Medical Marijuana Patients Don’t Have to Wait for Dispensaries
Boston, MA (PRWEB) September 30, 2013 -- The Massachusetts Department of Public Health just announced that 158 of the 181 applicants for Registered Marijuana Dispensary licenses have made it to Phase 2 of the review process. “That’s good news,” says Joseph Dioguardi, CEO of The Holistic Center, “but it doesn’t provide relief now for patients with painful, debilitating medical conditions.”
Joseph Dioguardi says that based on how long the process is taking, “it will undoubtedly be January before the State decides who will get licenses” for up to 35 non-profit Registered Marijuana Dispensaries. Then, he says, “the dispensaries are not likely to open before May.”
The really good news, says Mr. Dioguardi, is that “patients suffering from Cancer, HIV/AIDS, Crohn’s, Hepatitis C, seizures and other debilitating, chronic conditions don’t have to wait.” They can go to a medical marijuana evaluation facility, like The Holistic Center, to receive a medical marijuana certificate.
With their certificates, patients can legally grow or possess up to 10 ounces of medical marijuana, regardless of how they obtain it. Patients can also go to states with medical marijuana dispensaries, like Maine or Rhode Island, to legally purchase up to 10 ounces of medical cannabis.
A medical marijuana evaluation at The Holistic Center is simple and non-invasive. Their board-certified physicians are trained in pain management and committed to the concept that marijuana is serious medicine. One of their doctors reviews a patient’s current medical records and recent information and conducts a question and answer session with the patient in order to make a determination. Patients that qualify don’t have to wait; they receive a medical marijuana certificate at the end of the evaluation.
Once the Department of Public Health has the mechanisms in place to issue medical marijuana registration cards, The Holistic Center will assist their patients in obtaining those cards. Until then, a medical marijuana certificate from The Holistic Center is valid registration for the limited possession and cultivation of medical marijuana.
Mr. Dioguardi cautioned that if a patient with a medical marijuana certificate decides to cultivate medical marijuana, the new state regulations say they must do so in an enclosed, locked area which can only be accessed by the qualified patient or their designated caregiver.
Joseph Dioguardi says that while “it is necessary for the State to take the time to be thorough in vetting applicants” for the Registered Marijuana Dispensary licenses, “it is not necessary for patients seeking relief from their disorders to wait.” Patients can get a medical marijuana certificate from The Holistic Center, now.
Massachusetts residents who want to take advantage of a holistic approach to relieving the chronic pain and other symptoms of their illnesses with medical cannabis can get more information and make an appointment for a medical marijuana evaluation by contacting The Holistic Center, 1505 Commonwealth Avenue, Suite 315, Brighton. 800-557-5699. http://www.THCevaluation.com.
Richard Comenzo, The Holistic Center, http://www.thcevaluation.com, +1 (617) 505-1491, [email protected]
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