Qualifying Conditions for Medical Marijuana Card in Michigan

How Many Medical Conditions Qualify for Medical Marijuana Treatment in Michigan?

Currently, there are 27 medical conditions that qualify eligible patients for medical marijuana treatment in Michigan.

Qualifying Conditions for Medical Card in Michigan 2023

In Michigan, eligible patients can obtain the state’s medical marijuana card if they are diagnosed with any of these qualifying conditions:

• Agitation of Alzheimer’s Disease
• AIDS
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
• Arthritis
• Autism
• Cancer
• Cerebral Palsy
• Chronic Pain
• Colitis
• Crohn’s Disease
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C
• HIV Positive
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Nail Patella
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Tourette’s Disease
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Any debilitating or chronic medical condition, or its treatments, causing one or more of the following:
• Cachexia or Wasting Syndrome
• Severe and Chronic Pain
• Severe Nausea
• Seizures (including but not limited to those characteristic of epilepsy)
• Severe and Persistent Muscle Spasm (including but not limited to those characteristic of multiple sclerosis)

Does Michigan Add New Qualifying Conditions to its Medical Marijuana Program?

Yes. When the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-Initiated-Law-1-of-2008.pdf) was passed in 2008, it included a shorter list of medical conditions qualifying patients for medical marijuana use. In 2012, PTSD and Parkinson's disease were included on the list. The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) added 11 new qualifying conditions in 2018. Cerebral palsy was added to the list of qualifying medical conditions in 2019.

Michigan regularly accepts petitions to add new diseases to its list of qualifying medical conditions. Residents can petition the Michigan Medical Marijuana Review Panel to add new qualifying medical conditions. However, each petition can only include a request for one condition. The Michigan Medical Marijuana Review Panel meets at least twice a year to discuss the addition of new qualifying conditions. Each petition must provide a summary of evidence confirming the benefits of medical marijuana in treating the new medical condition considered. Final decisions on petitions are given within 180 days of submission.

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

No. In Michigan, physicians cannot recommend medical marijuana for unlisted medical conditions even if these illnesses are deemed debilitating.

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

Yes. In Michigan, an eligible patient who is diagnosed by a state-licensed medical marijuana doctor must obtain a recommendation for medical cannabis. A Medical Doctor (MD), Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery (DO), or Expedited Medical Compact (EMC) must recommend medical marijuana in Michigan.

Who Qualifies for a Medical Marijuana Card in Michigan?

In order to obtain a medical marijuana card in Michigan, eligible patients with qualifying conditions must also be:

• Residents of the state
• 18 years or older. Minors may apply but only with the consent of their parents or legal guardians who must serve as caregivers