At the moment, no health insurance covers medical marijuana.

 You must demonstrate ID proof for residency in the state through a New York State Driver’s license or a New York State non-driver ID card.   

You can only get a medical marijuana card from a NY registered practitioner.

No, but there are many dispensaries in NYS, most of which will deliver to your door.  According to the New York state medical marijuana program, users of medical marijuana are allowed to consume it in the following forms: chewables, edibles, tablets, topical lotions, patches, ointments, capsules, oils, inhalers, or vaporizers.  Ask your medical practitioner for recommendations of dispensaries in your area.

Governor Cuomo signed New York’s Compassionate Care Act (S7923) in July, 2014. This program authorizes registered patients in the state to purchase and possess marijuana provided by registered dispensaries. Unlike California, in order to participate in New York’s medical marijuana program, patients are required to register with the state and be approved first.

Medical marijuana has been found to be one of the safest methods of treating pain.  When people take THC or CBD (cannabidiol, the second most abundant compound in cannabis) for the relief of pain the endocannabinoid receptors can actually stop or seriously limit the pain impulses coming up to the brain from injured or swollen muscles, joints, nerves and skin or intestinal tissue. In addition, CBD works directly in those tissues to decrease or eliminate the inflammation that is such an integral part of the pain cycle. This is another difference with opioids as they have no anti-inflammatory pr