To Card or Not to Card?

So I'm trying to wrap my brain around the whole card/recommendation thing. Some people are saying all you need to get medical marijuana at a dispensary is an official written doctor's recommendation, while others say you need a specific "card" in certain counties. What's the deal? I'd rather not have to get a card since I'd naturally like to minimize the number of databases my name exists in associating my identity with medical mj. Having my name on file at the pot doc's office doesn't even sit well with me, but it seems that's unavoidable, unfortunately. So do I need to get some kind of card in addition to the doctor's recommendation to buy at most dispensaries? Also, are MediCann(TM) recommendations generally excepted? I've heard talk that some dispensaries don't recognize them as legit.

Goes like this from what I think i've learned so far:
Problems > doctor > recommendation > potdoc!(physician) > card > dispensary for tha dank

Yes, you have to have the card to get medicinal marijuana. It's not all that bad though, you should look up your state laws concerning medicinal marijuana online. And i'm sure the government already knows way more about you than you want them to know, so don't even worry about being put into a database, you're already in one ;).

^The card is optional, it is not required and many counties don't even offer it. You are also incorrect that you would see a potdoc after getting the recommendation, you only see a pot doctor if your primary will not write the recommendation. Legally, all you need is the recommendation from a doctor, that is it, you don't need any special card or anything else. How you go about getting that recommendation depends on your situation. Due to the controversy surrounding medical marijuana, many doctors are either ill-informed on marijuana as a drug, or just are flat out against it and will not write the recommendation. In these cases, a pot doctor would be useful, a pot doctor has a higher chance of writing you the recommendation you need to be legal because pot doctors are pot friendly doctors that understand the drug more than the average doctor may know.

To make things a little more confusing, some pot doctors issue their own ID cards, but these serve no legal purpose and most co-ops still want to see your written recommendation. As for the government issued cards, even if my county offered them I wouldn't care for one because I too don't trust the government with my information, and it really doesn't make any sense why the government needs to put me on a special list for my healthcare which is really nobody's business other than myself and my doctor!

I understand many people find comfort and security in these optional cards, but personally I see it as a form of discrimination. Why should I need to carry some special card because of a health condition I have? Under a fascist government this information could be dangerous, I will have no part in it!

I see!
However, I have called my own doctor and a potdoc since I last posted and if you can get your doc to prescribe it, go with that, because my evaluation costs $120+

Really? That isn't really a bad price if that was your first time. The place I went to charged me $150 and an extra $10 for an optional ID card, which has no legal purpose, but is fun to show off haha :P

But I still would have preferred my doctor write it and save me $160!

damn i payed $175..lol and $15 for the card.. but i dont care im medicated all day every day now.. :rasta: by the way u hit it right on the dot with your post nail.. everything i was thinking to say..lol how much is your renewal fee..?

Thanks for the info, Nail. I'm one step closer to getting my rec now. Woohoo!

Sweet, keep us updated on what happens :smokin: