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The Minnesota Department of Health announced that three other conditions now allow access to the state’s medical cannabis program.
The department said sickle cell disease and chronic vocal / or motor tic will be added to its list of qualifying conditions, which will take effect in August 2021.
It comes after MDH solicited public submissions for potential qualifying conditions over the summer, which went to a public comment period and before a review panel.
Sickle cell anemia, a group of inherited red blood cell disorders, affects mostly black or African American people, and by MDH can trigger severe pain when sickle cell disease “gets stuck in small blood vessels and blocks the flow of blood and blood. oxygen to the organs in the body. “
Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said allowing marijuana to treat sickle cell disease will give patients “a non-opioid option to manage their pain.”
The addition of vocal or motor tics comes after MDH has already added Tourette’s syndrome to their list of medical conditions. People with Tourette’s syndrome experience both motor and vocal tics, but the new change will allow a person with one of the tics – but not both – to be given medical marijuana.
A separate petition to allow the prescription of marijuana for anxiety was rejected, but Malcolm said it would be reconsidered in 2021.
“Anxiety is a broad term for a group of specific disorders,” said Malcolm. “We want to dig deeper into specific anxiety disorders and move forward cautiously. The large number of patient testimonials submitted during the petitions process tells us that there is something there. However, we want to avoid unintended consequences – there is evidence that cannabis use can actually contribute to and worsen anxiety in some people.
“We recognize this is the third time anxiety has been solicited for the medical cannabis program, and we thank everyone for their thoughtful comments in support of the petition.”
Depending on the changes, sickle cell disease or chronic motor / vocal tic will be eligible to enroll from July 1, 2021 and receive medical cannabis from one month later.
Fifteen conditions have already been approved for medical marijuana, these are:
- Cancer associated with severe / chronic pain, severe nausea or vomiting, or severe wasting or emaciation
- Glaucoma
- HIV / AIDS
- Tourette’s 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 a year
- Intractable pain
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Autism spectrum disorders
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Chronic pain
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