Medical Marijuana FAQ

Medical cannabis can be used to increase your quality of life.

Can medical cannabis help me?

Consult a doctor who is familiar with the medical use of cannabis and is able to recommend it. The NJMMP website provides instructions to get your card.

Approved debilitating medical conditions include:

  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

  • Anxiety

  • Chronic pain related to musculoskeletal disorders

  • Chronic pain of visceral origin

  • Migraine

  • Multiple sclerosis

  • Opioid Use Disorder as an adjunct to Medication Assisted Therapy

  • Terminal cancer

  • Muscular dystrophy

  • Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease

  • Terminal illness, if the physician has determined a prognosis of less than 12 months of life

  • Tourette's Syndrome

The following conditions apply, if resistant to, or if the patient is intolerant to, conventional therapy:

  • Seizure disorder, including epilepsy

  • Intractable skeletal muscular spasticity

  • Glaucoma

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

The following conditions apply, if severe or chronic pain, severe nausea or vomiting, cachexia or wasting syndrome results from the condition or treatment thereof:

  • Positive status for human immunodeficiency virus

  • Acquired immune deficiency syndrome

  • Cancer

Since March 2018, chronic pain related to a musculoskeletal disorder qualifies as a debilitating medical condition for the Medicinal Marijuana Program (MMP). Included in this chronic pain category is opioid use disorder.

As of January 2019, opioid use disorder qualifies as a standalone debilitating medical condition for the MMP, so long as the patient is also undergoing medication-assisted therapy (MAT).  Therefore, opioid use disorder patients are eligible for medicinal marijuana if they suffer from chronic, painful withdrawal symptoms or as an adjunct treatment to their current MAT regimen.

How to sign up for the NJ Medical Cannabis Program?

If you have one or more of the qualifying conditions listed above speak to your primary care physician and/or visit a participating doctor. https://nj.gov/health/medicalmarijuana/patients/find-doctor/

After receiving the recommendation, upload the required documents to state DOH https://njmmp.nj.gov/njmmp/jsp/patientRegProcess.jsp  

Wait for an email from the state with instructions about how to make payment. Wait for the state to send your NJMMP card in the mail.

If I qualify for medical cannabis, can someone purchase my cannabis for me?

As part of the NJMMP program an individual can register someone as a Caregiver. That individual is then allowed to purchase medical cannabis for you at Harmony Dispensary.

What are the typical costs involved in becoming a NJ Medical Cannabis Patient?

Patients must pay for their doctor visits, their state issued NJMMP ID card, medicine from licensed dispensaries, and any medical equipment used to ingest the medical cannabis.

What is the difference between medical cannabis and “black market” marijuana?

Licensed cannabis dispensaries are held to a high standard, all products are state laboratory tested and must meet stringent cleanliness standards. The marijuana available elsewhere can be contaminated with fungus, molds, or have been sprayed with fungicides and pesticides.

Can I use medical cannabis if I don’t smoke?

There are many ways to use medical marijuana products, beyond smoking. Many patients find that vaporizing the flower or extract is easier on their respiratory system. There are also edible options which can be made at home, as well as topical products that can be applied directly to your skin.

How difficult is it to create edibles at home?

It’s easy. You can create edible products using ground flower or infused oils. Sweet or savory foods can be infused with marijuana. Instructions are available online and in most dispensaries. There are also cookbooks available specifically for making marijuana edibles. Our staff is well versed in making edibles and tinctures, we also carry instruments to make that process easy for everyone. Check out our videos in the education section of our website.

What's the difference between smoking and eating marijuana?

There is a much more immediate perceived effect when marijuana is smoked or vaporized. It is easier to control dosage, because the effect is shorter lived than consuming an edible. Preparing and consuming an edible is an effective delivery method, but it takes longer for your body to feel the effects. Therefore, it is important to start with small amounts of an edible and slowly eat more over a period of time until you reach a comfortable level of desired effect.

Do I qualify for discounts or does my insurance cover the cost?

Insurance typically does not cover your marijuana medicine, but it is worth submitting it to your insurance company for review. Talk to your accountant, because you may also be able write off a portion of your medical expenses on your state taxes. Harmony Dispensary offers medical cannabis at various price points and offers discounts.

What forms of payment does Harmony Dispensary accept?

Harmony Dispensary accepts Cash or Debit (processed via Cashless ATM) payments.

Please Note: You are limited to your daily ATM withdrawal limit. Make sure to call your bank to adjust your limit if necessary. For your convenience, we also have an ATM in the dispensary.