Company Offers Virtual Doctor Visits For Medical Marijuana In NJ

NEW JERSEY — A “cannabis telemedicine service” that helps people qualify for medical marijuana remotely will be operating in New Jersey during the coronavirus pandemic, the company announced Tuesday.

According to NuggMD, more than 650,000 medical cannabis cards have been issued to people by licensed doctors through its online platform nationwide. Now, the company is hoping to add even more patients to a booming medical marijuana program in the Garden State.

In August, the Division of Consumer Affairs said that as long as the coronavirus pandemic is in effect, New Jersey health care professionals can use virtual appointments to authorize medical cannabis or prescribe a controlled dangerous substance.

Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said doctors will still be held to the same standards as they are during in-person visits. READ MORE: NJ Marijuana Patients Can Qualify Virtually In COVID Pandemic

The state's new policy will remain in effect until whichever of the following occurs first:

• The end of the state of emergency or public health emergency declared by the governor in Executive Order 103, whichever is later
• The end of the telemedicine allowance designated by the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services on March 16, based upon the public health emergency declared by the secretary on Jan. 31, 2020

While the state’s expanded COVID-19 rules are in place, NuggMD says it will provide video-enabled telemedicine evaluations with fully-licensed New Jersey medical marijuana doctors for $149. Yearly required follow-up visits will cost $99. Evaluations are free of charge for patients who don't qualify for New Jersey's medical marijuana program.

Learn more here.

“We welcome this decisive action by the division and Gov. Phil Murphy,” NuggMD co-founder and CMO Alex Milligan said. “Medical marijuana patients are often the most vulnerable to illness, and many are struggling to obtain essential services while effectively self-isolating during this pandemic.”

NuggMD co-founder and COO Kam Babazade said the company hopes New Jersey will continues its temporary policy whenever the pandemic is over.

“Telemedicine evaluations are an incredibly helpful tool for patients with compromised immune systems or mobility issues,” Babazade said. “It's time for us to fully embrace the opportunities that telemedicine affords us.”

See a list of frequently asked questions about New Jersey’s medical marijuana program here. Learn more about additional options for finding a physician who can qualify medical marijuana patients here.

New Jersey residents overwhelmingly voted for a constitutional amendment that legalizes recreational marijuana in November’s general election. But until lawmakers and the state regulatory board hammer out the needed framework, recreational cannabis possession and consumption remains illegal.

READ MORE: NJ Marijuana Enters Weird, Legal Limbo – Is It OK To Smoke Yet?

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