Missouri medical marijuana patients near major milestone; many doctors still banned from certifying patients

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ST. LOUIS, MO (KMOV) – Missouri sees growing interest in medical marijuana as pharmacies open almost weekly in the St. Louis area. The latest data from the state shows 99,225 patients have been approved for medical marijuana cards.

There are currently 92 pharmacies open across the state with an additional 100 to follow. Potential patients are increasingly interested in new pharmacies like Swade Cannabis in the Grove or Kind Goods in Fenton, where a grand opening is taking place this weekend.

“I’m interested in getting one,” said Donna Harper, who has had arthritis pain in her hands for five years. “It was a little confusing, you can’t just call your doctor and get a card. So you have to go online somewhere and follow some links. “

That’s because Missouri legalized medical marijuana for a list of certain medical conditions back in 2018, but marijuana is still illegal at the federal level and some hospitals don’t allow their doctors to certify patients.

According to SSM Hospital, doctors can certify some patients, but they must have a pre-existing and long-term relationship with a doctor. At Mercy, however, their doctors are not allowed to certify patients.

“Our policy states that Mercy and non-Mercy doctors who practice in a Mercy facility may not be able to certify patients for medical marijuana,” the policy states on Mercy’s website.

It explains why they made this decision: “Our goal in developing the guideline is to support safe and effective evidence-based care that complies with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations.”

This attitude can make it difficult for patients who qualify under the law to know where to turn. “I actually got a little frustrated. Young and old who come up to me and say how we can get our patient card? “Stated Drew Lammert, the CEO of Kind Goods. They open pharmacies in Fenton, Manchester and St. Peters and work with NuggMD, a telehealth program, to help their potential patients.

According to NuggMD, they charge $ 99 for an examination with a Missouri licensed doctor who will “listen to your concerns and help you find the best treatment plan for your conditions.”

In Missouri, you must meet one of several conditions to qualify for a card. Click here for the full list.

A reminder that only the Ministry of Health can issue cards. A doctor issues a certificate, and then a patient has to apply to the state. The process of obtaining a card can take up to a month.

The state is seeing an increase in applications as more pharmacies open and more people learn about the options available. That’s why people like Donna Harper wish it was easier to work through the certification process.

“You have to give them information about yourself, so I think people should be careful about how they find out how to do this,” she said.

Experts say making sure the doctor is certified is important and it is a good idea to ask friends of other patients for a referral to make sure you are working with a legitimate doctor.

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