Louisiana Medical Marijuana Card
- Louisiana Cannabis
- Louisiana Medical Marijuana Card
Apply For Louisiana Medical Marijuana Card Online
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Is Medical Marijuana Legal In Louisiana?
Yes, medical marijuana is legal in Louisiana. Enacted in 2015, Senate Bill 143 (Act No. 261) permitted the use of cannabis for therapeutic use in the state. This Act does not prevent persons convicted of felonies from registering for medical cannabis in Louisiana. The state has a medical marijuana program established following the passage of Senate Bill 143. Under this bill, Louisiana-licensed physicians can recommend medical cannabis to patients with certain debilitating conditions. The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) oversees the state's medical marijuana program. While smokable and edible forms of medical cannabis are permitted in Louisiana, the state prohibits vapes. However, qualifying patients may use a metered-dose inhaler.
How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Louisiana in 2024
The Louisiana Medical Cannabis Program does not operate a medical marijuana card system. Only a physician's recommendation is required to access medical cannabis in the state
Schedule an in-person or telemedicine appointment with a licensed physician who has a marijuana registration permit and is certified by and in good faith with the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners to obtain a medical cannabis certification. Alternatively, go to a state-licensed medical cannabis clinic specializing in medical marijuana treatments
During the appointment, provide the physician or attending employee at the medical cannabis clinic with necessary documents such as government-issued ID, medical records, and proof of Louisiana residency
Once a patient is determined eligible for medical cannabis, their physician will send the recommendation to the patient's preferred medical marijuana pharmacy as confirmation of registration in the state's medical marijuana program
The patient may collect a copy of the physician's recommendation if needed
Qualifying Conditions for Medical Card in Louisiana
Only qualifying patients registered in the Louisiana Medical Marijuana Program can buy medical cannabis at state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries. Eligible conditions for therapeutic (medical) cannabis treatment in Louisiana in 2024, as stated in Act 286, include the following:
- Spasticity
- Glaucoma
- HIV/AIDS
- Epilepsy
- Cancer
- Seizure disorders
- Multiple sclerosis
- PTSD
- Traumatic brain injury
- Chronic pain associated with fibromyalgia and sickle cell disease
- Crohn's disease
- Muscular dystrophy
- Cachexia or wasting syndrome
- Severe muscle spasms
- Intractable pain
- Neurodegenerative diseases and conditions such as:
- Lewy body dementia
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Parkison's disease
- Alzheimer's disease
- Spinal muscular atrophy
- Motor neuron disease
- Huntington's disease
Can I Apply For A Medical Marijuana Card In Louisiana Online?
Although Louisiana does not issue medical marijuana cards, House Bill 696 permits qualifying medical cannabis patients in the state to obtain physicians' recommendations online via telemedicine services.
How Do I Register With The Louisiana Therapeutic Marijuana Program?
To participate in the Louisiana therapeutic marijuana program, a qualifying patient must meet a licensed physician who has a permit for medical marijuana registration. During the meeting, the patient's medical condition will be discussed, and if the physician determines that the patient qualifies for therapeutic marijuana treatment, they will issue a recommendation. This recommendation entitles the patient to medical marijuana purchase at their preferred Louisiana-licensed therapeutic cannabis pharmacy.
Do I Need To Be A Louisiana Resident To Get A Medical Marijuana Card?
Yes, only Louisiana residents can participate in the state’s medical marijuana program. Although the Louisiana Therapeutic Marijuana Program does not issue medical marijuana cards, qualifying patients' proof of state residency is a requirement for acceptance into the program.
What Is The Cost Of A Louisiana Medical Marijuana Card?
While Louisiana does not issue a medical marijuana card, there is no state fee for obtaining a physician's recommendation for medical cannabis. However, a physician may charge a fee for issuing a medical cannabis certificate, and the cost depends on the physician. Generally, qualifying patients in Louisiana pay an average of $200 to licensed physicians with marijuana registration permits for consultations. However, most physicians will not bill patients unless they qualify for a medical marijuana certificate.
What Do You Need When Visiting A Medical Marijuana Dispensary In Louisiana?
In Louisiana, the primary thing a qualifying patient needs to visit the medical marijuana dispensary selected during certification is a state-issued identification card. Typically, after a licensed physician recommends a patient for medical marijuana, the patient's name is entered into the state database of medical cannabis patients. All licensed therapeutic cannabis pharmacies in Louisiana can access this database. Additionally, patients are advised to hold sufficient cash for purchases when visiting medical marijuana dispensaries in the state.
Who Can Prescribe Medical Marijuana In Louisiana?
Because it is considered a Schedule I drug under the Federal Controlled Substances Act, no one can prescribe medical marijuana in Louisiana. However, Under Senate Bill 271, medical marijuana physicians in Louisiana can recommend medical cannabis to patients who qualify for cannabis therapy. To be able to recommend medical cannabis to a patient in the state, a physician must satisfy the following criteria:
- Have a bonafide physician-doctor relationship with a patient
- Licensed by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners and be in good standing with the board
Can A Minor Get A Medical Marijuana Card In Louisiana?
Minors under 18 years who qualify for medical marijuana in Louisiana cannot apply for medical marijuana certificates on their own. They may only obtain certification for medical cannabis through their legal guardians or parents who will serve as their caregivers. A minor patient with autism spectrum disorder must obtain a medical marijuana certification from a pediatrician or a pediatric subspecialist licensed to practice in the state.
Can You Get A Medical Marijuana Card At 18 In Louisiana?
Yes. In Louisiana, qualifying patients aged 18 and over can get a medical marijuana certificate from state-licensed doctors with marijuana registration permits. Once obtained, the certification enables them to purchase medical cannabis legally from state-licensed therapeutic cannabis pharmacies, otherwise known as medical marijuana dispensaries.
How To Renew Your Louisiana Medical Marijuana Card
A doctor's recommendation/certification for medical marijuana in Louisiana is valid for only one year and must be renewed annually. A certificate holder can return to the previous physician who issued the expiring certificate or switch to a new doctor. Whichever way, there must be a bona fide physician-patient relationship for a doctor to be able to renew a patient's medical marijuana certificate. The Louisiana medical cannabis certificate renewal process is not different from the initial process of obtaining a doctor's recommendation and choosing a preferred medical marijuana dispensary. Certificate holders should expect to pay a fee as determined by the physician.
Can You Grow Medical Marijuana In Louisiana?
No. Louisiana medical marijuana laws prohibit medical cannabis patients from cultivating their own marijuana. Their only legal way to access medicinal cannabis is via state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries. Licensed marijuana production facilities are the only entities allowed to grow medical cannabis under Louisiana medical cannabis laws. The state currently has two approved marijuana growers.
Does Louisiana Allow Medical Marijuana Patients To Designate Caregivers?
Currently, the medical marijuana program in Louisiana does not permit qualifying patients to designate caregivers. However, state law allows parents and legal guardians of minor patients under 18 years to serve as their caregivers. Parents or guardians of minors must accompany them to licensed physicians for consultation for medical cannabis recommendations. They are also required to purchase medical marijuana at licensed therapeutic marijuana pharmacies on their behalf.
Louisiana Medical Marijuana Reciprocity
Visiting cannabis patients with medical marijuana cards or equivalents from some other states, including the following, can get medical cannabis from Louisiana-licensed dispensaries, subject to House Bill 135 provisions:
- Washington DC
- Utah
- Arkansas
- Hawai
- Arizona
- Oklahoma
- Michigan
- New Mexico
- New Hampshire
- West Virginia
- Rhode Island
Are My Medical Marijuana Records Private?
Yes, patients' records of their medical cannabis treatments in Louisiana must be kept private in line with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Registered cannabis patients' information, including conversations with their doctors about their treatments, must remain protected and not be disclosed improperly. However, in certain instances, law enforcement and patients' employers may be able to access medical cannabis records. In such cases, patients have a right to get reports on why and when their information was disclosed.
Does Insurance Cover Medical Marijuana In Louisiana?
No. Health insurance does not cover medical marijuana cost in Louisiana.
What Is The Medical Card Limit In Louisiana?
A qualifying patient's medical marijuana certificate in Louisiana allows them to purchase up to a 30-day supply of medical cannabis, subject to their physician's approved dosage.
Can You Go To A Dispensary Without A Medical Card In Louisiana?
Yes, a registered medical cannabis patient can go to a dispensary without a medical marijuana card in Louisiana. Typically, a licensed physician sends a patient’s medical marijuana certification to their preferred dispensary after certifying them as eligible for medical marijuana treatment.
