ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. – An elderly woman suffering from Parkinson’s Disease who was prescribed medical marijuana by her physician was denied her medication by the staff of her nursing home. Charlotte Simpson, who is in a wheelchair, lives at the Zephyrhills Health and Rehab Center which is owned by Florida Hospital.

Her son, Bert Green said that his mother had applied for a compassionate use permit after suffering from excruciating pain and severe shaking that was uncontrollable. He stated that the nursing home gave him the medical marijuana once it was delivered and advised him that they would not administer the drug to Simpson. They told him that he would have to take the medicine home with him.

The news has sparked a discussion about how Florida health professionals will handle medical marijuana in nursing homes and rehab facilities. A spokesperson from the nursing homes said that they have to balance the state law with federal laws.

The Vice President of the University of South Florida Healthcare Jay Wolfson says that even the law allows medical marijuana therapy, the nursing home doesn’t have to permit it and that it may take time to figure out a solution.

In the meantime, Greene says that his mother was devastated by the news that the nursing home will not give her the marijuana. She thought she was finally going to get some relief from her painful symptoms. He says that his mother is in bad condition and that she also suffers from arthritis and several other illnesses.

A 2014 study by the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health found that 30 minutes after smoking cannabis, patients with Parkinson’s Disease showed significant relief from symptoms with no adverse side effects. Prescription drugs for Parkinson’s Disease include blurred vision, heartburn, diarrhea, vomiting, insomnia, muscle pain and cold symptoms

How Do I Qualify to Be a Medical Marijuana Patient?

Any individual suffering from a serious or chronic medical condition in which other traditional measures and medicines have not been effective can see a qualifying health care professional who can write a recommendation for medical marijuana as part of ongoing treatment of the patient’s terminal or debilitating condition. You can get a recommendation for California at www.ReleafMD.com The physician, after completing a physical examination and documenting the medical condition in the patient’s record, will provide a written recommendation stating the patient would benefit from treatment using medical marijuana.

A recommendation is different than a doctor’s prescription that could be filled at a pharmacy. Cannabis is classified by the federal government as a Schedule I drug and therefore doctors are not allowed to prescribe it, but they can supply patients with medical marijuana recommendations that comply with state law, allowing patients to either buy from a dispensary or supplier or grow themselves, in specified quantities.

Besides having a medical marijuana recommendation by a state licensed health care professional, some states also require that you show proof of residency and be 18 years or older. If you are under 18, a parent or guardian must accompany you.

This guide is intended to help patients who are new to using cannabis therapeutically to treat a medical condition. Topics covered include the following:

• Qualifications to become a medical marijuana patient
• Conditions treatable with medical marijuana
• Health care providers who can legally recommend marijuana
• Steps to take after receiving a cannabis recommendation
• What is a medical marijuana card
• Why you should get a medical marijuana card

For starters, it’s important to know that many terms are used for cannabis, yet all generally mean the same thing: marijuana (used interchangeably with cannabis throughout this article and the United Patients Group site), weed, pot, ganja, and herb, just to name a few.

If you have a medical condition that is not being effectively treated with traditional drugs or therapeutic interventions, your doctor may recommend or you may be considering using cannabis for pain and symptom relief. Many questions come up for new patients. Here we will cover all of the basic ones. If you still have questions, check out the resource section of our website or feel free to contact us directly.

How Do I Qualify to Be a Medical Marijuana Patient?

Any individual suffering from a serious or chronic medical condition in which other traditional measures and medicines have not been effective can see a qualifying health care professional who can write a recommendation for medical marijuana as part of ongoing treatment of the patient’s terminal or debilitating condition. The physician, after completing a physical examination and documenting the medical condition in the patient’s record, will provide a written recommendation stating the patient would benefit from treatment using medical marijuana.

A recommendation is different than a doctor’s prescription that could be filled at a pharmacy. Cannabis is classified by the federal government as a Schedule I drug and therefore doctors are not allowed to prescribe it, but they can supply patients with medical marijuana recommendations that comply with state law, allowing patients to either buy from a dispensary or supplier or grow themselves, in specified quantities.

Besides having a medical marijuana recommendation by a state licensed health care professional, some states also require that you show proof of residency and be 18 years or older. If you are under 18, a parent or guardian must accompany you.