New York no longer mails a plastic card. See how to get certified for medical cannabis online, reviewed by a NY practitioner within 15 minutes.
If you are searching for a medical cannabis card in New York, here is the first thing to know. New York no longer issues a plastic card. What you receive instead is a signed certification that carries your registry ID number, and it works the moment you have it. You can be certified fully online by a New York certified practitioner, and you can buy at a licensed dispensary the same day.
Cannabis is not prescribed. It is a Schedule I substance under federal law, so no practitioner in any state can write a prescription for it. What a New York practitioner can do is certify you and recommend the best form of cannabis and how to use it. That is a different thing, and it is legally protected.
The whole process is a conversation, not a form to survive. You answer some questions, and a New York certified practitioner reviews what you send, guaranteed within 15 minutes. If medical cannabis is right for you, your certification is issued and sent to you to download or print, and there is no waiting period between being certified and buying.
Tell a New York certified practitioner about your symptoms, your history, what you have already tried, and how you would prefer to take it. You can do all of this online. Have a government-issued photo ID ready (passport, state photo ID, or driver's license), because you will need it at the dispensary later.
A practitioner certified by New York State reviews your history and decides whether medical cannabis is clinically appropriate for you, and we guarantee that review happens within 15 minutes. It is a real clinical decision, not a rubber stamp, which is why nobody can honestly promise you an outcome in advance.
If you are certified, the practitioner submits it electronically, signs it, and sends it to you. Your registry ID number is on it. You are registered with the state automatically, at no cost, with no separate application to file. New York stopped issuing plastic registry ID cards, so nothing arrives in the mail. Your signed certification is your card, and you can show it on your phone.
Take your certification and a government-issued photo ID to any licensed New York medical dispensary. There is no waiting period. Every dispensary has a pharmacist on site to help you choose a product.
New York does not publish a list of qualifying conditions. You may be certified for any condition your practitioner considers clinically appropriate. That is the law, not a loophole. The state names some conditions as common, and says the list is not exhaustive, including chronic pain, neuropathy, cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and certain other conditions. If your condition is not among those, it does not disqualify you. Tell us what is going on and a practitioner will tell you honestly whether this is the right fit.
There is no minimum age to be certified. Patients under 18, and patients unable to consent to their own care, can be certified, but they need one designated caregiver who is registered at the same time.
Two ways to get certified, and a New York practitioner reviews you first either way.
$80 for the Limited Treatment Plan. If approved, you will receive a 90 day medical cannabis certificate with 7 days a week support. Perfect for first time patients who are trying it out.
Or $90 for the Unlimited Membership. If approved, you will receive a 1 year medical cannabis certificate with 7 days a week support, plus unlimited prescriptions, lab tests, imaging orders, letters and referrals with same day care, cancel anytime, no fees. Perfect for established patients looking for full care.
New York charges no state fee to become a patient. Cannabis itself is bought separately at the dispensary.
Using cannabis medically does not mean smoking, and it does not have to mean getting high. New York dispensaries carry capsules and tablets, tinctures and oral sprays, lozenges and oral powder, transdermal patches, vape cartridges and pens, and whole flower for vaporization. Every dispensary must carry at least one product that is low in THC and high in CBD, and at least one with an equal ratio of THC to CBD. A certified patient can buy up to a 60-day supply at a time, within any limits your practitioner sets.
Medical cannabis has not been analyzed by the US Food and Drug Administration, and it may not be right for everyone. Tell your practitioner about every condition you have and everything else you take, including prescriptions and herbal supplements, before you start, because they can change how cannabis affects you. If you ever take more than you meant to, the effects are temporary. Hydrate, rest, breathe, and call someone you trust. For a serious reaction call 911. For something that is not an emergency, the Poison Center is (800) 222-1222, including if a pet gets into it.
We are built for exactly this. A chat-based conversation, reviewed by a New York certified practitioner within 15 minutes, with no appointment to book and no waiting room. The difference is that you do not just get a certificate. You get the certificate plus a recommendation that fits you.
If a letter for your employer or your FSA or HSA is what you actually need, that is a different service. See how to get a letter of medical necessity online. If you searched for a medical marijuana card in New York, that is the same thing described here under a different name.
Tell us what is going on. A New York practitioner will tell you whether medical cannabis is right for you, and if it is, what to actually start with.
This certification is issued by a New York State certified practitioner and is not a prescription. Certification does not guarantee that medical cannabis is right for you. Always follow your practitioner's guidance and the label on any product you buy.
Reviewed by PA Michael Rubio, US Medical Director
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