PTSD and a Florida Medical Marijuana Card
Yes. Posttraumatic stress disorder is listed in Florida's medical marijuana law at § 381.986(2)(f). A Florida qualified physician must examine you in person and diagnose PTSD, which is easiest when you bring records from a psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist or, for veterans, the VA.
What does Florida law say about PTSD?
Paragraph (f) of § 381.986(2) names "Posttraumatic stress disorder." The complete list is:
Florida law lists: cancer; epilepsy; glaucoma; positive HIV status; AIDS; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); ALS; Crohn's disease; Parkinson's disease; multiple sclerosis; conditions of the same kind or class as or comparable to those; a terminal condition diagnosed by a physician other than the certifying physician; and chronic nonmalignant pain.
What is PTSD?
MedlinePlus describes PTSD as a mental health disorder that some people develop after they experience or see a traumatic event.
Which records show a PTSD diagnosis?
A documented diagnosis from a mental-health provider is the clearest support. Bring what you have:
- Notes from a psychiatrist, psychologist, licensed counselor or therapist naming PTSD
- For veterans, VA medical records that list the diagnosis
- Hospital or crisis-care records, if any
- A list of current and past psychiatric medications and therapy
- Your primary care records if PTSD appears on your problem list
What if I don't have PTSD records yet?
The certifying physician must make the diagnosis, and prior records are the most reliable way to support it. If you have never been diagnosed, consider seeing a mental-health provider first. The physician will not certify without a supportable diagnosis.
What should veterans know?
Florida's certification process is the same for veterans and civilians. Your VA records can document the diagnosis, and you can request copies from the VA before the visit.
The state ID card is a separate step with its own fee: $75, paid to the Florida Department of Health (plus a $2.75 convenience fee when paying online).
How should I prepare for the visit?
Request records that name the diagnosis, such as a psychiatric evaluation or a recent therapy summary. Veterans can ask the VA for copies ahead of time.
Write down current medicines, including any for sleep or mood. If talking about your history is stressful, you can bring a trusted person with you for support.
What happens at the first visit?
Before an initial certification, the physician must do an in-person physical exam, meaning the physician is physically in the same room as the patient.
The physician reviews your history and records, checks the state prescription monitoring database and the Registry, and goes over the informed consent form, which covers the potential for addiction and effects on thinking and alertness.
How often do I come back?
Re-evaluation: at least once every 30 weeks. Telehealth is allowed only for renewals: a physician who already certified the patient after an in-person physical exam may do that patient's later exams and re-evaluations by telehealth.
Common questions.
Does anxiety or depression count as PTSD?
No. They are different diagnoses and are not named in the statute. A physician can evaluate whether a specific condition is of the same kind or class as the listed conditions, but that is decided case by case and is never promised.
Will a VA diagnosis be accepted?
VA medical records are a strong way to document a PTSD diagnosis. The certifying physician still has to examine you in person and make the diagnosis and determinations Florida law requires.
Do I have to describe my trauma in detail?
No. The physician needs enough history to confirm the diagnosis, and your records carry most of that. You can share what you are comfortable sharing.
Should I keep seeing my therapist?
Yes. Certification is a legal step, not a replacement for mental-health care. Keep your existing care in place.
Is the process different for first responders?
No. Florida's process is the same for everyone: an in-person exam, a confirmed qualifying diagnosis and the other steps in § 381.986(4)(a). Records from any licensed mental-health provider can document PTSD.
Bring your mental-health or VA records
Book an in-person evaluation at our Temple Terrace office. The physician will review them with you privately.
Book your evaluationTHE PATIENT AND ANY OTHER PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT HAS A RIGHT TO REFUSE TO PAY, CANCEL PAYMENT, OR BE REIMBURSED FOR PAYMENT FOR ANY OTHER SERVICE, EXAMINATION, OR TREATMENT THAT IS PERFORMED AS A RESULT OF AND WITHIN 72 HOURS OF RESPONDING TO THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE FREE, DISCOUNTED FEE, OR REDUCED FEE SERVICE, EXAMINATION, OR TREATMENT.