How to Apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in Oregon

Now that cannabis is getting cleared for medicinal use, people are scrambling to get their hands on a new type of "green card." Oregon is, for the most part, no exception to this rule.

In order to use cannabis in many states, you need to have a special card that proves you can buy the herb responsibly in a dispensary. If you live in Oregon, you have probably already heard of the recent boom in dispensaries popping up across the state.

Though you can always get recreational marijuana in this state, you should still know how to apply for a medical marijuana card in Oregon. After all, it can help you get better medical care in the long run.

There's a few things to know before you start filling out paperwork.

I want to emphasize that you do not need to apply for a medical marijuana card in Oregon as long as you just want to recreationally smoke. State laws allow anyone over the age of 21 to go to a licensed dispensary and purchase some bud for their use.

That said, if you have a legitimate medical condition, it's still worth applying for a card. One requirement you should know before you even book a doctor's appointment is that you need to be a state resident if you want to apply for a medical marijuana card in Oregon.

Sorry out-of-staters! You need to stick to the recreational stuff.

Now that we've cleared that up, let's talk about your condition.

Just like with any other place, you're going to need some time talking to your doctor about medical marijuana if you want them to vouch for you. If you want to apply for a medical marijuana card in Oregon, you will need a specialized doctor that works at a licensed marijuana clinic to vouch for you.

Before you even try to put pen on paper, search up some local clinics in your area. Trust me, there are probably more than you'd expect there to be.

You also will need to figure out what you want your cannabis to treat.

A medical card in Oregon is a lot of paperwork to do. If you're going to apply for your green card, you better have a condition that you want to treat in mind. Some of the conditions that qualify for medical cannabis include:

• Cancer
• Glaucoma
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• GERD
• Epilepsy
• Chronic Pain
• HIV/AIDS

There are tons of other qualifying conditions that you could look into, including things like PTSD from serving in the United States Armed Forces. It's a good idea to ask your primary care physician about them to see if there are other conditions that will land you a medical marijuana card.

Next, you will need to make sure there's a record of your medical issue.

State laws require you to visit your primary care physician several times with the sole intent of discussing your qualifying condition. So, if you haven't gone to the doctor recently, now is the time to start seeking out treatment.

Most card providers will only accept applicants who have been to their primary care provider at least three times. That said, the more you visit, the more likely you will get approval.

If you already have medical records that prove you could benefit from medical marijuana strains for common conditions, then you should probably call up your provider and tell them to fax the records to the clinic of your choice.

Your next stop is the clinic.

At your specialist's office, you will need to fill out a bunch of paperwork. This includes patient intake, information about your condition, any issues you may have with your health, as well as an application for the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program card.

This is really the point where you apply for a medical marijuana card in Oregon. Everything else is just prep work for it.

You should expect to have some kind of consultation with your specialist.

Let's be honest, the OMMP card program is going to be a little involved since marijuana is still a federally-controlled substance. To get that card, you will need to have a consultation with a doctor who will determine whether your condition is actually worth giving a card to.

The good news is that most doctors are pretty understanding when it comes to the benefits of medical marijuana. You won't get grilled or judged for asking for it. You will have a physical examination as part of your consultation, though.

Once your doctor speaks to you, they will fill out their paperwork discussing your candidacy.

Doctors have a major say in whether or not you get an OMMP card. So, hopefully you made a good case to your doctor. They will then send in their suggestions to the boards, where it will get reviewed.

This procedure can take a couple of days to a couple of weeks, depending on what the wait time is in your area. Overall though, it shouldn't be that long. If you have all the qualifications necessary, the medical board will contact you with news of your approval.

If the board needs more information, they'll contact you or your doctor.

In some cases, a small detail can make or break your ability to successfully apply for a medical marijuana card in Oregon. Thankfully, this state is actually fairly lenient when it comes to application statuses.

If you're missing some information or just need another signature, they'll send it back asking for more. Your specialist will be able to help you out in this case, and you'll be able to resubmit with no trouble afterward.

Once you're approved, you will get the card in the mail.

You really have little to worry about when it comes to your application status. Most people who apply for an OMMP card will get them eventually—even if they take multiple tries to get it.

In most cases, you'll be able to flash your card at a dispensary within a week or two of getting the "acceptance call." The card typically arrives by mail.

Of course, there's still a silver lining if you are rejected.

Though you could always apply for a medical marijuana card in Oregon's lenient health care world, sometimes things just don't work out. Luckily, there's no reason to fret; you still can buy cannabis at a dispensary in this state.

It's one of the perks of being a resident of a recreational use state.