MEDICAL CANNABIS

Common conditions treated with medical cannabis include but not limited to:

• Multiple sclerosis
• Spasticity disorders
• Intractable pain, limited for the purpose of this chapter to mean pain unrelieved by standard medical treatments and medications
• Glaucoma, either acute or chronic increased intraocular pressure unrelieved by standard treatments and medications
• Crohn’s disease
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• A chronic or debilitating disease that produces severe, persistent and one or more of the following:
  • Anorexia
  • Severe nausea
  • Severe Vomiting
  • Cachexia (wasting syndrome)
  • Appetite loss
  • Cramping
  • Seizures
  • Muscle Spasms
  • Spasticity

• Virginia Board of Pharmacy
• Virginia Law
• Medical Marijuana: The Legal Landscape

No.  The Board awarded conditional approval to up to 5 pharmaceutical processors in December 2018.  It is anticipated they will become operational by December 2019.  It will take approximately 4-6 months to cultivate, produce, and test the products prior to dispensing.

• Email pharmbd@dhp.virginia.gov
• Fax (804) 527-4472
• Virginia Board of Pharmacy
  Perimeter Center
  9960 Mayland Drive
  Suite 300
  Henrico, VA 23233-1463

• Completed Certification for the use of Cannabis Oil or THC-A Oil from Alphatelemed.com
• Proof of Patient’s Residency in Virginia
• Proof of Patient’s Identity
• Proof of Patient’s Age
• The parent or legal guardian must apply for board registration for both the patient and for himself or herself as the parent or legal guardian.
• Proof of Parent/Guardian Residency in Virginia
• Proof of Parent/Guardian Identity
• Proof of Parent/Guardian Age

Alphatelemed has a fee of $179 for the video visit, evaluation, and recommendation appropriate.

Board of pharmacy has a fee of $50 for each application submitted. The application fee is nonrefundable.

Affirmative defense defeats or mitigates the legal consequences of the defendant’s otherwise unlawful conduct. While it will not be legal, technically, to possess the oils, a patient or their caregiver would be able to present their registration if they were stopped by law enforcement or in a court of law as their defense for possession of the oil.

Yes. 18.2-250.1(C) states, “In any prosecution under this section involving marijuana in the form of cannabidiol oil or THC-A oil as those terms are defined in § 54.1-3408.3, it shall be an affirmative defense that the individual possessed such oil pursuant to a valid written certification issued by a practitioner in the course of his professional practice pursuant to § 54.1-3408.3 for treatment or to alleviate the symptoms of (i) the individual’s diagnosed condition or disease or (ii) if such individual is the parent or legal guardian of a minor or of an incapacitated adult as defined in § 18.2-369, such minor’s or incapacitated adult’s diagnosed condition or disease. If the individual files the valid written certification with the court at least 10 days prior to trial and causes a copy of such written certification to be delivered to the attorney for the Commonwealth, such written certification shall be prima facie evidence that such oil was possessed pursuant to a valid written certification.”

No, marijuana possession remains illegal in Virginia. The law currently provides for an affirmative defense for a patient, parent/legal guardian to possess cannabidiol (CBD) oil or THC-A oil as defined in §54.1-3408.3 of the Code of Virginia who has been issued a valid written certification from a Board of Pharmacy-registered practitioner and who maintains a current registration with the Board of Pharmacy.  Before a practitioner can issue or continue issuing written certifications, he or she must now register with the Board of Pharmacy.  A patient/parent/guardian must have a written certification issued to them prior to applying for registration with the Board of Pharmacy and possessing the oils.

Governor Ralph Northam recently signed a bill that would decriminalize Medical Cannabis in Virginia starting July 1, 2020. The new law takes effect July 1, 2020 and reduces penalties for offenses involving personal possession of up to one ounce of marijuana to a civil violation.  A medical cannabis card provides an affirmative defense for registered patients, and caregivers.  It will also give you the privilege to purchase medical grade cannabis from a dispensary that are opening in Virginia soon.  Click here or call 703-589-9964 to schedule and appointment.

Yes, our providers are registered and may issue the required written certification after a in-person evaluation if appropriate.

There is a fee of $149 for the evaluation (not covered by medical insurance).

Please call 703-589-9964 for more information or to make an in-person appointment.

Please visit How to Register for more information and online registration.

Yes, patients, parents, and legal guardians may now apply to obtain registration from the Board of Pharmacy.  A patient, parent, or legal guardian must have a written certification issued to them by a registered practitioner prior to applying for registration with the Board of Pharmacy and possessing CBD or THC-A cannabis oil for any condition as seen appropriate by a registered provider.

In addition to being issued a valid written certification from a Board of Pharmacy-registered provider, the patient and, if such patient is a minor or an incapacitated adult as defined in 18.2-369, such patient’s parent or guardian, must obtain registration from the Board of Pharmacy.