MEDICAL MARIJUANA COUNSELLING
Hello-Med’s Medical Director. Dr. Maio, is now providing counseling to patients 18 years of age or older on the use of medical marijuana including endorsing of a medical marijuana card. Dr. Maio is a member of the Society of Cannabis Clinicians (SCC). He has also completed extensive online training in medical cannabis provided by SMCC as well as Healer.Com.
To obtain this service you must make an appointment: this service will not be available on a walk-in basis.
Current Michigan Marijuana Laws
The current laws of Michigan permit medical marijuana use for the following:
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Cancer
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Glaucoma
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Positive status for human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)
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Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
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Hepatitis C
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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
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Crohn's disease
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Agitation of Alzheimer's disease
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Nail patella
A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its treatment that produces 1 or more of the following:
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Cachexia or wasting syndrome
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Severe and chronic pain
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Severe nausea
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Seizures, including but not limited to those characteristic of epilepsy
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Severe and persistent muscle spasms including but not limited to those characteristic of multiple sclerosis
You will have to complete a special State of Michigan application as well as have your application endorsed by a physician. In order for a physician to endorse a patient’s medical marijuana card there must be a “Bona fide physician-patient relationship between a physician and patient”. According to Michigan law all of the following must be present:
(1) The physician has reviewed the patient's relevant medical records and completed a full assessment of the patient's medical history and current medical condition, including a relevant, in-person, medical evaluation of the patient.
(2) The physician has created and maintained records of the patient's condition in accord with medically accepted standards.
(3) The physician has a reasonable expectation that he or she will provide follow-up care to the patient to monitor the efficacy of the use of medical marihuana as a treatment of the patient's debilitating medical condition.
(4) If the patient has given permission, the physician has notified the patient's primary care physician of the patient's debilitating medical condition and certification for the medical use of marihuana to treat that condition.
Below is url for the Michigan Marijuana Law, we urge you to read the law.
https://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154-89334_79571_79575_79581---,00.html
To get a copy of an application for medical marijuana go to the following url:
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/lara/MMMP_Application_Pkt_601712_7.pdf
Length of Approval of Medical Marijuana Card.
A medical marijuana card must be renewed every two years. Patients who have their initial Medical Marijuana Cards endorsed by Dr. Maio will be required to have a follow-up visit approximately 12 months after the initial endorsement as well as at the time of renewal.
Education About Medical Marijuana
We urge you to educate yourself about medical marijuana as much as possible and use reliable resources when doing so. Part of the medical marijuana services provided by Hello-Med is working with you to identify such resources. One particularly good site is Healer.com:
This site is directed by a physician that has years of experience in treating patients with medical marijuana.
In 2017 the National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine published a report:
The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research
It’s a quite technical and lengthy publication but provides some in depth information on the evidence, both for and against, the use of medical marijuana. Following is the url where you can go to download a free copy of the report as well as other materials related to the report:
http://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/Reports/2017/health-effects-of-cannabis-and-cannabinoids.aspx