How do I become a registered qualifying patient?
For a person to be determined a qualifying patient they must be diagnosed by a physician as having a debilitating medical condition. A debilitating medical condition is defined in MCR 333.101 (5) as:
(a) Cancer, glaucoma, positive status for human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, hepatitis C, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, agitation of Alzheimer’s disease, nail patella, or the treatment of these conditions.
(b) A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its treatment that produces, for a specific patient, 1 or more of the following: cachexia or wasting syndrome; severe and chronic pain; severe nausea; seizures, including but not limited to those characteristic of epilepsy; or severe and persistent muscle spasms, including but not limited to those characteristic of multiple sclerosis.
(c) Any other medical condition or treatment for a medical condition approved by the department pursuant to a petition submitted under R 333.133.
Written Certification from a Physician
The person must then get written certification from a physician in the course of a bona fide physician patient relationship stating the patients debilitating medical condition and that in the physician’s medical opinion the patient is likely to receive therapeutic relief or palliative benefit from the medical use of marihuana in order to alleviate the debilitating medical condition or the symptoms associated therewith. There are currently no checks and balances concerning the physician’s opinion that medical marihuana will benefit the patient in regards to their debilitating medical condition.
Apply for Registration
Qualifying patients then apply for registration which is determined by a review board commissioned by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. If the board finds that an individual qualifies for the program they issue that individual an identification card which is to remain in the patient’s possession. The card only has to be re-applied for yearly and no picture is contained therein. The card contains information on whether the person is allowed to possess marihuana plants, the qualified registered patient may choose to allow another person to become registered as their primary caregiver and thus allow that person to grow marihuana for them legally. Each qualifying patient is only allowed to designate one primary caregiver and each primary caregiver is allowed up to five qualifying patients.