At CED Clinic, we believe that education is key to overcoming the stigma around cannabis and unlocking its potential as a medicine.

CED provides evaluations and certifications for patients in Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.

We encourage all new patients to schedule follow-up consultations, as studies have shown that ongoing medical care results in improved health outcomes.

The questions on this form will cover: 

1) Medical history

2) Experience with cannabis

3) Consumption preferences

4) Impressions of the cannabis marketplace

5) General health history

Welcome to CED Pedi/Guardians

CED Pedi serves to educate adult and pediatric consumers about the medical properties and value of cannabis. We help to facilitate appropriate evaluations, and/or state-sponsored certifications, of patients within the Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Program, as well as for Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. CED is an organization dedicated to combating, through education and information, stigmas associated with cannabis. Advances in science, medical research, and modern product controls underscore the ability of medicinal cannabis to be a viable and empowering treatment option for patients. Under Dr. Caplan and Dr Exelbert's supervision, CED Pedi believes that discussions concerning cannabis, and knowledge about its benefits, must be more accessible if the misinformation around cannabis is to be overcome. CED Pedi seeks to shine a light upon research, data, and science that support medicinal cannabis’ beneficial aspects.

Steps Involved in MA state registration (following the clinic visit)

During the process of participating in the MA state medical program, you will receive an email from the state to confirm that you are a patient. This email will provide instructions for completing the registration process, similar to the information you will receive today. You may expect CED Pedi to guide you every step of the way. We are eager to minimize any friction points you may find within the program.

After your visit, there are some required steps to complete for your child's certification to be processed completely and a permanent card mailed to your home for access to the dispensaries. For your child to be considered an active, legal patient, able to use medical cannabis in Massachusetts, both the doctor steps AND the state registration steps must be completed. If you, the parent, do not complete the registration process with the Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Program, your child will not be considered a legal patient in Massachusetts and covered by applicable laws.

CED Pedi/Guardian Schedule of Visits

CED Pedi patients and parents are required to have regular follow-up evaluations every 90 days. Massachusetts requires a “bona fide” relationship between physician and patient as a foundational component of the law that defines the state Medical Marijuana Program. The CED Pedi schedule is intensive, but it allows us to help ensure that you and your child are both enjoying a productive, healthy introduction to the use of therapeutic cannabis, and so that we can continue the process of sharing crucial knowledge and experience about cannabis treatments. There is still much to learn about the therapeutic use of cannabis with pediatric populations, and CED Pedi is committed to learning from patients as well as the evolving medical literature to ensure a safe, effective, and sustainable pediatric medical cannabis practice. Follow-up visits are encouraged, above and beyond the 4 minimum required. Every child is different and benefits from different oversight. We strive to customize each child and parents' education to individual needs and goals.

Visit 1: Introduction to CED | Basic education | Initial Program Access (Fee, meet Dr Caplan and Dr Exelbert)
Visit 2: 90-day follow up (No cost, with either/both Dr Caplan and Dr Exelbert )
Visit 3: 180-day follow up (Fee, with Dr Caplan and Dr Exelbert )
Visit 4: 270-day follow up (No cost, with either/both Dr Caplan and Dr Exelbert )

Other visits beyond the above minimum are welcome, encouraged and included

Note regarding residency:
If a patient resides outside the state of Massachusetts, a certification may be given if the patient is receiving end-of-life, palliative, or cancer care in Massachusetts. We must note if this is the case so that a patient with a residential address outside of Massachusetts may register.

Medical History
If you are completing this form on behalf of a pediatric patient, please answer the questions on behalf of the patient.

Whew... you are halfway done!    

For the next 2 questions:

Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following problems?

Standard Cannabis Advisory Information

A) Do not consume intoxicating medicine and drive.  Impaired driving is illegal and as deadly and dangerous as driving drunk

 Operating a vehicle of any kind while consuming cannabis is potentially very dangerous, no matter what your tolerance or comfort level. The effects of cannabis can affect the perception of time and distance, reaction time, focus, concentration, and interpretation of context. Using cannabis and getting behind the wheel of a car is grounds for arrest for DUI, regardless of the current medical or adult-use laws in your state. If you are impaired with any medication in public, whether legal prescriptions or medical cannabis, you can be arrested for DUI. If impaired, always choose the safe way. The risk to you and others is never worth it.

B) If you drive or operate machinery while impaired by any medication or drug, even if they are legal, you can be arrested for DUI, face jail time and fines, and may injure yourself or others.

Useful information for patients and caregivers:

Know the laws, and know your rights

How many patients can personal caregivers serve?

An individual may serve as a personal caregiver for only one registered, qualifying patient at a time, except in the case of:
1) An employee of a hospice provider, nursing facility, or medical facility providing care to a qualifying patient admitted to or residing at, that facility.
2) A visiting nurse, home health aide, personal care attendant, or an immediate family member of more than one registered qualifying patient.

What can a patient or caregiver do with the cannabis they legally possess?

This is taken from the official Massachusetts “Guidance for Law Enforcement Regarding the Medical Use of Marijuana”

Cannabis that is acquired or grown for a specific registered patient may be used only by that registered patient for medical purposes.

Patients and their caregivers are prohibited from selling, bartering with, sharing, or otherwise distributing their medical cannabis products to anyone else.

As a medical patient in Massachusetts, it is ILLEGAL to do the following:

1) To divert or “re-sell” your medication to others. Your medication is meant for you or your patient as a caregiver.
2) Use a delivery service or any “dispensary” that has not been licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. You, the patient, are responsible for knowing legal vs illegal dispensaries.
3) For caregivers, it is illegal for you to grow for more than one patient or sell medication for anyone other than your one registered patient or family member(s).

Patient safety is always our most important message, from consumption to acquiring medicine.

Please read the following and sign below to indicate that you understand and acknowledge the information written. 

1) Medical cannabis is used to treat debilitating medical conditions, defined as limiting life activities

2) The use of cannabis affects coordination and cognition, and impairs ability to drive or engage in potentially hazardous activities. Wait at least 6 hours after cannabis use before operating any equipment.

3) Some patients may experience symptoms when they stop using cannabis. These include irritability, insomnia, loss of appetite, restlessness, trouble concentrating and fatigue.

4) Cannabis potency varies with the strain and the method of consumption. Determining the appropriate cannabis dosage is difficult and may require a trial-and-error approach. Always start at the lowest dose and increase it gradually.

5) Nausea, palpitations and numbness are symptoms of cannabis excess. Chronic misuse of cannabis may lead to general apathy in some patients, or to psychosis in those who are predisposed.

6) Cannabis should not be used if you become pregnant or are breastfeeding.Possession of cannabis is still currently illegal under federal law. CED Clinic clinicians and staff are neither prescribing nor dispensing cannabis. Our certification is that a qualifying medical condition exists and that the potential benefits of medical marijuana appear to outweigh the risks.

7) CED Clinic clinicians and staff are addressing specific aspects of a patient’s medical care. Unless requested and established through formal acceptance into the CED Clinic clinical practice, they are in no way establishing themselves as a primary care provider. Anonymized responses provided in this form may be used to educate or for research purposes or to improve the quality of cannabis care that we provide.

8) Cannabis is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and may contain unknown quantities of active ingredients and impurities, although the state testing aims to minimize this possibility

9) Smoking cannabis (with flame) may cause respiratory illness, including cancer. Any ill effects experienced with the use of cannabis require discontinuation of the product and immediate medical evaluation.

10) A vaporizer substantially reduces many of the harmful toxins that are present in cannabis smoke. Avoiding flame use with cannabis is strongly recommended. Oral cannabis and topical preparations are known to be associated with fewer toxins.

Experience With Cannabis

Thank you for helping us to learn about your perspective. The more we learn from your views, the better able we are to educate ourselves and the industry.

All information below is de-identified and retained as anonymous.

If you are completing the form on behalf of a pediatric patient, please answer from their point of view.

Cannabis experience

Cannabis impressions & expectations