Can You Get Medical Marijuana for MS in Your State?

In many states in the US, eligibility to use medical marijuana is dependent on having one or more specified medical conditions, commonly known as qualifying conditions. Patients who have been diagnosed with a qualifying condition can get a recommendation to use medical cannabis from a qualified physician.

Many patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) find that medical cannabis can help them manage some of their symptoms. Before you can access and use medical marijuana for MS, however, you’ll want to determine if MS is a qualifying condition in your state. To find out if MS is a qualifying condition in your area, visit your state’s medical cannabis program website.

What are Qualifying Conditions?

Qualifying conditions are illnesses, symptoms, or other medical conditions that states recognize as allowing patients to use medical cannabis.¹ They vary by state. Some states, such as California, Hawaii, and Oklahoma, have expansive lists of qualifying conditions that cover many illnesses and symptoms, while others are much more restrictive. 

Cannabis may help muscle spasms and other symptoms of multiple sclerosis, so many patients with MS find relief from it. Patients interested in  using medical cannabis for MS will want to start by determining if their state has listed multiple sclerosis as a qualifying condition.

The next step is to get a medical marijuana card.  At NuggMD, patients can access further details on the medical cannabis card process. Through our telemedicine platform, they can be connected with a physician  in their state who can help determine if medical cannabis is an appropriate treatment for their MS symptoms.

How Can I Find My State's Qualifying Conditions?

Because each state has its own regulations for medical cannabis, patients who would like to use medical marijuana for MS must determine if the disease is a qualifying condition in their state. Luckily, NuggMD makes the process easy with our list of cannabis laws and regulations for each state. Just click on your state and scroll down to learn more about qualifying conditions.

Other resources are also available to determine if MS is a qualifying condition for medical cannabis use in your area. The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) lists state laws on its website. Similar resources are available from the Marijuana Policy Project and Americans for Safe Access.

Which States Have MS as a Qualifying Condition?

The states that specifically list MS as a qualifying condition for the use of medical cannabis include Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Jersey, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia.

If your state does not list MS as a qualifying condition, you may still be eligible to use medical cannabis. For more information, see NuggMD’s guide to medical marijuana registries by state.

If My State Doesn't Have MS as a Qualifying Condition, Can I Still Get a Medical Card?

If MS is not a qualifying condition in your state, you may still have options to qualify for a medical marijuana card. Some states have symptoms of MS, such as muscle spasms or severe pain, as qualifying conditions, allowing registered patients to use medical marijuana for MS. Additionally, some states allow doctors to recommend medical cannabis for any condition that it might help.

States that include severe or persistent muscle spasms as a qualifying condition include  Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, and South Dakota. 

In California, doctors are authorized to recommend medical cannabis for “any other chronic or persistent medical symptom that either substantially limits a person’s ability to conduct one or more of major life activities as defined in the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, or if not alleviated, may cause serious harm to the person’s safety, physical, or mental health.”

Similarly, physicians in Maryland can recommend medical cannabis to a patient with a specified qualifying condition “or another chronic medical condition which is severe and for which other treatments have been ineffective.” 

Patients in Virginia, New York, and Oklahoma are eligible to use medical cannabis for any condition for which a physician finds cannabis may benefit the patient. The medical cannabis regulations in Washington, D.C. allow patients to use medical cannabis for “any debilitating condition as recommended by a D.C. licensed doctor or as self-certified by a patient.”

If your application for a medical cannabis card is denied, you may still have options to use medical marijuana for MS. Many states allow patients to appeal a denied registration. In Pennsylvania, for example, patients can appeal a denial of a medical marijuana identification card to the state's Department of Health. The appeal must be filed within 30 days of the denial.

In states that do not list multiple sclerosis or the symptoms of MS as qualifying conditions to use medical cannabis, advocacy may be the key to allowing patients to use medical cannabis for MS. 

Many states, such as Arizona, allow individuals to petition for new qualifying conditions to be added to the medical cannabis program. The petition process can be complex and time-consuming. Petitions typically require significant supporting evidence, including medical research and expert opinions, to demonstrate the potential benefits of medical cannabis for the proposed condition.

Do Any Symptoms of MS Count as Qualifying Conditions?

Many states have approved symptoms of MS as qualifying conditions to use medical marijuana. Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, and South Dakota have all approved severe and persistent muscle spasms as a qualifying condition. Many states have also approved chronic or severe pain as a qualifying condition, allowing many patients to use medical cannabis for multiple sclerosis.

Generally, patients in most states with a medical cannabis program are permitted to use medical marijuana for MS. If MS has not explicitly been approved as a qualifying condition, in many instances, one or more symptoms of the disease have been listed as qualifying conditions. 

To find out if you qualify for medical cannabis use, schedule an appointment with a NuggMD provider in your state. 

References

1.  Boehnke KF, Gangopadhyay S, Clauw DJ, Haffajee RL. Qualifying Conditions Of Medical Cannabis License Holders In The United States. Health Affairs. 2019;38(2):295-302. doi:https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05266
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The information in this article and any included images or charts are for educational purposes only. This information is neither a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional legal advice or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about laws, regulations, or your health, you should always consult with an attorney, physician or other licensed professional.