After passing proposition 215 in 1996 California physicians were allowed to recommend cannabis to their patients… and patients are allowed to possess to 8oz of medicine and grow up to 12 plants for personal use. I am often asked by people who are unaware of the law exactly what qualifies a patient to use cannabis as a medicine.

Fortunately, in 1996, California voters passed an incredible proposition ( 215) allowing doctors to recommend cannabis to their patients and for patients in California to use cannabis medicinally. Unfortunately they passed what may be the most ridiculous and difficult to understand guidelines for collectives/dispensaries to provide patients their medicine.

Proposition 215 allowed medical doctors to recommend the use of cannabis to their patients to relieve their symptoms. 14 years later this poor proposition has been raped and beaten worse then Hedda Nussbaum (see wikipedia for you non New Yorkers). It’s integrity has been stripped to its core. Greed and crime has taken over. It has been so abused by the professionals who intended to use it in their scope of practice that it has almost become a joke in California.

As medical director for medical cannabis of southern california I am well aware that many recreational users are taking advantage of Proposition 215 to use and cultivate. Unfortunately, recreational uses can walk into a physicians office and show them evidence that they one fractured their ankle or once spoke to their doctor about indigestion and walked out with a prescription for prilosec. They then produce this medical documentation to receive a recommendation to use cannabis for medicinal purposes.

Recently there have been multiple medical clinics being investigated and shut down because the individuals that are providing recommendations are not medical doctors. ONLY medical doctors can recommend the use of cannabis as a medicine. Physician Assistants (PA’s) and Nurses CAN NOT recommend cannabis.

As medical director for Medical Cannabis of Southern California I am often asked to explain what the medical marijuana “card” is. There is a lot of misinformation concerning patients rights under Proposition 215 and who can actually recommend cannabis to patients.