Medical marijuana is an effective treatment for multiple qualifying medical conditions. Patients with cancer, PTSD, AIDs, Crohn’s Disease and other long-term conditions like glaucoma or nerve pain are often primary candidates for medical marijuana treatments.

As a registered physician capable of recommending medical marijuana for our patients in the Central Florida area, I am able to help you address your qualifying medical conditions to improve your overall quality of life.

Patients diagnosed with cancer or a physical medical condition that chronically produces symptoms of seizures or severe and persistent muscle spasms are eligible to receive an order for medical marijuana.

Scientific research has shown that medical marijuana may be beneficial for many conditions.

How Do I Get Medical Cannabis in Central Florida?

The first step to getting medical cannabis in Central Florida to schedule an appointment with us if you have a qualifying condition or think you might be eligible.

With new legislation in Florida, many previous restrictions and regulations have been lessened, which is great news to millions of patients across the state! The 90 day waiting period has been removed, among many other changes beneficial to patients. For a full list of legal changes, click here.

Here’s how to get medical cannabis in Florida:

• If you have a qualifying condition (or think you might have a qualifying condition), schedule an appointment with our Winter Park office.
• Complete necessary patient paperwork and return to us.
• Show up for your appointment with the doctor on time.
• Based on your qualification, our physician may issue a medical cannabis recommendation to the state of Florida.
• Our physician will then enter your information into the state registry.
• Once you are entered into the state registry, download, complete, and mail in this form to the State of Florida at the address given in the form, along with all payment requirements to submit your information for your medical cannabis ID card.
• Receive your ID card in the mail and get your order from a certified medical marijuana dispensary (such as Knox Medical, Trulieve, Suterra, or another state-certified Medical Marijuana Treatment Center)

Qualifying Conditions for Medical Cannabis

• AIDs
• ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
• Cancer
• Crohn’s Disease
• Chronic nonmalignant pain
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• HIV Positive Status
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Parkinson’s
• PTSD

Any condition that is a similar type or class of the 11-conditions listed above (for example, “debilitating anxiety and PTSD” would be similar conditions)

Any terminal condition* diagnosed by a secondary physician diagnosis (i.e. a physician who is not the same physician issuing the medical cannabis recommendation)

*A terminal condition is a progressive disease or medical or surgical condition that causes significant functional impairment, is not considered by a treating physician to be reversible without the administration of life-sustaining procedures, and will result in death within 1 year after diagnosis if the condition runs its normal course.

Process of Receiving Medical Cannabis

1. Meet the following General Requirements:
   • Must be 18 years of age or older.
   • Must register with the Department of Health.
   • Must be Florida Resident.
   • Must have tried other treatments without success and order physician must determine risks of use are reasonable in respect to the benefits to the patient.
   • Authorization for release of health information for whomever is treatment debilitating conditions.
   • Must specify release of ONLY records related to this condition.
   • Records MUST BE CURRENT: the practice only accepts patients who have been diagnosed and/or treated for the condition in the past 12 months.
2. Schedule appointment with one of our offices.
3. If you didn’t complete the forms online, download and complete the entire Patient Intake Package, found here.
   1. Send your completed documents to our office via email at info@mcpfl.com
4. During your initial exam, our physician will conduct a complete history and record review.
   1. If you qualify for medical cannabis, physician will initiate the Florida Cannabis Registry Process.
5. You must send the State of Florida your completed Medical ID application along with your $75 application fee.
6. The State of Florida will provide your permanent ID number via email.
   1. A physical ID card will be mailed to you to the address on your application.
7. Schedule a dosing appointment AFTER you have received the email confirmation from the State of Florida.

What to being to your first appointment

• Two forms of identification to verify place of residence:
  • government issued ID
  • pay stub
  • voter registration
  • bank statement
  • lease agreement/mortgage
  • medical claim
  • utility bill.
• If you didn’t complete your forms online, bring your completed Patient Intake Forms:  DOWNLOAD HERE
  • Patient Intake Questionnaire
  • Consent Forms
  • Cancellation policy
  • State Application Forms
  • Legal Representatives Forms
  • Disclosure Forms

New Medical Cannabis Legislation in Florida

Link to the 2017 Florida Statutes: Medical Use of Marijuana from the Official Internet Site of the Florida Legislature

Updated, July 3, 2017.

On June 23, 2017, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed new medical cannabis legislation into law. The new legislation updates previous, temporary processes and regulations with more-permanent, patient-friendly solutions.

Here are some of the highlights of the new legislative changes:

• 90-day waiting period removed
• Seasonal residents also now eligible to receive an order of medical marijuana
• No more sales tax on medical marijuana, related medical cannabis devices or products, or low-THC products
• Physician orders have increased to up to 210 day supply (consisting of 3, 70-day orders)
• Additional qualifying conditions have been added, including AIDs, chronic nonmalignant pain, any terminal illness, and any condition similar in nature to the other qualifying conditions. For a full list of qualifying conditions, click here.
• New routes of administration, including edibles and a flower-like product for vaping use
• Restriction of locations medical cannabis may be used. For a full list, click here.
• Telemedicine visits no longer permitted
• Pregnant women may only receive low-THC CBD
• Qualifying physicians must submit a written, informed patient consent form each time a recommendation is made for the corresponding patient

How Does Medical Marijuana Work

Your body already makes marijuana-like chemicals that affect pain, inflammation, and many other processes. Marijuana can sometimes help those natural chemicals work better, says Laura Borgelt, PharmD, of the University of Colorado.

Marijuana has been used as a botanical medicine since (at least) the 19th and 20th centuries.

Today, marijuana’s claim as a potential panacea is backed up by countless studies crediting its healing potential to its cannabidiol content.

Cannabinoids interact with your body by way of naturally-occurring cannabinoid receptors embedded in cell membranes throughout your body. As humans, we naturally have cannabinoid receptors in our brain, liver, immune system, lungs, and kidneys.

The therapeutic effects of marijuana occur when a cannabinoid activates a cannabinoid receptor.

There’s still ongoing research as to how far it impacts your health, but to date, research has shown that cannabinoid receptors play an important role in many body processes, including metabolic regulation, cravings, pain, anxiety, bone growth, and immune function. Medical use of marijuana has even been shown in some instances to reduce the size of tumors in some cancer patients.

Other common ailments being treated with medical marijuana in various states include:

• Mood disorders
• Degenerative neurological disorders such as dystonia
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson’s disease
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Seizures
• Chrohn’s disease
• CBD works as an excellent painkiller and works well in treating anxiety issues
• Cannabis oil, when applied topically, has been proven to heal sunburn overnight

How Is Medical Marijuana Used

In Florida, medical marijuana may be:

• Vaporized (heated until active ingredients are released, but no smoke is formed)
• Capsules
• Edible forms

Please note that the availability of the above applications vary between dispensaries.

Side Effects of Medical Marijuana to Consider

Side effects of marijuana that usually don’t last long can, for some patients, include:

• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Short-term memory loss
• Euphoria (note that euphoria is not a typical side effect of low-THC dosages)

Important Information About Medical Marijuana in Florida

Please note that the use of medical marijuana does NOT include the following:

• The possession, use or administration of medical cannabis by smoking.
• The transfer of medical cannabis to a person other than the qualified patient for whom it was ordered.

Prohibited Locations for Use of Medical Cannabis

• On any form of public transportation, except for low-THC cannabis.
• In any public place, except for low-THC cannabis.
• In a qualified patient’s place of employment, except when permitted by his or her employer.
• In a state or county correctional institution
• On the grounds of a preschool, primary school, or secondary school, except as provided in s. 1006.062.
• In a school bus, a vehicle, an aircraft, or a motorboat, except for low-THC cannabis.