Can You Get A Medical Card For Anxiety In Ohio?
Anxiety is a mental health disorder that typically causes feelings of fear, tension, and worry. For some people, anxiety can cause panic attacks and severe physical symptoms. Anxiety is a prevalent disorder. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety affects up to 40 million people in the U.S.
Despite this high number, less than half of these people receive treatment. There are people who have tried traditional approaches and they haven’t worked, so they tend to look for alternative approaches. An example of an alternative approach is using medical marijuana.
What research says about medical marijuana and anxiety?
Researchers have conducted extensive research on marijuana use in treating anxiety and related symptoms. Marijuana has been found more effective in reducing anxiety symptoms than benzodiazepines and other anti-anxiety pharmaceuticals. In addition to that, marijuana hasn’t been found to cause overdose or build up a tolerance in its users, unlike other traditional medications for anxiety.
Further research proves that marijuana has the ability to lower cortisol levels [hormones responsible for causing stress]. By lowering cortisol levels, it can reduce stress, thus potentially reducing anxiety. For people who use medical marijuana to treat their anxiety, they may find that medical marijuana has the following benefits:
- Relaxing the mind and calming nerves
- Alleviating mood swings
- Restoring rapid heart rate or blood pressure to more normal levels
Can you get medical marijuana for anxiety in Ohio?
While anxieties not among the medical conditions that qualify for medical marijuana card in Ohio, this doesn’t mean that anxiety patients are ineligible. These patients can still obtain a medical marijuana card if, in the physician’s judgment, the patient’s anxiety stems from post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] or any other condition that can be treated successfully with medical marijuana.
PTSD is listed under the qualifying conditions for a medical marijuana card. This is why it is possible to get a medical marijuana card for anxiety if the certified to recommend [CTR] find out that your anxiety is stemming from PTSD.
How to get an Ohio medical marijuana card for anxiety
To get your medical marijuana card in Ohio, there are three-step processes you must complete.
First, you need to visit a certified to recommend [CTR] physician to verify that you indeed have a diagnosis for one or many of the qualifying medical conditions for a medical marijuana card. Some of the qualifying conditions include:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Cancer
- Aids
- Epilepsy or another seizure disorder
- Hepatitis C
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Amyotrophic lateral Sclerosis
- Fibromyalgia
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- Sickle cell anemia
- Post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]
2. Next, if the physician finds that you have any of the above qualifying conditions, he or she will create an account for you in the Ohio Patient and Caregiving Registry.
3. Lastly, you will receive a digital marijuana medical card via email, allowing you to purchase your medical cannabis from any state dispensary certified by the Ohio Board of Pharmacy. You will pay a $5 registration fee payable to Ohio State. For caregivers, they will be required to pay $25.
You can only purchase medical cannabis from any of the over 60 state-licensed Ohio dispensaries. Once you have purchased your medical cannabis, you can use it preventatively during periods or before experiences you associate with triggering your anxiety. Additionally, you can use it during moments of crisis.
