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Illinois Doctors Travel to Help Prospective Medical Marijuana Patients

Chicago Marijuana Doctors

Patients in Illinois are having trouble getting medical marijuana recommendations from their own doctors so they are seeking the help of doctors from across the state for recommendations. Some doctors are even driving to meet patients in their homes.

Dr. David Footerman rented an office near the Illinois State Capitol to certify patients, according to Journal Star. He drove to this rented office, which is a far distance from his practice, to help Amanda Davis with her certification process. After a little more of an hour of combing through her medical records, he was able to start the process of recommending her for medical marijuana.

Amanda has fibromyalgia, which causes chronic pain. She wants access to medical marijuana to prevent prescription painkiller addiction. Amanda found Dr. Footerman by searching the internet and getting a few recommendations from people she knew.

Ms. Davis said, “He’s very knowledgeable. He’s doing it from his heart.”

Springfield seems to be the area of the state where patients are finding the most success in finding a doctor that will work with them for a medical marijuana certification. Acceptance by doctors has been the biggest hurdle for patients to cross in the state. It is also preventing the state’s program from expanding the way it was anticipated.

Dan Linn of Illinois NORML said he isn’t surprised that patients are having so much trouble getting certified. He’s not surprised to hear that doctors are travelling to Springfield to certify patients or that patients are travelling all over the state to obtain recommendations.

Linn said, “I think it’s meeting a demand that’s out there.”

Illinois law does make it tricky for physicians though. It says that a clinic or medical practice cannot be solely based upon medical marijuana certifications. Some advocates are challenging this law.

One dispensary owner, Chris Stone, isn’t a fan of out-of-town doctors certifying patients.

Stone said, “It’s bad for our industry. It’s bad for doctors in general. I hope they are spending some time to know the community so it’s not just a fly-by-night operation.”

Opposing views exit. Some believe the need is being met while patients are saying otherwise. New laws were put in place to make it less risky for doctors to certify patients where their licenses won’t be in jeopardy.