Frequently Asked Questions

As of 2026, New Jersey recognizes 18 qualifying conditions: ALS, Anxiety, Cancer, Chronic Pain, Dysmenorrhea, Glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (including Crohn's), Intractable Skeletal Muscular Spasticity, Migraine, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Opioid Use Disorder, PTSD, Seizure Disorder/Epilepsy, Sickle Cell Anemia, Terminal Illness, and Tourette Syndrome. See our conditions page for full details.

Yes. The NJ Medicinal Cannabis Program requires you to prove New Jersey residency. A valid NJ driver's license or state ID is the easiest way to demonstrate this. If your ID shows an address that is no longer current, you will need a second document (utility bill, bank statement, etc.) confirming your current NJ address.

Depression is not currently a qualifying condition under the NJ Medical Marijuana Program. However, PremierMD operates a sister psychiatric practice — QuietMind Health — that specializes in psychiatric medication management for depression and related mood disorders. For patients with treatment-resistant depression specifically, our Spravato NJ practice offers esketamine (Spravato) treatment, an FDA-approved therapy for treatment-resistant depression. We would be happy to connect you with the right team.

The best way to find out is to fill out our eligibility form. Our team will review your condition and let you know whether you qualify before you schedule an appointment. There is no cost for this initial eligibility review.

Yes. PremierMD is one of the few NJ practices that evaluates pediatric patients for the NJMMP. Children with qualifying conditions — such as epilepsy, cancer, or other serious illnesses — may be eligible for a medical cannabis certification with parental consent. Please call our office to discuss your child's situation and we will guide you through the process.

Yes. Because PremierMD is a full-service medical practice, we bill your insurance for the physician evaluation the same way a primary care visit is billed. Most patients with Medicare, Medicaid, or commercial insurance pay $0 to $50 for their evaluation, depending on their plan. This is very different from standalone cannabis certification services, which typically charge $99–$210 out of pocket with no insurance accepted.

Yes. We accept traditional Medicare (Parts A and B) and most Medicare Advantage plans. This is genuinely unusual — most medical cannabis certification services in NJ do not accept Medicare at all. Because the physician evaluation is billed as a standard medical office visit (not as a cannabis service), it is eligible for Medicare reimbursement.

Yes. We accept NJ FamilyCare (New Jersey's Medicaid program) and managed Medicaid plans including AmeriHealth, Horizon NJ Health, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, and WellCare. Most Medicaid patients pay $0 for their evaluation when PremierMD is listed as their primary care physician — please call us to confirm your specific plan.

No. Insurance covers the physician evaluation and ongoing care visits at PremierMD — not the cannabis products themselves. Because cannabis remains a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law, insurance cannot cover dispensary purchases. The cost of cannabis products varies by product and dispensary.

We offer self-pay rates for uninsured patients. Please call our office at (908) 450-7002 to discuss pricing. We also encourage uninsured patients to check whether they qualify for NJ FamilyCare (Medicaid) — our staff can help you determine eligibility.

Plan on approximately 3 weeks from your first contact to receiving your patient ID. Your first appointment is typically scheduled within 2 weeks of reaching out. A follow-up appointment is then required about a week later — this gives time for any required lab work to be completed. After certification, the CRC typically processes registration in less than a week, and a digital ID card arrives almost instantly upon approval.

No — the vast majority of our appointments are done by telemedicine. We'll send you a secure video link before your appointment. There's no app to download, no account to create: just click the link on any smartphone, tablet, or computer with a camera. In-person appointments at any of our four NJ locations (Bridgewater, Morristown, Hoboken, Nutley) are available if you prefer, but most patients find telemedicine easier and more convenient.

• Valid NJ driver's license or state-issued photo ID
• Proof of NJ residency if your ID doesn't reflect your current address
• Insurance card
• Current medication list (or bring the bottles)
• Relevant medical records (helpful but not always required — we can also request records from your other providers)

No. We welcome new patients specifically for the medical cannabis program. If you are already an established PremierMD patient, your records are already in our system, which typically makes the process faster.

PremierMD schedules physician recertification visits every 3 months (90 days) to monitor how your treatment is working and adjust recommendations as needed — this is what separates ongoing medical care from a one-time certification service. Separately, your NJ patient ID card is valid for two years; when it expires, you renew it directly on the CRC portal. Follow-up visits are covered by insurance in most cases.

Once you receive your NJ NJMMP patient ID, you can purchase from any licensed Alternative Treatment Center (ATC) — also known as a dispensary — in New Jersey. Medical patients often have access to a wider variety of products, higher purchase limits, and lower sales tax than recreational buyers.

No. Your medical records and NJMMP registration are confidential under HIPAA and NJ state law. Your employer is not notified when you obtain a medical cannabis card. However, NJ employers may still maintain drug-free workplace policies, and medical cannabis use is not federally protected. We recommend understanding your employer's specific policies before beginning treatment.

You may travel within New Jersey with your medical cannabis in its original dispensary packaging with your patient ID. You cannot legally transport cannabis across state lines, even to states with medical cannabis programs, as this violates federal law. You cannot carry cannabis onto commercial aircraft.

Medical cannabis is generally well-tolerated, particularly for conditions like chronic pain, anxiety, PTSD, and nausea. As with any medical treatment, there are potential side effects and contraindications, which is why a physician evaluation is required. Your provider will review your full health history — including other medications — to assess whether cannabis therapy is appropriate for you and will start you on the lowest effective dose. Many of our most satisfied patients had never used cannabis before coming to PremierMD.

NJ dispensaries carry a wide range of products including flower (for vaporization), oil cartridges, tinctures, capsules, edibles, and topicals. Your provider will discuss the options most appropriate for your condition and situation. We strongly recommend beginning with lower-THC, higher-CBD options if you are new to cannabis, and always starting low and going slow.

No. A "card mill" certifies patients with minimal evaluation — often a brief telehealth call with no review of medical records. PremierMD is a full-service family medicine and psychiatry practice. Your evaluation is a real medical appointment with a licensed physician. We also see you for follow-up, manage your treatment over time, and do not certify patients for whom cannabis therapy would not be clinically appropriate.

Yes. Our medical cannabis program is part of PremierMD, Inc., a multi-specialty practice with four locations across New Jersey offering family medicine, preventive care, and integrative medicine. We also operate QuietMind Health (psychiatric medication management) and Spravato NJ (esketamine treatment for treatment-resistant depression). All practices share the same clinical team and care philosophy.

Absolutely. Medical cannabis has been legal in New Jersey since 2010. PremierMD is a licensed medical practice that participates in the NJ Medicinal Cannabis Program (NJMCP) administered by the NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC). All certifications are performed by licensed New Jersey physicians in compliance with CREAMMA and NJ state law.

You can reach us by:

• Phone: (908) 450-7002 (Bridgewater main line)
• Email: patientassistance@mypremiermd.com
• Online: Fill out our eligibility form and we'll contact you