Have you been wanting to use medical marijuana? Getting a medical marijuana referral will mean you get a prescription card that gives you access to dispensaries. You can then visit these dispensaries, seek advice from the budtenders, and purchase the cannabis products that will benefit you the most. But how do you initiate that conversation with your doctor? How do you get started seeking that medical marijuana referral? Here are some tips.

Tell your doctor what specific symptoms you're looking to address.

Even doctors whose businesses center around medical marijuana cannot just hand out prescriptions for any reason. The medical marijuana industry is fairly regulated, and doctors are only permitted to prescribe cannabis for certain symptoms and ailments. If you let your doctor know what symptoms you're most interested in addressing, it will help them determine if you do, indeed, qualify as a medical marijuana patient. If they need to know more about your symptoms, they'll ask. Knowing more about your symptoms will also let your doctor make more specific recommendations for certain strains and products.

Express your desire to use fewer prescription drugs.

Many people who use medical marijuana do so in place of other prescription drugs. Doctors are often happy to get behind this. They understand that prescription drugs, while often helpful, can be strong and come with lots of side effects. If you express your desire to use fewer of them, your doctor can help you turn to medical marijuana instead. Cannabis can often be a replacement for pain relievers, anti-nausea medications, and in some cases, seizure and neurological medications. 

Be open to a referral, if needed.

Not all doctors prescribe medical cannabis. Some are actually against it for personal or religious reasons. So, don't be surprised if your general physician does not immediately jump on the opportunity to prescribe you cannabis. If they do not, however, they should be open to giving you a referral to a different physician who does prescribe medical marijuana and perhaps even specializes in it. If your doctor does not immediately offer this referral, you can ask for it. They should give you some names and numbers to call to make an appointment.

Medical marijuana is becoming more common as a treatment for a range of conditions. If you're interested in giving it a try, follow the tips above to start the conversation with a medical marijuana clinic — such as Medikush — and seek a referral for a prescription.