Like any other medical cannabis pharmacy in Utah, Beehive Farmacy cannot just sell to anyone. We are only allowed to sell unprocessed flower, vapes, gummies, etc. to valid medical cannabis cardholders. No card, no dice. It is a matter of state law.
Perhaps you’ve made your way to our website because you have heard that medical cannabis could help you with a condition you’ve been diagnosed with. There is no way for us to say for sure, nor would we even attempt to try. But we can explain how to move forward. There are some things you can do to get the ball rolling on a potential medical cannabis card.
Start with Some Research
First thing’s first. Start by doing your own research into how medical cannabis might apply to your condition. There is plenty of good information online. But be careful, there is also misinformation too. Your research should include a visit to the state’s medical cannabis website.
Utah is no different than other states with medical cannabis because only certain conditions qualify as cannabis eligible. Utah’s qualifying conditions list is comparable to most other states. It includes things like:
- Chronic and acute pain
- Cancer and cancer-related pain
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Certain types of seizure disorders.
This is by no means a conclusive list. So again, be sure to check out the state’s medical cannabis page. Under the ‘Resources’ section, check out the FAQs. The FAQ page includes a complete list of qualifying conditions in the Beehive State.
Visit with Your Medical Provider
If you research medical cannabis and discover that your condition is on the state’s qualifying list, the next step is to pay a visit to your medical provider. This could be a doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant with the authority to recommend medical cannabis.
If you think medical cannabis can help you, then discuss your condition and whether cannabis is appropriate for treating with your medical provider. Remember this: having a cannabis-eligible condition does not necessarily mean that cannabis is the most appropriate treatment for you. Your medical provider needs to consider your entire health history and current state of health before making a cannabis recommendation.
State Law Requires a Medical Recommendation
There is a secondary reason for visiting your medical provider: doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants do not actually write cannabis prescriptions. They recommend medical cannabis by way of the state’s electronic verification system (EVS). A recommendation is required to get a medical cannabis card.
State law allows two different types of medical professionals to make cannabis recommendations:
1. Qualified Medical Providers (QMPs)
A QMP is a certified and licensed medical professional with prescribing authority in Utah who has also undergone continuing education and applied for the appropriate medical cannabis license. QMPs are able to recommend medical cannabis to a number of patients equal to 1.5% of the total number of active card holders in the state. Utah QMP’s are doctors, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners.
2. Limited Medical Providers (LMPs)
An LMP is also a certified and licensed medical professional with prescribing authority in Utah. An LMP can be virtually any doctor, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or podiatrist. LMPs do not possess a state medical cannabis license nor undergo continuing education. As a result, they can only recommend cannabis up to 15 patients at a time.
With a recommendation from a medical provider, you can complete the online medical cannabis application form and submit your annual fee. Your application would then be reviewed by the state and, shortly thereafter, approval would mean being issued a card electronically. Then you can visit Beehive Farmacy.
