As of March 20, 2023, the Office introduced pivotal changes to the Medical Cannabis Data Management System (MCDMS) on March 20, 2023. These modifications have significantly streamlined the registration process for new patients. Now, when a patient is certified by a medical professional, they are automatically registered in the system. A key feature of this update is that Patient Certifications now include the registry ID, eliminating the need for plastic registry ID cards.
Important Information for Patients: Navigating the New System
For Post-March 20, 2023 Certifications:
- Patients certified on or after this date will find their Registry ID directly in their certification.
- If there’s any change in your name or address, it’s crucial to inform your certifying practitioner within ten (10) business days. This will ensure that a new certification and updated registry ID are issued to reflect these changes.
For Pre-March 20, 2023 Certifications and Caregivers:
- Patients and designated caregivers who were certified before this date must notify the Medical Cannabis Program directly about any changes in their name or address, within the same ten (10) business day timeframe.
- Depending on the situation, these updates may lead to the issuance of a new Registry ID.
Old Process for Online Registry ID Card Application
Login Process
Initially, users had to log into My.NY.gov using their login credentials. To do this, a My.NY.gov account needed to be created for both patients and caregivers.
Accessing the Account
Once logged in, users chose the “Medical Marijuana Data Management System” link after selecting the “Health Applications” button. They clicked on the icon labeled “Update Information/Request New Card,” followed by the green “Request New Card” button.
Requesting the Card
Users selected the appropriate reason for their card request. When requesting a new card to change their name or photograph on the registration ID card, patients or caregivers were required to attach the necessary paperwork.
If a new address was being reported, they made sure to update the address information on the screen before submitting the new card request.
Request Review
The request for a new card was then reviewed by the relevant authorities. Upon approval, users could purchase medical marijuana using a temporary registration identity card accessed from their account.
Meanwhile, the patient or caregiver awaited the arrival of the physical registry identification card in the mail.
