Med MJ for Depression/ADD/ADHD??

I know here in MI you are able to get a script for medical cannabis for PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) which leads me to wonder if any other purely mental illnesses are treated/prescribed with cannabis?

I also know schizophrenia is legit for that too.

I'm talking about like severe depression or severe ADD, as some people, including myself, suffer from. Are these conditions that can be legally prescribed cannabis to treat?

Unfortunately, no. Not unless they cause one of the symptoms for which you can get medical marijuana for. For example, if your depression causes nausea or, say, causes you to be unable to eat anything, you may have a case. If you're on an antidepressant that causes nausea, that counts too. The act says you can use marijuana to alleviate the side effects of a treatment.

And you can't get a script for PTSD in MI, unless it causes one of the covered symptoms.

Ok, thank you. I understand now. I read the official government document or whatever online that states the whole law and all the rights of medical marijuana patients/caregivers. Still some of it was kind of unclear to me ha.

I have ADHD, got pulled over (no lie) medicating on my way to work a few years back. The cop was like "Wow, kind of early to be smoking!" I told him I had ADHD and this was cheaper and healthier than ritalin. He let me go. He had me dead to rights and this kewl cop let me go!

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I've been perscription medicated for depression (bi polar) since 1986, I've tried dozen's of combinations of drugs and am still on a 5 drug cocktail. I started self mediating with marijuana about 10 years ago, its the only medication that has eased the pain (other than percocet, which is an opiate and addictive). I also give bud to 3 medical patients, 2 with depression.

My family doctor recommended that I try marijuana but he couldn't write a prescription as a specialist is needed to apply for a license in Canada, in the US the requirements are much less stringent but as dancole said you have to follow you're state's law.

"Prop. 215 patients should begin by consulting with their own physicians about medical use of cannabis. If you don't have a medical record of treatment for serious illness, you may not be eliigible for marijuana under Prop. 215. To qualify, patients must obtain a physician's "recommendation" or "approval" (NOT prescription) to use marijuana (SAMPLE recommendation form ). No official registration is required. Marijuana can be recommended for ANY serious condition for which it provides relief; over 250 uses have been reported.

Many physicians wrongly fear that they can be prosecuted under federal law for recommending marijuana medically. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a permanent injunction by the U.S. District Court in Northern California forbidding the government from punishing California doctors for recommending marijuana, provided they do not get involved in its distribution or sales. The US Supreme Court has upheld the Ninth Circuit's ruling (Conant v. Walters: Oct. 15, 2003). Physicians are accordingly free to recommend marijuana for their patients, so long as they don't actually assist them in obtaining it (see California NORML's Medical Marijuana Guidlines for Physicians). Over 1500 California physicians have recommended medical marijuana under Prop. 215. None have been federally prosecuted for doing so."

http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3391

http://michiganmedicalmarijuana.org/

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"General Information about the Program

You must be a Michigan resident to be a registered patient in the Michigan Medical Marihuana Program (MMMP).

There is an application fee to register for the MMMP. The fee cannot be waived, although it can be reduced under certain circumstances.

You must have a qualifying debilitating medical condition as listed on the Attending Physician's Statement.

The MMMP cannot supply you with seeds or starter plants, or give you advice on how to grow medical marihuana.

Your physician must be a Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) licensed to practice in Michigan.

You must have an established patient/physician relationship with your "attending physician." Other licensed health professionals such as Chiropractors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners cannot sign the documentation.

The MMMP cannot refer you to a physician. The MMMP does not have a physician referral list.

You, or your designated primary caregiver, may grow your marihuana. There is no place in the state of Michigan to legally purchase medical marihuana.

The MMMP cannot find a designated primary caregiver for you. The MMMP does not keep a referral list of persons who want to be caregivers for patients. (You are not required to list a caregiver unless you are less than 18 years old.) Your caregiver cannot be your physician.

If you decide to change your caregiver, it is your responsibility to notify him or her that he or she is no longer protected under the law. The MMMP does not communicate directly with caregivers.

The MMMP will only speak directly with the patient. All written requests to release information must be signed and dated by the patient. The MMMP will not accept written or verbal requests for information from your caregiver or any other person without your permission.

The Act neither protects marihuana plants from seizure nor individuals from prosecution if the federal government chooses to take action against patients or caregivers under the federal Controlled Substances Act."

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This would be the best place for info:

http://www.michiganmedicalmarijuana.org/index.php?/index

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CRIMINAL LAW
Administrative rules governing medical marihuana
Effective: April 4, 2009

The administrative rules governing medical marihuana in Michigan (R 333.101 - R 333.133) have been promulgated by the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH). The rules primarily cover processes unrelated to law enforcement; however, they contain a provision allowing law enforcement officers to verify the validity of registry identification cards.

Officers can verify a card by calling (517) 373-0395 during business hours. The MDCH will only verify a card by number, and will not provide further information about a patient or caregiver. When a patient or caregiver does not have their card with them, it will not be possible to verify their registration unless they know their number.

The Michigan Medical Marihuana Act does not allow a patient or caregiver to possess marihuana unless they also possess their registry identification card. So, a person possessing marihuana without his or her card can be properly arrested. However, the Act contains an affirmative defense provision, so officers should check with their prosecutor before arresting a person for a marihuana-related crime when the person claims to be a registered patient or caregiver.

All registry identification cards will eventually contain photographs of the registered patient or caregiver – the first cards issued did not contain photos, but these cards will be reissued with photos by the MDCH in the near future. Adult patient cards will contain blue lettering and blue text boxes, minor patient cards will contain brown lettering and orange text boxes, and caregiver cards will contain green lettering and green text boxes. The back of each card will contain gray lettering, and may identify patients or caregivers associated with the person appearing on the front of the card.

Details of the program can be found on the MDCH’s Michigan Medical Marijuana Program website and a summary can be found in MSP Legal Update No. 69.

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pinxpointxpupil said:

Ok, thank you. I understand now. I read the official government document or whatever online that states the whole law and all the rights of medical marijuana patients/caregivers. Still some of it was kind of unclear to me ha.

Click to expand...

Like I said though, headaches and back pain can be side effects of depression too, and nausea is a common antidepressant side effect. Not saying you should lie, but it's quite likely you have one of those symptoms of depression, which will qualify you.

Yeah I mean my therapist is suggesting i consider welbutrin, i've been prescribed to adderall, ritalin, vyvanse, AND another methylphenidate based ADD drug (ritalin-like) when i was younger/in high school. (EDIT: hahaha not all of those ADD meds at the same time, all of them had terrible side effects as I'm not much of an upper guy and that shit is essentially speed.)

My depression has actually caused physical pain when it's gotten really bad...but it's not like chronic pain or anything.

But Hobbes, thank you very much for all that info!

Lol EVERYONE should participate in MMJ in Michigan!!! Even if you dont qualify for the prescription, get a patient and be a caregiver!!!

I have depression and and some pain issues but my doctor wrote me a recommendation for pain even though he mostly wanted me to use cannabis for depression.

Just go to a MMJ friendly doctor and tell him/her what you're going through and I bet you will be legal in no time...even if you need to go to a couple different doctors.

good luck, i know first hand how much of a struggle chronic depression can be.

I also struggle with depression. An anti-dep helps me over the long run, but MM is there when I need an instant pick-me-up. If I can tell right away that I want to blow a gasket, I sit down with a bowl and the situation is diffused. Then often I feel like being productive, so I put on some music and do chores. It has been a crutch, but a positive one. It keeps me from being a total psycho bitch sometimes.

By technicality one having these said conditions may qualify if the side effects create pain . Docs do understand psychosomatic illness as they love to pump anti depressants down us with chronic pain . Often the pain is a result of depression and this treatment can also help rule this out .

I am Bipolar and I do use Cannabis to help relieve the depression and anxiety as well when I find myself in mania .