How will the process be streamlined?
A2. The number of Categories has been reduced from three to two, by merging previous Categories 1 and 2. Applicants in the new Category 1 will no longer need to see a specialist for the sole purpose of having their application signed. For those applicants under the new Category 2, an assessment of the applicant’s case by a specialist is still a requirement, but the treating physician, whether a specialist or not, can sign the application form. In addition to eliminating the requirement for a specialist’s signature, the amended MMAR have revised the Applicant’s Declaration to enhance the acceptance of risks associated with the use of marihuana for medical purposes. At the same time the physician’s Medical Declaration has been revised to include only information necessary to confirm that the applicant suffers from a serious medical condition and that conventional treatments are inappropriate or ineffective.
