Minnesota now has fourteen conditions that qualify patients for medical marijuana
People diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease can register for medical marijuana in Minnesota, starting on the 1st July 2019. There are currently more than 94,000 people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in Minnesota.
Once registered they will be able to receive medical cannabis from the state’s two medical cannabis manufacturers beginning August 1, 2019.
As with the program’s other qualifying conditions, Alzheimer’s patients will need advance certification from a Minnesota health care provider.
In December 2018, the Minnesota Department of Health or MDH said it will add Alzheimer’s disease as a new qualifying condition for the state’s medical cannabis program.
Petitioners had proposed adding seven new qualifying conditions last year – Alzheimer’s disease, hepatitis C, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, opioid use disorder, panic disorder, psoriasis, and traumatic brain injury. However, after reviewing the research summaries and other input, Minnesota Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm approved only Alzheimer’s disease.
“Any policy decisions about cannabis are difficult due to the relative lack of published scientific evidence,” Malcolm said. “However, there is some evidence for potential benefits of medical cannabis to improve the mood, sleep and behavior of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.”
Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia in elderly people. It’s a neurodegenerative disorder that causes cognitive impairments, delusion, depression and agitation, and there is no known cure. But studies show that cannabis, in particular the CBD and THC cannabinoids it contains, could help manage the behavioral symptoms that reduce quality of life for Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers.
The MDH research brief cited two available studies, which found that some patients saw improvements in disruptive night-time behavior and agitation after cannabis use.
With the addition of Alzheimer’s disease, Minnesota now has fourteen conditions that qualify patients for medical marijuana.
Source RTT News
Image – Geralt(p)
