How To Get A Medical Marijuana Card

Medical marijuana was legalized in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the Spring of 2020. The bill passage in the Virginia General Assembly made it the third state to legalize cannabis through the legislature. The state legislature also decriminalized small amounts of cannabis in 2020.

Although Virginia’s program is still a bit behind more some states, there has been massive improvements in the past year. Patients now have stronger protections from arrest - so long as they’re following the rules - several dispensaries have opened and they’ve even approved the sale of flower which was strictly forbidden until now.

In this article, we’ll provide some more in-depth information about how to get your medical marijuana card in Virginia.

How to get an MMJ card in Virginia - general overview

It’s a pretty simple process to get a medical marijuana certification in Virginia. All you need to do is:

1) Find a Virginia state-licensed medical marijuana doctor.

2) See the doctor for an evaluation online or in-person.

3) Register with the state.

Let’s go into a little more detail about this process.

Find a Virginia state-licensed MMJ doctor

To become a medical cannabis patient in Virginia, you must first find a licensed physician who can give you a recommendation. The physician must be registered with Virginia’s Board of Pharmacy to be legally allowed to give cannabis recommendations. To find a qualified doctor, the state keeps a database of qualified physicians, or you can just head on over to NuggMD.com/Virginia and see a medical marijuana doctor online for just $149.

All NuggMD practitioners are licensed and in good standing in the state for which they provide recommendations and have received all necessary training and certificates.

See the physician for an evaluation

Unlike other states, there is currently no official list of qualifying conditions in Virginia to get a medical marijuana card; it’s at the doctor’s discretion. Licensed physician assistants or nurse practitioners registered with Virginia’s Board of Pharmacy can also provide recommendations.

At NuggMD, patients see their physician face-to-face via their groundbreaking video telemedicine platform. The practitioner will see you, discuss your condition, review your medical records and decide whether you should receive a recommendation.

Some commonly accepted conditions include:

- Multiple Sclerosis Cancer Crohn’s Disease - Chronic pain - Seizure disorders - Anorexia - Cachexia

But you don’t have to have a specific condition to qualify. Again, this is at your doctor’s discretion. Once you receive your recommendation, it’s time to register with the state.

Register with the state

Once you receive written permission for medical marijuana, you must next register with the Virginia Department of Health Professions and Board of Pharmacy and submit your online application to get your medical marijuana card. Here’s the link for the state registry. Before you start filling out the online form, be sure you have the following documents handy:

- Virginia state ID - Proof of your address (current ID usually will suffice) - Your social security number - Written certification from your doctor

The state application fee costs $50, in addition to your doctor’s evaluation fees. Once you apply online, the Board of Pharmacy will typically process applications within seven to 10 business days. If your application is approved, the Board of Pharmacy will issue you a certification that is snail-mailed to your address. Your certification will be good for 12 months unless stated otherwise.

Virginia now has licensed cannabis dispensaries

Once you receive your certification, your final step is to stop by a dispensary for your medicine.

There are currently four medical cannabis dispensaries in Virginia: Beyond / Hello, Dharma Pharmaceuticals, gLeaf, and Columbia. A fifth will be opening soon.

The NuggMD process and promise

NuggMD helps patients to get evaluated for their Virginia medical cannabis card online rather than in-person with traditional doctors. Virginia allows this option due to the COVID-19 crisis. Legislation is proceeding that may make this change permanent.

The advantages of getting an evaluation with NuggMD include:

- A one-time evaluation fee of only $149. - Free evaluations for those that don’t qualify for cannabis treatment. - No crowded waiting rooms. Get your evaluation from the comfort of your home! - Extended hours of service from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST daily. - Your privacy, guaranteed and secured with NuggMD, backed by HIPPA laws. - A secure payment process. compassionate practitioners, who are well-versed in cannabis therapy. - Industry-leading virtual customer service.

What is allowed with a Virginia medical marijuana card?

Critics of medical cannabis in Virginia say the state has some of the nation’s most restrictive regulations, but they’ve improved dramatically over the past year. THC-A oil and CBD oil may contain up to 10 mg of THC. Products like tinctures, gels, creams, sprays and capsules are permitted, as long as they stay within the legal limit. Smokeable flower is now allowed as well and will be available later this year.

A registered medical marijuana patient can purchase up to 90 days’ worth of supply per visit to a dispensary. The amount that constitutes a 90-day supply is determined by your physician.

You’re not allowed to smoke in public, drive any type of motorized vehicles while intoxicated, or sell your cannabis to another person.