While recreational marijuana is still illegal in Texas, many patients can benefit from medical cannabis.
Unlike other states with medical marijuana programs, Texas does not issue physical cards. Instead, your physician will register you with CURT and validate your prescription.
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Schedule an Appointment with a Medical Marijuana Doctor
If you suffer from chronic symptoms that affect your quality of life, cannabis might be a safe option for managing your condition. Medical marijuana can treat conditions such as nerve pain, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease. It has fewer adverse effects than other pain relievers like opioids.
A doctor licensed to prescribe medical marijuana can help you get the most out of your treatment plan. If you’re interested in meeting with a physician who can help you find the right strains and doses for your unique situation, DocMJ offers both in-person and virtual appointments.
It’s also important to note that the Compassionate Use Act requires a valid government ID when purchasing cannabis. You must recertify your card each year by seeing a licensed physician. Once your physician enters your medical marijuana prescription into CURT, you can choose a dispensary and purchase your medicine.
Fill out the Online Evaluation Form
A partnering physician will then contact you to schedule an in-person or virtual medical marijuana evaluation. The physician will ask about your health history and conduct a physical exam to determine whether medicinal marijuana can help with your symptoms.
During the appointment, the physician will also ask about any other treatments or medications you’re taking. Then they will prescribe low-THC cannabis. The doctor will then upload the prescription to CURT, the state’s registration system for medical marijuana patients.
Then, if you’re under 18, your parents or legal guardian can apply for a medical marijuana card on your behalf. In Texas, minors cannot apply for their cards.
The prescription will remain valid for a year after it’s been entered into the CURT database. Then you’ll need to renew your medical marijuana card in Texas by visiting a doctor again. Veriheal will contact you when your card expires and help you book a consultation with an in-person physician.
Get a Medical Marijuana Recommendation
While the process of obtaining your medical marijuana card may vary slightly from state to state, most require that you create an online account with the form and submit an online physician’s approval. This is typically done through the CURT platform, which allows physicians to issue diagnoses and prescriptions for medicinal cannabis.
Many physicians recommend cannabis to patients suffering from PTSD, anxiety and depression or chronic pain. Medical marijuana offers safer alternatives for pain management than opioids, which can be addictive and have a higher risk of overdose.
During your consultation, the physician will evaluate your symptoms and determine whether cannabis is appropriate for managing them. Once approved, they will register your details with CURT so dispensaries can validate your prescription. Once your certification expires, Veriheal will contact you to help you schedule a renewal consultation. You’ll need to see your physician each year to be recertified.
Register with CURT
After a physician confirms a patient is eligible for medical marijuana in Texas, they will register them with CURT. This system is where all medical marijuana prescriptions are recorded. It is also accessible to dispensary staff to verify patients’ medications and help them purchase low-THC cannabis products.
Those who qualify for medical marijuana in Texas must have one of the following health conditions:
Neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease, Spinal Muscular Atrophy)
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), chronic pain, and nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy. The state is currently working on expanding its medical marijuana program to include more health conditions. Medical marijuana was recently added to a list of permitted treatments for military veterans in the state. This is a great step towards decriminalizing cannabis for veterans. It will reduce the penalties for possessing 1 ounce of cannabis or less and allow for expungement of prior convictions.
Get a Registration Card
Once a physician has approved a patient, they will enter their prescription into the Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT). Once this happens, patients or their legal guardians can go to a dispensary and purchase medical marijuana in the state.
Those with qualifying conditions such as cancer, severe and chronic pain, seizures, nausea, or post-traumatic stress disorder can receive a low-THC medication called cannabis to help alleviate their symptoms. In addition, a patient with a neurodegenerative condition such as Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease may qualify to receive cannabis products.
Recreational marijuana is still illegal in Texas, and it is possible to get arrested for possessing one ounce or less of cannabis flower or concentrates without a medical marijuana card. It would help if you visited a doctor for an evaluation regularly to ensure your medical marijuana is working for you.
Visit a Dispensary
If you live in Texas and have a medical condition that qualifies you for marijuana treatment, you can visit a dispensary to purchase low-THC cannabis. However, you must first see a physician for an online evaluation and receive a recommendation.
After your appointment, the physician will enter your information into CURT (Compassionate Use Registry of Texas). Then, you can go to any registered dispensary and have them validate your prescription through CURT.
The CURT system is a secure database that keeps medical marijuana patient information private. It is not accessible to the general public or the media. Even the doctors who recommend medical marijuana do not know who buys their product from the dispensaries. This is because of the tussle between state and federal law regarding the sale of marijuana. Most credit card companies are still wary of risking criminal prosecution by facilitating these transactions.
