New York City is one of the populous cities in the United States. It has five boroughs, namely, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, as well as Staten Island. The islands are connected by ferries, tunnels, and bridges. New York also has a well-recognized medical marijuana program. Similar to any other states’ regulation on medical marijuana, the New York medical marijuana card has an expiration date and needs renewal. Here is everything that you need to know about the medical marijuana card renewal in New York.
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Why Do Patients Need to Renew Their Medical Marijuana Card?
The medical marijuana cards in New York have a validity of only up to 12 months or one year. The reasons for such expiration dates are many, but the main reason is due to the medical aspect.
The authorities of the states want to ensure that the patients use medical marijuana responsibly and that the medicine is utilized in a manner that is consistent with the patient’s specific medical illness.
If the health conditions of the patients are improving, the relevant authorities may decide whether the patients may continue the renewal of their cards or not. The evaluation involved in the renewal process serves to assess if the patients still need medical marijuana as a treatment.
How Often Should Patients Renew Their Medical Marijuana Card?
In most instances, the patients may need to renew their cards at least 30 days before the card expires. Considering that cards in New York have a validity of one year, a patient only needs to renew his or her New York medical marijuana card once a year.
Generally, the card will expire one year after the date of which the doctor signs the certification form. Nevertheless, there are some exceptions to the expiration rule. In the certification form, the doctor may state that the patients would only start taking medicine on a specified date, in which case the card will only expire after one year of the date listed in the certification.
There is also a time when no expiration date can be found on the certification. This situation happens when the doctor determines that the patient has a terminal illness, in which case the card will be valid as long as the patient lives.
How Do You Renew the Medical Marijuana Card?
Like when applying the medical marijuana card for the first time, the renewal process is quite straightforward. Patients need to have a medical marijuana assessment with a qualified medical practitioner and send their application to New York’s medical marijuana department.
Some essential documentation that patients need to prepare and bring for the evaluation includes:
- Government ID: This ID serves as proof that the patients are a New York resident. If the patients do not have any state ID, then they can use a utility bill that has their address.
- Medical records: The physician needs the patients’ medical records, regardless of whether the evaluation is performed online or in-person, to assess the patients’ medical conditions and whether they still qualify to renew their card.
- Original card: Patients also need to bring their original medical marijuana cards during the evaluation.
The entire process of renewing your medical marijuana card in New York does not take too long. Depending on the agency that submits your documentation to relevant authorities, you will usually get your renewed cards, which is valid for a year, within 14 working days.
