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As D.C.’s first medical marijuana dispensaries prepare to open (for real this time!), some ill D.C. residents may be wondering where they can get a prescription.

But as the Washingtonian reports, this may be a challenge, as there are Department of Health regulations in place that prevent the agency from providing the names of physicians.

The actual regulation, 802.2, states: “The Department shall maintain a confidential record, which shall not be subject to requests under the Freedom of Information Act, of each recommending physician for the purpose monitoring compliance with the Act.” The relevant part there is protection from FOIA requests.

[DOH communications director Najma] Roberts said security is the reason for the tight confidentiality: “In other states where the names of recommending physicians have been released, the physicians have received hostile threats and physicians have stopped recommending.” Another factor is the possibility of doctor self-promotion. “In other cases,” she said, “a recommending physician who has had his name exposed gets extra business from the free publicity.” The D.C. government doesn’t want to be in the position of having an impact on the “competitive position of a recommending doctor.”

As DCist previously reported, medical marijuana will be available to D.C. residents who have cancer, glaucoma, or HIV/AIDS, as well as those undergoing radiation or chemotherapy treatments. The DOH estimated that only 110 of the city’s 9,500 licensed physicians are interested in prescribing pot. Good luck finding those needles in a haystack.