The 11 conditions were approved based on recommendations of Michigan’s Medical Marihuana Review Panel.
Michigan regulators on Monday announced that they have added 11 new conditions to the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana. The change takes effect immediately.
The new conditions include:
- Arthritis
- Autism
- Chronic pain
- Colitis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Obsessive compulsive disorder
- Parkinson’s disease
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Spinal cord injury
- Tourette syndrome
- Ulcerative colitis
The conditions were approved based on recommendations by the state’s Medical Marihuana Review Panel, which is made up of eight physicians.
“With the changes in state law to include marijuana-infused products and the advancement of marijuana research, and upon the recommendation of the panel members, I’ve added eleven conditions to the approved list,” said Shelly Edgerton, director of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, in a statement.
Michigan allows citizens to submit a petition for a particular medical disease or symptom to be considered as a qualifying condition for marijuana. The applicaton form requests a summary of evidence of therapeutic benefit, including a list of peer-reviewed scientific journal articles. Petitions are then considered by the review panel, which for this last round heard comments from citizens in April and May.
Eleven other ailments recommended by the panel were rejected. Those denied condition include anxiety, asthma, brain injury, panic attacks, depression, diabetes, gastric ulcer, non-severe and non-chronic pain, organ transport, schizophrenia, and social anxiety disorder.
The additions are expected to give a big boost to Michigan’s medical marijuana market, which is already one of the largest patient pools in the nation. The state currently has 289,205 patients registered for medical marijuana cards.
Michigan’s Medical Marijuana Program
With the change, Michigan’s medical marijuana program now allows cannabis to be recommended by doctors for 22 different ailments. The 11 new conditions add to the following current list of conditions that had already been approved in Michigan, which include:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Cancer
- Crohn’s disease
- Glaucoma
- Hepatitis C
- HIV and AIDS
- Nail patella syndrome
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Any condition that causes pain, seizures, nausea, spasms, or cachexia
Michigan is one of 30 U.S. states with legalized medical marijuana. Possessing and consuming marijuana for medical purposes has been legal in Michigan for nearly 10 years, after more than 60 percent of voters approved Proposal 1 in 2008. It wasn’t until 2016, however, that the Michigan Legislature passed a series of bills to establish a statewide medical marijuana regulatory system so that patients could obtain cannabis through dispensaries.
Under Michigan’s Medical Marihuana Act of 2008, registered patients can legally buy and possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, and personally grow up to 12 marijuana plants in an enclosed, locked facility.
More on Expanding Cannabis Legalization
The expansion of Michigan’s medical marijuana program comes just a few months before the November election, when voters will decide on a ballot proposal that would legalize adult use marijuana. Polls indicate the measure has a strong chance of passing.
You can learn more about cannabis laws in Michigan and elsewhere in the U.S. through our education page. Stay on top of the latest cannabis law changes through our news page.
