Written by Releaf
Releaf offers every patient at the clinic a medical cannabis card to help ensure ease and peace of mind when going about daily life with your prescription. In this article, we explain all you need to know about how it works.
Despite medical cannabis now being legal in the UK for almost years, there is still a lingering stigma and a lack of awareness around its legality — including among police. This has left many patients reporting negative experiences around the use of their prescribed medicine in public.
Research conducted by Releaf found that more than half (58.5%) of those surveyed were unsure about the legal status of medical cannabis in the UK. Concerns around stigma were also an issue, with 34.16% of respondents discouraged from using medicinal cannabis as they were worried it would be mistaken as being illegal.
When might I need to use a medical cannabis card?
According to the law, patients are required to carry a copy of their current prescription alongside their medication at all times, to prove they are using cannabis for legitimate, medicinal purposes.
The Releaf medical cannabis card provides a way for patients to do this conveniently, and ensure they are able to access their current prescription at any given time.
If a Releaf patient was to be stopped by the police, their medical cannabis card would provide all the information the police need to verify patient status, because as well as storing all prescription and clinic information on an encrypted, password protected server, it can act as a form of photo ID.
Patients can also use a medical cannabis card to validate their prescription should they run into challenges with other professionals such as landlords or employers. It might even be helpful to have on hand when explaining a prescription to a friend or family member.
How can I get a medical cannabis card?
Releaf supplies every patient of the clinic with a medical cannabis card as part of their subscription.
Photo: Releaf
Why does Releaf offer every patient a medical cannabis card?
There have been many reports of patients being stopped by police, refused entry to events or venues, and even running into issues with landlords and employers regarding their legal cannabis prescription.
Releaf offers all patients with a medical cannabis card in order to offer some form of protection and peace of mind to patients should they find themselves in this situation.
It is also the case that patients who could benefit from medical cannabis are put off from trying the treatment due to fear of the stigma and challenges they may experience in their day to day life, which is something Releaf wants to prevent.
Tim Kirby, Releaf’s Managing Director, commented: “Should a patient be challenged by the police, sometimes having to show a physical FP10 prescription can feel intimidating, and requires explanation or confirmation that the medication listed on the prescription is medical cannabis.
We wanted to remove this fear and stop any challenges in their tracks, by having a convenient card that requires no explanation.
When a patient presents their Releaf Medical Cannabis Card, the police can make a quick and confident decision that they are consuming cannabis for medicinal purposes and their entire supply chain is completely, 100% legal.”
What is the difference between medical cannabis cards in the UK?
Releaf’s Medical Cannabis Card is the only card in the UK which is supplied by a CQC registered clinic.
There are other cannabis cards available in the UK, but not all have the same qualifying rules or offer the same protections to patients. It is best to inform yourself about the different options available before committing and ensure you choose one which you feel offers the best form of protection for your needs.
Are medical cannabis cards recognised by the police?
The UK Home Office has not officially endorsed any medical cannabis card in the UK.
However, Releaf has worked alongside expert witnesses and a police liaison officer with the hope of facilitating further support, education, and awareness of medical cannabis, to as many individual officers as possible.
When a Releaf medical cannabis card is scanned by a police officer, it informs them of the legalisation of medical cannabis in 2018, and outlines the current legislations in place.
How does the Releaf medical cannabis card work?
The medical cannabis card is a convenient way to digitally carry all of your prescription information around with you so it is always on hand should you need it.
Once you have had your initial consultation and a doctor has decided it is appropriate to prescribe medical cannabis, your card will be sent out in the post.
In the event you need to use your card, it is easy to navigate and can be explained in three simple steps:
Scan the QR code
The card has a QR code that can be scanned by law enforcement to confirm that the person is legally allowed to carry and consume prescribed medical cannabis.
The police officer can scan the QR code using their smartphone camera. Once the web page has loaded on the smartphone an email will automatically be sent to the patient to request approval.
Receive an email requesting access
Within 2-3 minutes the patient will receive an email, in which they can accept or deny the officer access to their Releaf medical records.
Access is granted
With approval from the patient the officer will be permitted access to their records, including active patient status, FP Prescription and all past prescriptions.
The officer can also request a copy of the patients’ records by entering their email at the bottom of the page.
How do I sign up?
You can use Releaf’s free eligibility checker to determine if a medical cannabis prescription could be right for you. A team of expert clinicians will review your application and if appropriate you will be invited to schedule an appointment with a specialist consultant.
If, during the initial consultation, the clinician decides cannabis is right for you, they will issue your prescription and guide you through the next steps.
Your medical cannabis card will be sent in the post as part of your starter pack, with everything you need to begin treatment.
The post UK medical cannabis cards – what you need to know appeared first on Cannabis Health News.
Go to Source
Author: Sponsored features editor
