HomeNewsMichigan Adds New Qualifying Conditions For Medical Cannabis

Michigan Adds New Qualifying Conditions For Medical Cannabis

Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) Director has announced the addition of eleven new medical conditions to the state’s medicinal cannabis program.

The new conditions are:

  • Arthritis
  • Autism
  • Chronic Pain
  • Colitis
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
  • Parkinson’s
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Spinal Cord Injury
  • Tourette’s Syndrome
  • Ulcerative Colitis

“With the changes in state law to include marihuana-infused products, and the advancement of marihuana research, and upon the recommendation of the panel members, I’ve added these eleven conditions to the approved list,” said Director Shelly Edgerton.

Editor’s note: Some states, including Michigan, still refer to marijuana as “marihuana”, which was the original spelling of the word. It became part of common American English with the passing of the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, but its use decreased in the 1970’s

The new additions bring the total number of qualifying conditions to twenty-two. A number of other conditions, including anxiety and diabetes, were rejected based on the majority of the Medical Marihuana Review Panel members’ recommendations.

Michigan has had an active program operating for close to a decade, after the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act was approved by the state’s voters on November 4, 2008. It was the 13th U.S. state to legalise cannabis for medical use.

In Michigan, qualifying patients can possess up to a combined total of 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana and usable marijuana equivalents. Patients are also able to grow up to 12 plants, provided they are kept in an enclosed, locked facility. Registered caregivers can also grow plants on behalf of a patient. 

There are close to 290,000 medical marijuana card holders in Michigan, which works out to around 3% of its entire population. Currently, there are no licensed provisioning centers in the state.

Further information on the state’s program can be found here.

Michigan is also contemplating legalising recreational/adult use, with a vote expected this year. Late last year, Grand Rapids Business Journal reported a recent Gallup poll indicated 64 percent of voters support legalising recreational cannabis, well up from 12 percent from when the question was first asked in 1969.

Gillian Jalimnson
Gillian Jalimnson is one of Hemp Gazette's staff writers and has been with us since we kicked off in 2015. Gillian sees massive potential for cannabis in areas of health, energy, building and personal care products and is intrigued by the potential for cannabidiol (CBD) as an alternative to conventional treatments. You can contact Gillian here.
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