Navigating the weird market of obtaining Medical Marijuana in CA?
June 10, 2015 12:17 AM   Subscribe

I have back and other muscle spasms and occasional migraines and other stress-related issues that I am absolutely certain would be helped by use of medical marijuana. I would love to get a Medical Marijuana ID Card (MMIC) for use in my county (in California) and am looking for tips and reassurance.

My main question is, what is with the huge range of prices I'm seeing among medical marijuana-recommending clinics and doctors? Some clinics seem to have it all down and have very reassuring FAQs and so on, but I'm still sort of worried about getting ripped off with unanticipated fees and so forth (even though they list risk-free evaluations - you only pay if a recommendation is made for something like $65 for new patients). And then there are some marijuana-specialist doctors in the area who offer similar but I guess more comprehensive services along with their clinical experience and case management for hundreds of dollars a year.

Given that I'm pretty sure I know what active compounds I want (for reference, CBD, not THC) for my treatment or therapy, what should I look for in a recommending doctor/clinic and what key fees should I look out for as I go through the process (or conversely, what scams or grey areas should I look out for)?

Any help you can give, either from personal experience or knowledge, or information from friends would be helpful. I'm pretty familiar with the official situation.

For reference, in California, the process is roughly that you go to a MJ-recommending doctor, and if you have a qualifying condition, you get a recommendation and a couple of official forms from the doctor. Then, unsure who processes this paperwork but it looks like you take these forms, your California ID, and a bill that establishes that you are a resident of the appropriate county to a special office in the county. At the same time, your doctor ties your records showing that you qualify (not the medical records themselves, so it's sort of hidden) somehow to a unique identifying number. The office processes your application, and, if you're approved, you get a Medical Marijuana ID Card (MMIC). There are bound to be inaccuracies in my understanding - it's all based on reading FAQs and code and forms that support the process.
posted by anonymous to Health & Fitness (11 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
If you can come back and have a mod edit your post to let us know what county you're in, you might get specific clinic recommendations from (cough, cough) people who have first (or second) hand experience.
posted by LuckySeven~ at 3:31 AM on June 10, 2015


I have limited experience with this, but some people I know get their prescriptions from a practice that basically does nothing but dispense these prescriptions. It's located in an unassuming storefront in an unassuming area, and makes no pretense of wanting to be your primary care physician. I've never asked how much it costs, but I'm thinking it's at the lower end of the scale you mention. But it's a perfectly legal prescription (well, in the eyes of the state of California, anyway).

On the other hand, you could probably just talk to your current doctor about it.
posted by bricoleur at 5:33 AM on June 10, 2015


This is going to be hard to believe, I was nervous too, but the clinics devoted to this really. do. not. deny. anyone.

When I got a card I went to a clinic in Venice where the doctor wore a track suit and all of his staff were tattooed hipsters and it seemed pretty clear that you could say you were suffering from existential malaise and you would get the card. It was a ten minute process, about three minutes with the doctor (and most of that was just friendly chit chat).

Don't sweat this. Memail me for the name of the clinic I went to if you're interested.

(I think it may be harder to get the prescription from a doctor whose practice is not devoted to handing out the prescriptions.)
posted by jayder at 6:20 AM on June 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


You have nothing to worry about. No matter what doctor you choose, you'll walk in, pay your fee, talk to a doctor for a few minutes, and leave with a written recommendation.

My advice is to stop there. Dispensaries only need to photocopy your recommendation. You do not need a card.

Dispensaries can feel dodgy, so depending on where you are you may prefer looking for a nicer dispensary. I live in SF, and I go to sparcsf.org. It's the nicest dispensary I've ever used (sometimes I go there for zen meditation sessions led by a monk). The staff at the dispensary are good at directing you to what strains and formulations might be best for you. Many physicians involved in writing recommendations don't care about marijuana as medicine, or at least haven't dedicated any deep learning to it, so don't be surprised by that. Like any doctor, these doctors cover a spectrum from great to mediocre to bad.

Pricing can be highly variable. I found my doctor in every city by just searching online for evaluation price specials or coupons. The most I paid was $60, the least was $25 (coupon + going on a Tuesday when the evaluation fee was knocked to its lowest). I'd be happy to send you the doctor/office I go to for my annual renewal if you're in SF. I've been to several doctors over the years as I've moved between cities, and I finally like the doctor I have now. She knows much more about marijuana in clinical use than most I've experienced, and has actual insights to offer.

And lastly, be prepared to try a few different strains. It's rare to find a strain that suits you well and have it available year round. We're also talking about a plant, so the end product is inherently variable over time, even within the same strain and from the same batch of seed. You also might be surprised at how differently strains with different CBD:THC ratios affect you, and even some of the other volatiles (some dispensaries label not only THC and CBD content, but also content of compounds like myrcene, caryophyllene, linalool, etc.). So, for instance, the high CBD strains can make me incredibly sleepy, but matching the CDB and THC percentages keeps that from happening without making me so stoned that I can't work. Likewise, really high linalool content irritates my throat like crazy, even though I use a vaporizer, so I steer clear of high linalool strains as best as I can.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 8:23 AM on June 10, 2015 [3 favorites]


I'm in SF and I too had a lot of concerns over how it works and what to do. I happened to meet someone whose SO worked at a dispensary so I was Immediately reassured about where to purchase. I walked up to their door and asked where I should go to get a pprescription. They gave me a list of clinics and info.

I called the clinic of my choice to see about making an appointment and they were sweet and welcoming. The instructions I had received from the dispensary said to bring proof of your condition for which you are seeking cannabis, so I put all of my prescription bottles in a bag and brought it with me. At the clinic, I filled in a form and then had a chat with a doctor. We talked about the purpose of the cannabis for me and he gave some suggestions as to what strains would work best for me.

As an aside, I told him that I had heard that it helps Crohn's sufferers and so I thought it might also help my UC. He asked whether cannabis had in fact had any effect and I said "well, I don't know yet. That's one reason I'm here." He covered pretty well but I have the impression that I was one of the only people who had come to him *before* self-prescribing, haha.

The clinic gave me some paperwork, including an ID card and a form signed by the doctor which they had color copied my driver's license onto. I took this paperwork to the dispensary, who verified it witj the clinic (by phone? I think but it might have been online) which took about 3 minutes, max.

Then the dispensary people were super nice and helpful. I paid $100 for the clinic visit and I found the helpfulness and ease to be worth every cent. My primary issue, for which I was seeking a prescription, was anxiety and if the process had been difficult, I would have been a wreck.

I found that letting the repeat players guide me through the process made it smooth and simple. Best of luck!
posted by janey47 at 8:43 AM on June 10, 2015


I'm having trouble correcting on preview using my phone so I'm adding here a couple of minor points:

First, I didn't need an appointment at the clinic, as I found when I called. But it was nice to have had a conversation witj them -- very reassuring.

Second, I never had to show anyone all those prescription bottles I brought with me haha
posted by janey47 at 8:46 AM on June 10, 2015


At least in LA, Yelp is super-useful for this. You'll see if people are bitching about getting ripped off or having trouble with the paperwork they received. It's also pretty good for dispensaries.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:49 AM on June 10, 2015


A storefront doctor is easy-peasy. You can walk in, fill out some paperwork and meet with a doctor for five minutes. No need for medical records or official diagnoses. Sixty-five is a pretty standard price in the Bay Area, but with coupons or a first-timer discount you can do better. No need to pay extra for the official card, you can take just the paper to a dispensary and they'll take it. You just need to remember to bring the paper with you every time.
posted by bendy at 3:18 PM on June 10, 2015


Also, "budtenders" in dispensaries can be really helpful in helping you figure what type of meds you need. Check Yelp for reviews that mention good advice.
posted by bendy at 3:20 PM on June 10, 2015


At least in LA, Yelp is super-useful for this.

Yes, I came here to say this. It's really not a big deal, even though I know it feels like it is! My advice would be to check your local alt-weekly and/or Leafly [NSFW] for ads (for docs and dispensaries) to check out specials and then run the names by Yelp. The only caveat would be to read the small print if you find a super deal (see also: "sliding scale") because that rate may just be for 3 or 6 months, but again, Yelp will steer you away from these places.

And lastly, be prepared to try a few different strains.

Oh god, yes. My dispensary currently has 37 strains of "flowers" alone. And don't laugh, but I found it very helpful to get a little notebook to keep track. You don't have to write a review; each strain gets the label and I try to at least keep track of the things I really don't like and the things I do like.

Dispensaries only need to photocopy your recommendation. You do not need a card.

If they issue their own card, definitely. My forever co-op does not, so it's easier for me to have the card to keep in my wallet rather than schelp around the letter and possibly losing it, too. YMMV on that one.

I can give you LA-recs via memail if you'd like.
posted by Room 641-A at 7:02 PM on June 10, 2015 [2 favorites]


Mod note: From the OP:
Thanks everyone for your very helpful responses. I'd heard all this (that the recommending doctors will almost certainly give you a recommendation, that it's an easy and quick process, that the dispensaries are friendly and generally very helpful, etc.) as well as seen the Key and Peele skit about clinics and remained skeptical that it could possibly be that easy, so thank you for all that information.

Some asked my county. It's Alameda.

Since I requested this AskMe get posted, I got tired of waiting for it to happen so I just asked a couple of Facebook friends basically the same questions and got some encouragement and just went and did it. It was comically easy. While filling out the forms (where I got the distinct impression they don't really read them, just file them), I learned what symptoms I needed to tell the doctor about. So basically as long as you can read, write and memorize one or two symptoms to talk about with the doctor, and have cash on you to pay, you'll almost certainly get your recommendation.

I didn't bring any medical transcripts or existing prescriptions or any other evidence. I just filled out and signed the information volunteering forms. The clinic I went to used "non-self-incriminating forms" which means you didn't need to volunteer, on the form, that you'd tried any cannabis-derived products. The doctor did ask about it, but I didn't have to write it down or sign to it anywhere.

I did opt for a Medical Marijuana ID Card (MMIC) because I'd been saying to Maryland friends that I wanted a card to show off and also because the recommendation form was very flimsy. If you go the recommendation only route, I'd recommend some sort of manila folder or something to reinforce it.

Thanks again to everyone for your help!
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 10:38 PM on June 10, 2015


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