Quote Originally Posted by justpics
I don't think anyone is saying you have to get a new card very year if yours doesn't have an expiration. What I am at least saying is that you need to have a real doctor patient relationship.

Ask the DoH if an authorization from 1999 without an expiration date, from a doctor you no longer see, who is no longer up to date on your current medical needs will still be valid. That's the question. Not whether or not the paperwork has to be redone every year, that isn't needed, but does that paperwork need to be from a current doctor who is treating you?
RCW 69.51A.030 states:

A physician licensed under chapter 18.71 or 18.57 RCW shall be excepted from the state's criminal laws and shall not be penalized in any manner, or denied any right or privilege, for:

(1) Advising a qualifying patient about the risks and benefits of medical use of marijuana or that the qualifying patient may benefit from the medical use of marijuana where such use is within a professional standard of care or in the individual physician's medical judgment; or

(2) Providing a qualifying patient with valid documentation, based upon the physician's assessment of the qualifying patient's medical history and current medical condition, that the medical use of marijuana may benefit a particular qualifying patient.

In order to be in compliance with this section, and benefit from the protections it offers, a health care professional's recommendation must be based not only on the patient's qualifying condition (medical records) but also their current medical condition.

It becomes more and more difficult for the authorizing health care professional to claim that their recommendation is based on the patient's current condition, when there is large gap of time between the date the recommendation was made and when it became necessary for the patient to prove they are legal.

So while the recommendation without an expiration date may be valid, it is up to the recommending health care professional to attest to it's validity.

Especially with the new requirements that require the recommendation be on tamper resistant paper with at least a date of issue, it seems naive to rely on the police or prosecutor to not check with the issuing health care professional as to the validity of an open-ended recommendation.

If you believe your recommending health care professional will put their license and freedom on the line for someone they last saw in the distant past then take the Dept. of Health at face value and rest assured that your open-ended recommendation will keep you safe.

Personally I'll take the sure thing of at least yearly contact with my authorizing health care professional.
cannasense Reviewed by cannasense on . WA State Card Renew Ok I've heard 2 stories now! Where can I find the WA State rules/guidelines for renewing your medical card. I heard that there is NO renewal, and I've heard its a yearly thing. Can someone please help me find this information? Beaglebabe Yakima Rating: 5