There is a lot of confusion on what you actually need to legally obtain, grow and use Medical Marijuana. Here is a little bit of prop215 to explain things. “To ensure that seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use Marijuana for Medical purposes where that medical use is deemed appropriate and has been recommended by a physician who has determined that the persons health would benefit from the use of marijuana in the treatment of cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine or any other illness for which marijuana provides relief.” To answer the original question, which is it? You need to obtain a letter of recommendation for the use of marijuana for your illness by a doctor. What about this Medical Marijuana Card and what about my privacy? There is a State or County Card that is issued by the local county where you reside. This is a voluntary card and not mandatory. CannaMed also issues a photo patient ID Medical Marijuana Card for extra security to our patients and our patients privacy is kept 100% confidential protected by HIPPA.