The state of West Virginia has offered a favorable deal to residents interested in getting medical marijuana cards, reported Metro News. The offer, which ended on June 30 this year, sought to give a three-year validity on patient cards to encourage West Virginians to enroll in the program. The offer resulted in the registration of 2,305 patients by the deadline based on data by the state’s Department of Health and Human Resources.
The cards for the newly launched program for the recently approved medical marijuana market in the state would originally expire within one year. The offer provides a two-year extension to the original validity period.
The department came up with the extension offer to measure public interest in medical marijuana, according to State Health Dr. Ayne Amjad. She remarked, “We want people to register early so our dispensaries can get an idea of how many patients in West Virginia are wanting to have medical cannabis available.”
The doctor revealed that the initial number of registrants was low perhaps due to doubts as to when the medical marijuana program will start in addition to the short validity period of the card.
Amjad further explained, “We know patients maybe weren’t doing that (signing up) because they weren’t sure. We think offering these incentives will make patients more comfortable that they won’t have to spend more money going back to the doctor (to be certified).”
Aside from the two-year extension offer which ended on June 30, the state department also has a one-year extension offer for those who will be able to register by September 30, giving them a total of two years validity. After this promo, MMJ card registrants who submit their applications on October 1 and onward will receive a validity period of only one year.
West Virginians who are interested in getting a medical marijuana card should be eligible for the program. To qualify, they must have a serious medical condition as specified in the state’s Medical Cannabis Act which was signed into law on April 19, 2017.
As per the West Virginia Health and Human Resources Bureau for Public Health, the qualifying conditions are cancer, position status for human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity, epilepsy, neuropathies, Huntington’s disease, Crohn’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, intractable seizures, sickle cell anemia, severe chronic or intractable neuropathic pain or severe chronic or intractable pain, and terminal illness with a medical prognosis of one year or less life expectancy.
To get their hands on a medical marijuana card, patients should secure a doctor’s approval. Eligible residents can get a card by visiting the West Virginia Health and Human Resources Bureau for Public Health website, accomplish the registration form, enter their information, verify their account, and attach documentation. Some of the needed documents include passport digital photo, photo ID, proof of residency, and Patient Certification. Applicants can incur fees for the application.
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