It may be common for prospective patients to find a new doctor who is more open to the idea of certifying a patient for medical marijuana, especially in the first year of the program here in Missouri. Your regular family physician may be uncomfortable with the idea. Perhaps you’re a veteran and your doctor at the VA Hospital can’t, by policy, certify you for medicinal cannabis. Whatever the case, there is good news for you.
There is no language from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) that would bar a licensed medical doctor from certifying a patient on their very first visit. In other words, there seems to be no requirement for an ‘existing relationship’ with a particular physician. This is great for patients, especially our veterans!
However, that does open the door for so-called ‘drug seekers.’ Be sensitive to this and be ready to talk about why your usual physician isn’t willing to certify you. Always be honest with your doctor, so they can help you in the best way possible. Also, when visiting a new doctor for the purposes of certification, be sure to bring documentation that confirms your diagnosis for a qualifying condition. This will expedite the process of receiving a certification since the physician now shouldn’t have to go through a diagnosis all over again.
As for actually finding a willing doctor, start local first. It’ll be more convenient and it would allow you to make regular appointments to discuss your medical marijuana therapy when possible. So call around to the local clinics. Small, privately owned clinics might be a good place to start since they have less management overhead to worry about. Be direct when you call the office and ask, “Are there any physicians at your clinic who would be willing to discuss a medical marijuana patient certification?” If they aren’t sure, wish them a good day and tell them that you’ll call back in a few days and ask the same question.
You can also look for a Missouri clinic that specializes in medicinal marijuana. Since April 2019, they’ve been popping up. It appears they’re primarily in the metropolitan areas for now, so some travel may be required. Be sure to follow their instructions in order to be prepared. Also be prepared to pay no more than $200 out of pocket for the visit and understand that there is no guarantee of a certification.
Listing of clinics in Missouri offering Medical Marijuana evaluations from MarijuanaDoctors.com
Further reading:
The Missourian
19 CSR 30-95.030 Qualifying Patient / Primary Caregiver (DHSS draft rule)
19 CSR 30-95.110 Physicians (DHSS draft rule)