Patients and Caregivers
To buy Etain products, you need to join New York's medical cannabis program. Luckily, it's pretty simple
High-level, you will need three things:
A Patient Certification issued by a doctor
NYS Medical Cannabis Program Registry ID card
Your NYS Driver’s License or NYS ID card
I have these—how do I purchase Etain?
How to get a Patient Certification
To become certified under the program, you first need a physician who is registered with the NYS Medical Cannabis Program. They are the only ones allowed to prescribe Etain products.
Patients are no longer limited by a list of qualifying conditions to be eligible for the use of medical cannabis. The patient’s certifying practitioner can use his/her clinical discretion to issue a certification for the medical use of cannabis.
How to find a Doctor?
Patients seeking access to medical cannabis should first go to their treating practitioner. If a patient's treating practitioner does not already certify patients for the use of medical cannabis and would like to, they can find information on the OCM website.
There are a number of options you can use to find a certifying doctor in New York State:
For in-person consultations, you can consult the Department of Health doctor list.
For virtual consultations, you can use one of the many virtual providers in New York State: Heally, Leafwell, PrestoDoctor, NuggMD, MarijuanaDoctors, CannaCareDocs, Hamptons MediSpa or MedCertNY.
We recommend researching at least 2 or 3 options to find the best fit before committing to one provider.
The patient's certifying practitioner will include any limitations on the use of approved medical cannabis on the certification. If a practitioner has a recommendation regarding dosage, it should also be included on the certification, although a recommendation on dosage is not required. The total amount of product that may be dispensed by a registered organization may not exceed a sixty-day supply.
How to get a Registry ID card
To register with the NYS Medical Cannabis Program and obtain the associated Registry ID card, you must apply via the Department of Health.
- Patients must be a resident of, or be receiving care and treatment in New York State.
- Patients must possess a certification issued by a registered doctor
- Patients under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian over the age of 21, or a caregiver specified by a parent or legal guardian over the age of 21, to submit an application on their behalf.
Once you possess a certification from your practitioner, you must register with the Medical Cannabis program through the OCM’s online Patient Registration System. You can find patient registration instructions by visiting https://cannabis.ny.gov/patients.
After your registration is approved, you will be issued a Temporary Registry Identification Card, which may be used in conjunction with a government issued photo identification card until you receive your registry identification card in the mail.
Please allow approximately seven business days to receive your Patient or Caregiver Registry ID Card.
More information on Patient Registration Instructions can be found HERE
What do caregivers need?
Certified and registered patients may specify up to five caregivers to assist in accessing and administering medical cannabis treatments.
Designated caregivers must apply for a Registry ID card in order to assist patients with medical cannabis treatment.
Registered caregivers may not be actively caring for more than five Registered Patients at a time.
Keep your documentation active
Remember: both the Patient Certification and Registry ID card are valid for up to one year from the original date of your doctor’s certification (except in the case of terminal illness). Be sure to keep an eye on the expiration date of your certification!
Re-apply
Prior to the expiration date of your patient certification, ask your doctor for an updated certification. You will then need to sign in to your my.ny.gov account to link your new certification to your card. Your card will remain active until the new expiration date of your updated doctor’s certification. If you keep renewing your certification in time and updating your my.ny.gov account, your card will not expire.
Patients who receive an extension on their active certification do not need to re-register and may continue using their existing registry ID card. No further action is needed by the caregiver either.
Practitioners can extend certifications at any time. A new copy must be provided to the patient.
Expired documentation
If your ID card has expired (you didn't renew your certification before it expired), contact your doctor for an updated certification and re-apply with the Department of Health for a new Registry ID card. You will receive a temporary ID card once your online application is complete and will receive a new physical ID card in the mail within 14 business days.
How do I purchase Etain?
Once you're registered, you can visit an Etain Dispensary to pickup medications and speak with our pharmacists.
Please bring all required documentation:
- Your NYS Medical Cannabis Program Registry ID card
- Your doctor’s recommendation for medical cannabis
- Your NYS Driver’s License or NYS ID card
Walk-ins and appointments are welcome but it is strongly encouraged to schedule an appointment. Scheduled appointments have priority over walk-ins.
SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT
or call (914) 437-7898
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