FAQS

Your Questions Answered

IS MEDICAL MARIJUANA LEGAL?

Yes, marijuana is legal in the state of Texas for medical use for people with qualifying conditions. The Federal government still considers marijuana illegal, but has elected not to involve itself in regulation/enforcement unless large quantities or other illegal activities are involved. For Texas residents with qualifying conditions, you need not worry about any legal repercussions from your medical marijuana prescription if used as prescribed.

IS MEDICAL MARIJUANA SAFE?

Yes, marijuana is very safe. There has never been a documented case of a fatal marijuana overdose. Marijuana and cannabis has been used in medicine for at least 5000 years. Marijuana can definitely be misused and abused, and the risks of taking medical marijuana increase when you mix it with other sedating medications like opioids, benzodiazepines, alcohol, and certain other medications. This is why it is VERY important that cannabis be used under the supervision of a trained physician who understands these possible interactions. This is also why it is important that your treatment plan be started at a low dose and titrated gradually, in order to minimize unwanted side effects.

WHAT SIDE EFFECTS CAN I EXPECT?

As with any medication, there are potential side effects. Certainly euphoria or a “marijuana high” is possible. Getting you “high” is not our goal, though. The vast majority of the time, the euphoria can be avoided with careful dosing practices. For this reason, we usually start patients on a lower dose of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and gradually increase the dose over time as you get acclimated to the medication. Other common side effects include  dizziness, sleepiness, and increased appetite. These side effects tend to mild in nature when the medication dosed and administered appropriately. This is not an exhaustive list of potential side effects associated with medical marijuana, so please talk with your primary doctor or your medical marijuana physician if you have any questions.

WILL MY MEDICAL INSURANCE COVER MEDICAL MARIJUANA?

Unfortunately, no. No insurance companies cover medical marijuana or consultations with medical marijuana physicians. We strive to make our services as affordable as possible. At this time, we only accept credit card or debit card payments.

CAN I OWN A GUN IF I AM TAKING MEDICAL MARIJUANA?

We are Texas physicians, and we understand that Texans love their guns. When it comes to medical marijuana, we must give you a strong word of caution. While the State of Texas sanctions the Compassion Use Program, gun laws are handled at the federal level. The Federal Gun Control Act of 1968 and the Federal Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997 prohibit anyone who is an unlawful user of or addicted to narcotics from shipping, transporting, receiving, or possessing a firearm or ammunition. Furthermore, Federal law prohibits medical marijuana users from possessing or purchasing firearms or ammunition, even if medical marijuana use is legal within their state. According to the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) (21 U.S.C. § 811), the Federal government does not make a distinction between legally obtained medical marijuana and recreational marijuana use. If you plan to purchase a gun from a licensed seller, you are required to fill out a Form 4473 of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Question 11.e of this questionnaire states “Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?” For this question, you must answer “yes” if you are using medical marijuana, or you may be charged with federal felony weapons charges. For this reason, we recommend you do NOT own or attempt to purchase a firearm if you are a medical marijuana patient. For a more detailed discussion on this topic, please review the summary available here.

DO I HAVE TO CARRY A MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARD IN TEXAS?

No, you do not need a medical marijuana card in Texas. If you qualify for medical marijuana, you will be registered with the Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT), an online registration system operated by the State of Texas. Your prescription, treatment plan, and monitoring plan will be entered there by your medical marijuana physician, and your prescription will be made immediately available to dispensaries. As soon as your prescription and treatment plan are submitted, you can call a dispensary to get your medication filled and arrange for delivery. We can arrange for an eFax to be sent through our medical record notifying your dispensary of choice that a prescription has been submitted.

WHAT FORMS OF MARIJUANA CAN BE PRESCRIBED?

The Texas CUP only allows for tinctures, lozenges, gummies, and sprays. Cannabis flower cannot be prescribed for smoking or vaping.

AM I ALLOWED TO SHARE MY MEDICAL MARIJUANA WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS?

No, only patients registered with CURT are allowed to use medical cannabis. A guardian may be assigned within the CURT system for patients that are under age or unable to sign for the prescription themselves. Only registered patients or their officially designated guardians may sign for the medication when it is delivered from a dispensary.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND CBD?

Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is only one of many cannabinoids present within the cannabis plant. All cannabinoids act on the endocannabinoid system, a widespread system of receptors that affects almost every part of your body. CBD does not cause euphoria or a “high”, but it does have beneficial anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. While many people get significant benefit from CBD, patients with more severe disease states get additional benefit from THC in addition to the other cannabinoids present in the cannabis plant. The medical marijuana we prescribe contains THC, which cannot be sold over the counter with your average CBD formulations.  Furthermore, much of the CBD sold over-the-counter is not subject to the same quality standards as medical marijuana. There is no guarantee as to the concentration, dosage, and other ingredients that may be present in over-the-counter CBD. Medical marijuana purchased through Texas dispensaries is of the highest quality and undergoes extensive quality and safety testing, and the dispensaries have testing results available upon request. Medical marijuana is extracted from the cannabis flower using a very safe CO2 extraction process, and is free from any other toxins such as heptane. Medical marijuana formulations containing terpenes, natural phytochemicals with various anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, neuroprotective, and analgesic properties are available. If you are interested in a terpene-containing formulation, feel free to discuss this with your medical marijuana physician.

CAN I TEST POSITIVE ON A DRUG SCREEN IF I AM TAKING MEDICAL MARIJUANA?

Yes, drug tests test for metabolites of THC in urine. The medical marijuana formulations we prescribe contain THC, and therefore can result in a positive drug test. If your job requires regular drug testing, medical marijuana may not be the best option for you. If desired, we can provide a letter stating the marijuana is for medical use. Just let us know if it is needed.

WHAT IF MEDICAL MARIJUANA DOES NOT WORK FOR ME?

Casey and Jace started this practice to help people suffering with the debilitating effects of chronic disease. They understand the toll that chronic disease and chronic pain takes on you over time. If we are not able to alleviate your symptoms through careful titration of cannabis medications, then we will recommend you discontinue the medication. We are physicians, not salesmen. We do not want to expose you to the potential side effects of the medication if you are not receiving any benefit.