Medical Cannabis
Certification for the Massachusetts Medical Use of Marijuana Program, coming to Yorkshire Rose Health.
How medical cannabis certification works
Massachusetts runs its Medical Use of Marijuana Program through the Cannabis Control Commission. There are four steps.
An evaluation with Helen
The state requires a clinical visit and a thorough assessment of your health and history before any certification.
Whether you have a qualifying condition
Massachusetts names cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, ALS, Crohn's disease, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis, and also allows other debilitating conditions, as determined by the certifying provider. A debilitating condition is one that causes weakness, wasting, intractable pain, or nausea to the point that it substantially limits major life activities.
Certification in the state system
If Helen certifies you, she does it electronically in the state's Medical Use of Marijuana Program Online System. A certification lasts no longer than one year.
Registering with the Cannabis Control Commission
You then register as a patient with the Commission. You must be 18 or older and a Massachusetts resident. There's no state fee to register, and you renew every year.
The official details are on the Cannabis Control Commission's website.
What to expect
Certification isn't guaranteed. It depends on Helen's clinical judgment after she's evaluated you, and she'll explain her reasoning either way.
Cost
Once we launch, an initial certification visit will be $150, and annual recertification will be $100.
Both are paid out of pocket, because insurance doesn't cover cannabis certification. There's no state fee to register with the Cannabis Control Commission.
Common questions
Can Helen certify me now?
Which conditions qualify in Massachusetts?
Is certification guaranteed?
Who can register with the state?
This page is general information, not medical advice. Whether you're eligible for certification is decided at a visit with Helen Hardy, APRN, FNP-BC.