So is a recommendation required first, or can someone bring their medical records (showing a treatable issue) straight to a MMJ doctor and get a card?
Sorry for so many questions lol
Yes, a recommendation is required first. I can't speak for all doctors, but the doctor I saw did not require any medical records. I filled out the typical medical history forms, she (the doctor) asked me questions and did a physical, and I got a recommendation.
I'm almost 100% sure that this is all you need to be legal in California...I won't fully commit since I'm not a lawyer.
Once you have a recommendation, you can ALSO get a VOLUNTARY state or county-issued MJ ID card at an EXTRA cost. This card is NOT required to be a PATIENT in CA. The card can, in theory, help you with law enforcement; if all you have is a recommendation then LEO can haul you in and confiscate your weed until they verify that your recommendation is valid. The ID card is supposed to be verification of your recommendation that you can present to LEO, who then would say "OK, have a nice day".