Qualifying Conditions for Medical Marijuana Card in North Dakota

How Many Medical Conditions Qualify for Medical Marijuana Treatment in North Dakota?

There are 30 medical conditions that qualify eligible patients in North Dakota for medical marijuana treatment.

Qualifying Conditions for Medical Card in North Dakota 2024

To apply for medical marijuana card in North Dakota, eligible patients must be diagnosed with one or more of the following qualifying conditions:

• Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
• Agitation of Alzheimer's Disease or related Dementia
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
• Anorexia Nervosa
• Anxiety Disorder
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Brain Injury
• Bulimia Nervosa
• Cancer
• Crohn's Disease
• Decompensated Cirrhosis caused by Hepatitis C
• Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
• Endometriosis
• Epilepsy
• Fibromyalgia
• Glaucoma
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus
• Interstitial Cystitis
• Migraine
• Neuropathy
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Spinal stenosis or chronic back pain, including those presenting with neuropathy, spinal cord tissue damage, and intractable spasticity
• Terminal Illness
• Tourette Syndrome
• Any medical condition or its treatment that causes one or more of the following:
• Cachexia or wasting syndrome
• Intractable nausea
• Seizures
• Severe debilitating pain unresponsive to conventional treatments for more than three months or for which these treatments produced serious side effects
• Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including multiple sclerosis

Does North Dakota Add New Qualifying Conditions to its Medical Marijuana Program?

Yes. When North Dakota legalized medical cannabis with Measure 5, there were only 16 named identified conditions. The other 14 were added later. The state’s medical marijuana law makes for adding new qualifying conditions through petitions submitted by members of the public.

North Dakota regularly accepts petitions to add new illnesses to its list of qualifying medical conditions. Residents can submit petitions to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to add new qualifying illnesses to the state’s list. Each petition must be signed by at least 50 medical practitioners before it is approved by the head of the Department of Health and Human Services in North Dakota. Decisions are made on the approval within 180 days of submission.

Does North Dakota Allow Physicians to Recommend Medical Cannabis for Non-Qualifying Conditions?

No. According to the North Dakota medical marijuana law, physicians are only allowed to provide medical marijuana recommendations for qualifying medical conditions on the state’s list.

Do You Need a Doctor’s Recommendation for Medical Marijuana in North Dakota?

Yes. An eligible patient must initially visit any state-licensed healthcare provider and be diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition recognized on the state’s list to obtain a recommendation for treatment. State-licensed healthcare providers must have bona fide provider-patient relationships with the individuals they recommend for medical marijuana use. In addition, their licenses must be in good standing with their medical boards. The following are the kinds of medical practitioners eligible to provide medical cannabis recommendations in North Dakota:

• Physicians
• Physician Assistants
• Advanced Practice Registered Nurses

Who Qualifies for a Medical Marijuana Card in North Dakota

To apply for a medical marijuana card in North Dakota, an eligible resident must be diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition and obtain a doctor’s recommendation. In addition, they must also be 19 years or older. A minor can apply with the consent of their parent, legal guardian, or anyone aged 21 or older who must serve as a designated caregiver. A minor who is 18 years old in North Dakota can apply for an MMJ card if they have no parent or legal guardian with responsibility for their healthcare decisions.

North Dakota also issues medical marijuana cards to visiting qualifying patients. To be eligible for an MMJ card in the state, the visiting patient must be:

• A resident in North Dakota for less than 30 days
• An MMJ cardholder in their home state
• Diagnosed with a debilitating condition by a state-licensed healthcare provider in another state