Minor Qualifying

[Tanoth]

I am 16 years old, or course i live in MI. But i suffer from what only can be concluded as serve and chronic pain. Back in 2011 i dislocated my shoulder and broke the cartilage. I later had 4 disolveable pins put in and did 3 months of hard physical therapy. Never helped. Went back to doctors because i felt something was still wrong because the amount of pain i have doing reagular activitys. We did xrays and another set of mri's. Well after about a week we get called and nothing is wrong but he sent me to another round of physical therapy. I dont take ibuprofen anymore because it doesnt help. Ive taken stronger meds, which have helped, but ive been having stomach problems so ive stopped taking those. I started smoking marijuana for the pain, which has helped alot. It is instant relieve for the pain. My mother knows i smoke for the pain and she is kind of okay with it. I am just tired of having to smoke in secret in the shed (mom doesnt let me smoke in the house because my little brother) afraid the cops or neighbors are going to just walk on in.

 

How would i go about getting a medical marijuana card? if i could even qualify for a card.And how could i go about talking with my mom and doctors about getting a card?

[trichcycler]

welcome to the forum. You won't need to talk to your physician at all, but you will need a copy of this year's visits.

Google a marijuana certification center nearest you, make an appointment, and let them know you are a minor with medical records in hand.

They most likely will not accept insurance as payment, usually around 100$. The physician should evaluate your condition thoroughly

and discuss your current cannabis and its affects with you. He will make a recommendation based upon his experience and guide you

through the state process.

 

good luck to you and your family and I hope your pain stays in the past.

[Petyr]

Minors need 2 doctor's recommendations rather than the normal one.  Also, their parent/legal guardian needs to be their caregiver.

[trichcycler]

good points ^^^^^^

 

for a list of the laws, procedures and even a section for minors info, see http://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154-35299_63294_63303_51869---,00.html

[Tanoth]

Now if i go to my Primary Doctor for one of the recommendations, how would i go about asking for a recommendation?

[Kingdiamond]

Now if i go to my Primary Doctor for one of the recommendations, how would i go about asking for a recommendation?

Tell your primary that you choose to use natural cannabis instead of opiate based pain killers more than likely they will refuse so you might need to find a clinic with multiple Dr's on staff to get your recommendation isn't there something else like parental permission also needed for this to clear the state fellas ?

[t-pain]

does your doctor work for a hospital or other related medical group, or does he have his own practice?

some doctors are under strict manager orders to drop all marijuana patients or to not recommend marijuana.

 

has your doctor offered to prescribe any pain meds for you? it sounds like not, if you've been taking ibuprofin?

i wonder if he would even prescribe pain meds? he sent you to phys therapy twice now.

 

its harder for minors, doctors will try everything they can before they resort to pain medications.

 

the best way i can think of to ask is: if you say someone at school shattered his pelvis, and got a medical marijuana card for the pain. ask your doctor if he thinks medical marijuana actually works.

 

that way you wont be admitting anything, you're just asking your doc if medical marijuana is a viable treatment for that kid at school.  dont admit to anything if he asks if you smoke! just say you wonder if hes just doing it to get high and bragging about it.

 

be warned, as a minor, your parents have to sign your application form.

your parents have to be your caregivers.

you're going to have to have a sit down and talk with them. no getting around it.

 

i made some tips up for another minor who asked similar questions. i'll dig up that post for you.

Edited October 23, 2013 by t-pain

[t-pain]

note that my posts here are not encouraging minors or anyone else to use medical marijuana.

this advice was to another poster who is 18 now. and also this is not legal advice.

 

the way i'd do it might not be the best. so i wont recommend it. basically its 'sink or swim'. its a long reply, i hope you dont get bored.

work with your doctor and make sure he/she is interested in documenting your mmj pain relief and any side effects. see if you can get your general doctor to also be ok with you using mmj. show your parents A PICTURE of the medical marijuana (yes, people can be frightened of a plant), show them the list of side effects from the pain medication you take side by side with the side effects from marijuana and find out what they say. tell them how the pain meds work versus medical marijuana for you (instantly, after 3 hours, full pain relief, no pain relief, etc). ask them whats more important to them, your pain relief or marijuana? if you havent, let them know the extent of the pain you feel, describe it as accurately and descriptive as possible. then tell them what it feels like after you medicate with mmj.

bonus is if you have a really nice doctor, get the doctor and your parents in the same room, and have your doctor explain how he thinks this may help you better than opiates. having an authority , the doctor may be able to convince. other people who maybe able to convince your parents are other family members or friends of your parents who use mmj. even a mmj friendly religion employee (priest, rabbi, cleric, nun, etc) can help, at least dissuade fears of 'going to hell' for 'smoking the reefer'. if you or your parents are religious anyways.

but be responsible about medical marijuana, and lay out the rules for your medication. which includes never taking it to school. never using it around friends, or bragging about it to friends or anyone, never sharing your medication with anyone. how you will be a safe driver at all times, and that you will call for a ride or get a taxi if you arent able to drive safely. also that you will only smoke outside and not in the house (and never in the car) if your parents wish. that you will try to use medibles if they work better than smoking/vaporizing for you. also that you can start it off as a trial, and that if it affects your concentration, life, personality, or school grades, you will stop using it. offer to only use it under their supervision if they wish. if they agree to it, they will get bored, and you can start harassing them by watching them take their medications .

be polite and articulate. the worst thing your parents can say is say no, or disown you haha. reherse what you are going to say, dont be nervous. expect some strong feelings from yourself (yes, you may get angry and or cry) and your parents (they may also get angry and or cry). they've had brainwashing propaganda like the reefer madness film all of their life, its hard to change that in a day. do not get into a shouting match, wait for others to speak, and reply accordingly. if tensions flare too much, ask that your discussion can continue later when everyone can cool off. if you do not know of an answer to their question, be sure to tell them that and that you will research it. maybe even offer them to meet with a mmj patient. who can say no to an aids or cancer patient using mmj? you may have to ask an oncologist about meeting with a mmj patient...

print out a copy of the mmj law, its not very long. show them the sections that protect the patient from harassment, penalties, and protect them from penalties if they are found near a patient who is medicating.

good luck, and if you have any other questions, please ask!
if you go through with it, let us know how it went and what helped, worked and didnt work. there are many people like you who need help and your experience can help them.

Edited October 23, 2013 by t-pain

[trichcycler]

sometimes after learning of your marijuana choice a primary physician can refuse to treat you with conventional treatments also. don't ever mention it to your primary doctor if you're not going to be taking anyother meds from him. otherwise he should know,

[t-pain]

it would be wise to have the doctor leave mmj out of his chart.

if he ever had to move or change docs, that mmj chart will harm future doctor patient relationships.