Patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) will be eligible for medical marijuana in Minnesota starting in August.
“This decision was made after careful deliberation of available evidence, consultation with experts in the field and public input,” the Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Ed Ehlinger said in a statement announcing the change to the program. “While the process of reviewing these potential additions was difficult due to the relative lack of published scientific evidence, PTSD presented the strongest case for potential benefits. PTSD also has few effective treatment alternatives available for some patients with the condition.”
Patients who suffer from PTSD and have a doctor’s certification for medical marijuana use will be eligible to sign up for a medical cannabis card beginning August 1, 2017.
“Adding PTSD will help many hundreds of patients and is a significant victory,” said Maggie Ellinger-Locke, Legislative Counsel for the Marijuana Policy Project, in an email.
Dr. Ehlinger also announced that the department will expand the program by allowing medical cannabis topicals, including patches, lotions, creams, gels, and ointments. Topicals have been shown to be a safe form of administering medical cannabis.
Last year, intractable pain was added to the list of qualifying conditions for Minnesota’s medical marijuana program. Only patients who are legal Minnesota residents and have been diagnosed with one of the qualifying conditions are eligible to receive medical cannabis in Minnesota.
Qualifying Conditions:
- Cancer associated with severe/chronic pain, nausea
or severe vomiting, or cachexia or severe wasting. - Glaucoma.
- HIV/AIDS.
- Tourette Syndrome.
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
- Seizures, including those characteristic of Epilepsy.
- Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including
those characteristic of Multiple Sclerosis. - Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease.
- Terminal illness, with a probable life expectancy of less
than one year - Intractable pain
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Tags: medical marijuana, minesota, Minnesota medical marijuana, post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, qualifying conditions