If a patient in Illinois wants to apply for a medical cannabis ID card, a physician must certify the diagnosis of that patient's debilitating condition or terminal illness.

Qualifying patients receive a card that is good for three years.

But do physicians have a choice as to whether or not they will certify a patient for medical cannabis? And if they certify one patient, must they certify other patients?

Get answers to these questions and more with ISMS' medical legal guideline, Tips for Certifying Patients for Medical Cannabis Cards.* 

This resource covers what physicians should consider before certifying patients, proper billing methods, information about the ID cards, witnesses when providing certification for a patient, and informed consent. The resource also includes a model patient agreement, which can be used when certifying for medical cannabis.

Questions? ISMS members may contact the ISMS Legal Department with questions at 800-782-4767 ext. 6485 or send an email. 

This ISMS medical legal guideline is a member benefit and is password protected.

If you need to request a username and password, contact online support at 888-476-7776 or onlinehelp@isms.org between 8:30 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. After-hours requests are answered promptly the next business day. You may also register online or retrieve your username or password.

*This guideline is for educational purposes only.