Spliff Twister
New Member
According to Initiative 692, for a person to qualify to use marijuana for medical reasons he or she must be:
A patient of a medical or osteopathic physician licensed in the State of Washington;
Have a formal statement signed by the Washington-licensed provider or a copy of medical records, where the patient is diagnosed by that physician as having a terminal or debilitating illness mentioned in the language of the law;
A resident of the state of Washington at the time of diagnosis with proof of identity such as a Washington state driver's license or identicard; and
Advised by that physician of the risks and benefits of the medical use of marijuana.
If the patient qualifies under the above 4-part test, then the medical marijuana patient will be able to present valid documentation to any law enforcement official who might question that patient.
Registration
There is no registration process with the state of Washington. However, it is a class C felony to fraudulently produce any record purporting to be, or tamper with the content of any record for the purpose of having it accepted as, valid documentation under RCW 69.51A.010(5)(a).
Eligible medical conditions
The Act was designed to protect seriously ill and terminally ill patients. Terminal or debilitating medical condition means:
Cancer, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), multiple sclerosis, epilepsy or other seizure disorder, or spasticity disorders; or
Intractable pain, limited for the purpose of this chapter [69.51A RCW] to mean pain unrelieved by standard medical treatments and medications; or
Glaucoma, either acute or chronic, limited for the purpose of this chapter to mean increased intraocular pressure unrelieved by standard treatments and medications; or
Any other medical condition duly approved by the Washington State Medical Quality Assurance Commission. Since the passage of the initiative the Commission has added the following:
Crohn's Disease with debilitating symptoms unrelieved by standard treatments or medications;
Hepatitis C with debilitating nausea and/or intractable pain unrelieved by standard treatments or medications; and
Any disease, including anorexia, which results in nausea, vomiting, wasting, appetite loss, cramping, seizures, muscle spasms, and/or spasticity, when these symptoms are unrelieved by standard treatments.
Written certification must be provided to prove eligibility
The federal government classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug, which means that licensed medical practitioners cannot prescribe it. Your physician can only "recommend" the use of medical marijuana. There is nothing in the law that requires any physician to authorize the use of medical marijuana for a patient. They can only advise or not advise its use for your condition as described in Initiative 692. Physicians, applying professional standards of care, may inform and counsel terminally ill patients and the chronically ill as to the risks and benefits of marijuana as medicine.
The law defines valid documentation as a statement signed by the qualifying patient's physician, or a copy of the patient's pertinent medical records, which states that, in the physician's professional opinion, the potential benefits of the medical use of marijuana would likely outweigh the health risks for a qualifying patient.
The initiative protects physicians from being penalized under state law for advising a qualifying patient about the risks and benefits of the medical use of marijuana and providing a qualifying patient with documentation that the medical use of marijuana might be beneficial.
https://www.wsma.org/memresources/med_form.html
Finding a doctor
The Washington Department of Health does not refer patients to physicians or osteopaths for purposes of medical marijuana recommendations
Age limits
The Washington State Medical Marijuana Law specifies that the qualifying patient, if eighteen years of age or older, shall:
Meet all criteria for status as a qualifying patient;
Possess no more marijuana than is necessary for the patient's personal, medical use, not exceeding the amount necessary for a sixty-day supply; and
Present his or her valid documentation to any law enforcement official who questions the patient regarding his or her medical use of marijuana.
The qualifying patient, if under eighteen years of age, shall comply with the above. However, any possession under this subsection, as well as any production, acquisition, and decision as to dosage and frequency of use, shall be the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian of the qualifying patient.
Personal records
Americans for Safe Access recommends that patients keep a detailed record of their medical condition and the associated doctor's recommendation in case of any problems involving law enforcement. Patients should keep a copy both on their person and at their home for this purpose.
A patient of a medical or osteopathic physician licensed in the State of Washington;
Have a formal statement signed by the Washington-licensed provider or a copy of medical records, where the patient is diagnosed by that physician as having a terminal or debilitating illness mentioned in the language of the law;
A resident of the state of Washington at the time of diagnosis with proof of identity such as a Washington state driver's license or identicard; and
Advised by that physician of the risks and benefits of the medical use of marijuana.
If the patient qualifies under the above 4-part test, then the medical marijuana patient will be able to present valid documentation to any law enforcement official who might question that patient.
Registration
There is no registration process with the state of Washington. However, it is a class C felony to fraudulently produce any record purporting to be, or tamper with the content of any record for the purpose of having it accepted as, valid documentation under RCW 69.51A.010(5)(a).
Eligible medical conditions
The Act was designed to protect seriously ill and terminally ill patients. Terminal or debilitating medical condition means:
Cancer, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), multiple sclerosis, epilepsy or other seizure disorder, or spasticity disorders; or
Intractable pain, limited for the purpose of this chapter [69.51A RCW] to mean pain unrelieved by standard medical treatments and medications; or
Glaucoma, either acute or chronic, limited for the purpose of this chapter to mean increased intraocular pressure unrelieved by standard treatments and medications; or
Any other medical condition duly approved by the Washington State Medical Quality Assurance Commission. Since the passage of the initiative the Commission has added the following:
Crohn's Disease with debilitating symptoms unrelieved by standard treatments or medications;
Hepatitis C with debilitating nausea and/or intractable pain unrelieved by standard treatments or medications; and
Any disease, including anorexia, which results in nausea, vomiting, wasting, appetite loss, cramping, seizures, muscle spasms, and/or spasticity, when these symptoms are unrelieved by standard treatments.
Written certification must be provided to prove eligibility
The federal government classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug, which means that licensed medical practitioners cannot prescribe it. Your physician can only "recommend" the use of medical marijuana. There is nothing in the law that requires any physician to authorize the use of medical marijuana for a patient. They can only advise or not advise its use for your condition as described in Initiative 692. Physicians, applying professional standards of care, may inform and counsel terminally ill patients and the chronically ill as to the risks and benefits of marijuana as medicine.
The law defines valid documentation as a statement signed by the qualifying patient's physician, or a copy of the patient's pertinent medical records, which states that, in the physician's professional opinion, the potential benefits of the medical use of marijuana would likely outweigh the health risks for a qualifying patient.
The initiative protects physicians from being penalized under state law for advising a qualifying patient about the risks and benefits of the medical use of marijuana and providing a qualifying patient with documentation that the medical use of marijuana might be beneficial.
https://www.wsma.org/memresources/med_form.html
Finding a doctor
The Washington Department of Health does not refer patients to physicians or osteopaths for purposes of medical marijuana recommendations
Age limits
The Washington State Medical Marijuana Law specifies that the qualifying patient, if eighteen years of age or older, shall:
Meet all criteria for status as a qualifying patient;
Possess no more marijuana than is necessary for the patient's personal, medical use, not exceeding the amount necessary for a sixty-day supply; and
Present his or her valid documentation to any law enforcement official who questions the patient regarding his or her medical use of marijuana.
The qualifying patient, if under eighteen years of age, shall comply with the above. However, any possession under this subsection, as well as any production, acquisition, and decision as to dosage and frequency of use, shall be the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian of the qualifying patient.
Personal records
Americans for Safe Access recommends that patients keep a detailed record of their medical condition and the associated doctor's recommendation in case of any problems involving law enforcement. Patients should keep a copy both on their person and at their home for this purpose.
