OUR MEDICAL CANNABIS SPECIALISTS

Our goal is to Complete Your Application During the Estimated 30-Minute Appointment and Provide You with an Identification Number Before You Leave.  Of course, Key to this Process will be Your Having all the Key Information and Details in Place.

WHAT TO BRING TO APPOINTMENT
◙ Credit or Debit Card to Cover $77.75 State Fee for Card
◙ Copy of Most Recent Visits(s) (Within the Last 6 Months) from Physician(s) Treating You for Your Qualifying Medical Condition(s)
◙ Payment for Your Initial Visit Either by Cash or Credit/Debit Card ($225)
◙ A Photo ID (Driver’s License Preferred) and Two Documents from the Proof of Residency List (Only if You are Not a Permanent Resident of Florida) which which Shows Your Name and the Florida Address Under Which You will be Filing for Your Compassionate Use Card
◙ Follow-Up Visits are Required by the Florida Department of Health Every 30 Weeks ($175 Fee).
◙ Receipt of Your Temporary Card Via Email from the Department of Health May Take up to 3 Weeks

APPOINTMENT TIMES ARE LIMITED!
Call Shirin McComb, Healthcare Manager, at (941) 955-9099 for More Details and Instructions to Prepare for and Schedule Your Appointment.

Note:  We will be Observing Coronavirus-Related Protocol.

Click Here for Printable Flyer.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A BRIEF HISTORY OF CANNABIS
– Has been used for over 4000 years
– Used by many cultures and religions for medicinal purposes
– In the US in 1940’s called “Reefer Madness” and classified as Schedule 1
– Schedule 1 meant no medicinal value and highly addictive
– Difficult to conduct studies and research
– First medicinal use 1976 for treatment of Glaucoma
– January 2016, Amendment 2 passed in Florida allowing for treatment of illnesses

ISSUES/OBSTACLES TO CANNABIS USE
– Federally, Cannabis is still considered Schedule 1 despite many attempts to change it to Schedule 2
– Cannot travel outside of issuing State with it
– No reciprocity between States that allow for cannabis use
– Employment regulations still an issue regarding job site testing
– Pain practices who refuse to continue to treat patients using cannabis
– Not covered by any insurance
– Due to history, still taboo in public opinion
– Can be cost prohibitive to clients on fixed incomes
– Lack of information about benefits among the medical community

BENEFITS OF USING MEDICAL CANNABIS
– Can be very effective in treating a wide variety of conditions
– Natural alternative to many pharmaceutical medications
– Works with body’s own endocannabinoid system
– Less overall side effects
– Many different routes of administration
– Can be used daytime and nighttime in different forms to treat conditions and maintain alertness
– Allows for possibility of decreasing use of more harmful or addictive medications
– Has shown high success in treating insomnia and chronic pain
– Average age of patients is about 60 years old

WHO QUALIFIES FOR MEDICAL CANNABIS?
Conditions: Cancer, Crohn’s Disease, Glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, MS, Epilepsy, PTSD, ALS, Parkinson’s Disease, Chronic nonmalignant Pain arising from one of above conditions, Any terminal condition with greater than 1 year survival, Any condition of similar type or class of conditions above

Additional Conditions: When deemed by the Qualifying physician and documented by relevant supporting studies, many of the following conditions also can be treated: Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, Arthritic Pain, Chronic Post Surgical Pain, IBS, OCD, Back Pain, Migraines, Fibromyalgia, Autism, Ehler’s Danlos Syndrome, Auto Immune Diseases, Neuropathy, Alzheimer’s and many others

CARD APPLICATION
– Must be State resident or reside in State for more than 31 consecutive days
– Proof of Residency includes Driver’s License, or Utility Bill (water, gas , electric within last 60 days)
– Passport sized photo if not state resident
– Fee ($75 plus $2.75 fee) payable to the State by credit card
– Must have qualifying physician do initial evaluation with verifiable medical records stating condition

WHAT COMES NEXT?
– Once a patient has been deemed qualified to obtain a Medical cannabis card, a recommendation is
placed by the qualifying physician into the State database
– Once the application has been approved by the State, patients are directed to a dispensary to
purchase their cannabis products
– There are 13 different dispensary companies throughout the State operating 34 dispensaries