How to Become a Medical Cannabis Patient in Minnesota
Get certified with Leafwell. $199. Get $15 off when you use code GREENGOODS.
Join Leafwell and Green Goods for an interactive webinar on Medical Cannabis in Minnesota, including how to become a medical marijuana patient and getting certified.
In this video with Sarah Overby, LPN, Director of Medical Education with VireoHealth and Green Goods, you’ll learn about:
– Qualifying conditions
– Process of becoming a patient
– Types of products available
In 2014, Minnesota was the 22nd state to legalize medical cannabis. Patient centers were open and accepting patients a year later, in 2015. The medical marijuana program of Minnesota approved 2 companies to manufacture and distribute medical cannabis, Leafline Labs and Minnesota Medical Solutions.
How Does a Person Become a Medical Cannabis Patient in Minnesota?
In order to become a medical marijuana patient in Minnesota, you must:
Be a resident of Minnesota
Have a qualifying condition
Speak to a medical cannabis licensed provider in Minnesota
Qualifying conditions include:
Alzheimer’s Disease
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) aka Lou Gehrig’s Disease
Autism
Cancer, associated with severe or chronic pain, nausea or severe vomiting, or cachexia or severe wasting syndrome
Chronic Pain
Glaucoma
Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease
Intractable Pain – the most common qualifying condition in Minnesota
HIV/AIDS
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Seizures, including those characteristic of Epilepsy
Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristic of Multiple Sclerosis.
Terminal illness with a life expectancy of less than one year: if your illness or its treatment produces one or more of the following: severe or chronic pain; nausea or severe vomiting; or cachexia or severe wasting
Tourette Syndrome
People can petition to add more qualifying conditions to the list. The list is updated around June or July every year.
You can get qualified for a medical marijuana certificate in Minnesota by:
Going to https://leafwell.co/medical-card/minnesota/ for a virtual consultation.
Speak to a Minnesota licensed physician, physician’s assistant or Advanced Practitioner Nurse online. Get registered with the Minnesota medical cannabis program.
Get approved and pay the state registration fee.
On Approval, make an appointment and visit a Green Goods patient center.
It can take between 1 and 30 days to get approved for medical cannabis in Minnesota.
Medical marijuana certificate on its own = $199 at Leafwell.co, subject to change.
State application fee = $200, or $50 for those on Social Security disability, Supplemental Security Insurance or who are enrolled onto MinnesotaCare.
Renewal fee = $149, subject to change.
Receive $15 off with code GREENGOODS.
Leafwell is HIPAA compliant.
Can You Get Certified for Medical Cannabis Online in Minnesota?
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is possible to speak to a physician online and undergo an evaluation for medical cannabis in Minnesota. You will need to provide the following in order to qualify:
Medical records (e.g. patient history, doctor’s notes, prescription information/history, imaging/scan results)
Photo ID (e.g., driver’s permit/license, state ID, or U.S. passport)
Proof of address (e.g., utility bill, mortgage, rental lease, bank statement)
What is a Patient Center?
A Patient Center is where a medical cannabis patient can speak to a licensed pharmacist and purchase medical cannabis in Minnesota. The pharmacist will take you through the products they have and take to you about dosing and dosage, and answer any questions you may have.
You can get up to 90 days’ worth of product.
What Sort of Products Can I Purchase?
You can purchase the following types of products from a Minnesota Patient Center:
Topicals
Oral Solutions, such as Tinctures
Capsules or Tablets
Oils for Vaporization
Water Dissolvable Products
Water Soluble Products
There are many different THC:CBD ratios and ingestion methods available.
Green Goods and VireoHealth color code their products, so it’s easier for patients to tell which products are THC rich (red, orange, yellow), CBD rich (blue, indigo, violet), and have equal amounts of THC:CBD (green).
Patients are usually recommended to start slow and low with cannabis to avoid any chance of over-intoxication, especially those who aren’t used to it and need to build tolerance. Based on the patient’s experiences, they will be recommended to titrate upwards or downwards and find a sweet spot, where the patient has fewer symptoms but is still able to function.
https://minnesotamedicalsolutions.com/