How to get a New York Medical Cannabis Card

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Do you qualify for a medical cannabis card?

Are you at least 18 years of age (or are you a minor with an adult caregiver and practitioner certification from a practitioner)?
Are you a legal resident of New York with proof of residency or are you being treated in New York for the condition for which you are seeking medical cannabis?
Have you been diagnosed with one of the qualifying conditions?
Has a practitioner certified that you have a qualifying condition, and have you established a bona fide relationship with that practitioner?

Apply online for your New York medical cannabis card.

You can apply for a medical cannabis card online at the New York State Department of Health.

Apply now

What to need to complete your online application:

Practitioner certification form
Fee (if applicable)
ID number from your New York State Driver's License or New York State Non-Driver ID Card
Designated caregiver information and caregiver card fee (if applicable)

See what conditions qualify for a medical cannabis card in New York.

Qualifying Conditions

Children

Every patient deserves the best possible care. Find out more about certifying a child for medical cannabis use.

Veterans

Live your best life. See what’s needed to obtain your certification as a veteran.

Talking To Your Practitioner

What you need to know before talking to your practitioner. Make your practitioner a part of your care plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Patients seeking access to medical cannabis should first go to their treating practitioner. If a patient's treating practitioner is not already registered with the Department to certify patients for medical cannabis, information regarding practitioner registration can be found on the Department's website: Practitioner Education for the Medical Marijuana Program.

Once you possess a certification from a registered practitioner, you must register with the Medical Marijuana program through the Department's online Patient Registration System. After your registration is approved, you will be issued a Temporary Registry Identification Card, which may be used in conjunction with a government issued photo identification card until you receive your registry identification card in the mail.

After your registration is approved you will be issued a Temporary Registry Identification Card, which may be used in conjunction with government-issued photo identification until you receive your registry identification card in the mail. Please allow approximately seven business days to receive your Patient or Caregiver Registry ID Card.

Log into your https://my.ny.gov account, select "Health Applications," and then the "Medical Marijuana Data Management System." Click on the three white lines on the top-left side of the screen. Select the "My Temporary Card" option from the drop-down menu. Select the blue link to open and print your temporary ID card.

The patient's certifying practitioner must include the following information on the patient's certification: the authorized brand and form of the approved medical cannabis, the administration method, and any limitations on the use of approved medical cannabis product. If a practitioner has a recommendation regarding dosage, it should also be included on the certification, although a recommendation on dosage is not required. Moreover, the total amount of product that may be dispensed may not exceed a thirty-day supply.

The regulations do not require a patient to try opioids first. Any condition for which an opioid could be prescribed qualifies as a condition to receive medical cannabis. The patient must be certified by a registered practitioner for this new qualifying condition and register with the New York State Department of Health to obtain a registry ID card in order to purchase medical cannabis products.

Yes. Patients have the option to use medical cannabis instead of, or in conjunction with, opioids for post-operative pain management. Patients must be certified by a registered practitioner and registered with the New York State Department of Health's Medical Marijuana Program. Patients may wish to check with the facility where the surgery will be performed regarding their policies and procedures as it relates to use of medical cannabis while in the facility.

There is no regulation that prohibits the concurrent use of opioids and medical cannabis. The decision of appropriate therapy will be at the discretion of the registered practitioner certifying the patient.

Yes. Any condition for which an opioid could be prescribed qualifies for the use of medical cannabis. This includes Opioid-Use Disorder, so long as the patient is concurrently enrolled in a treatment program certified pursuant to Article 32 of the Mental Hygiene Law.

A patient who is registered with the program must first designate you as a caregiver during the patient registration process. After the patient's registration has been approved by the Department, the caregiver(s) must register with the Department. The patient will have access to instructions for caregiver registration. To register with the Department as a designated caregiver, you must be a resident of New York State and have a valid New York State Driver's License or New York State Non-Driver ID card. You can find detailed instructions on the registration process, by visiting: Designated Caregiver Information

Have Questions? We’ve Got Answers

No matter your level of comfort or knowledge with medical cannabis, we can help answer your questions. Our friendly Patient Care Representatives are happy to talk.

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