make a recommendation to the Department of Health, please contact them directly by phone at 602-542-1025 or by e-mail at M2programsupport@azdhs.gov
How To Qualify
As dictated by the Arizona Department of Health, we are required to review medical records dated within the last 12 months from the time of your evaluation. You can either bring your medical records with you at the time of your appointment, or we can request them on your behalf if you complete one of our Medical Record Request forms prior to your evaluation. Once we’ve received records from your doctor, we’ll be able to process your application for you.
If you have not seen a doctor in the last 12 months regarding your condition, you can establish care with us by returning for a follow-up visit. After your follow-up visit, we’ll be able to submit your application to the Department of Health.
How Long Will This Process Take and What Should I Expect
Once you’ve been evaluated by the doctor and we submit your application online, it usually takes two weeks to receive your Patient Registry Identification Card in the mail. Once you receive the card, you will be able to obtain medicine from one of the many licensed dispensaries in your area.
In some cases, patients located more than 25 miles away from a dispensary are able to cultivate their own medicine. For more information regarding cultivation please click here to be directed to AZ Medical Marijuana Program website.
Please Note
You must wait for your patient card before you can obtain any medicine! It is unlawful for you to have any amount of medical cannabis in possession without your patient card. Arizona’s program doesn’t allow for any documentation to serve as a temporary card.
Be sure to purchase medicine only from licensed dispensaries. Purchasing from a “collective” or “compassion club” is illegal. On a monthly basis, the Arizona Department of Health will mail out newsletters highlighting important patient information, as well as an updated list of operating dispensaries. These newsletters are very helpful in assisting patients to make the right decisions with the use of medical marijuana.
Schedule a Medical Marijuana Evaluation Today.
If you meet any of the conditions listed previously and are interested in using medical marijuana, schedule an appointment today. At Burns Integrative Wellness Center, we are familiar with the process and work with local dispensaries and patients in the legal use of medical cannabis.