Pain Relief
The legalization of medical marijuana in New Jersey is poised to help patients with chronic pain get the relief they need. This alternative form of medication can be beneficial for patients who are not responding to traditional treatment or finding traditional treatment ineffective. Despite being legal in New Jersey, marijuana is still considered a controlled dangerous substance or a ‘schedule 1’ drug. This means there are a couple hoops to jump through to gain access to medical marijuana in New Jersey. The first step is to obtain medical marijuana certification. This certification is offered by licensed physicians and can only be issued for certain conditions. Certification can be done online through a registered physician’s office website or on a telemed visit.
Eligible Medical Conditions
The New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, as per Senate Bill 119 provides legal protection for patients who have received medical marijuana certification for specific medical conditions. These include the following:
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Anxiety
- Chronic Pain (Of Visceral Origin or Related to Musculoskeletal Disorders)
- Crohn’s Disease
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
- Migraine
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Opioid Dependence
- Terminal Cancer
- Terminal Illness (with a prognosis of fewer than 12 months of life)
- Tourette’s Syndrome
Patients who have the following conditions, and all traditional medications and therapies have proven ineffective may also qualify for medical marijuana certification.
- Glaucoma
- Intractable Skeletal Muscular Spasticity
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Seizure Disorder (Including Epilepsy)
Cancer patients or patients that are positive for AIDS or HIV that are experiencing severe or chronic pain, severe nausea or vomiting, cachexia, or wasting syndrome as a result of the condition or its treatment are also eligible to receive medical marijuana certification.
Additional Eligibility Requirements
In addition to being afflicted with any of the above-mentioned conditions, there are other requirements to receive medical marijuana certification.
- The patient must have been diagnosed with one of the qualifying medical conditions listed above by a certified physician.
- Qualified patients must be eighteen years of age or older. If the patient is a minor under the age of eighteen, an adult must be designated as the legal guardian and must obtain written confirmation from a physician trained in Pediatrics as well as a Psychiatrist.
- Qualified patients must have a valid, unexpired Driver’s License or Identification Card issued by the state of New Jersey.
- Qualified patients must be New Jersey residents and provide proof of residency. Acceptable documents are a utility bill dated within the last ninety days or any correspondence with the IRS or New Jersey State Tax Office within the last year.
- Upon certification, the patient must register with the New Jersey Medical Marijuana Program Patient Registry. The normal registration fee is $100. Senior citizens, military veterans, and NJ residents receiving SNAP, TDI, SSI & SSD Benefits as well as those enrolled in Medicaid may be eligible for a reduced application fee of $20.
- Once approved, the qualified patient will be notified and the patient’s Medical Marijuana Identification Card will be issued. Should the application be denied, NJ Medical Marijuana Program will follow up with instructions to amend the patient’s application.
Medical Marijuana Certification at Vive
Vive Aesthetics and Wellness is proud to add medical marijuana certification to their list of services. This alternative form of treatment can provide relief to those who suffer from pain resulting from any of the eligible medical conditions. Patients who are unable to tolerate the traditional treatments for the eligible conditions may also benefit from the use of medical marijuana.
Unlike some of our aesthetic and wellness services, medical marijuana certification can only be issued by a registered physician. Appointments for certification must be made with Dr.Pinto. These can be done in the office or over the phone. Contact us today to find out if you qualify for medical marijuana certification.
