The Michigan Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Medical Marijuana Review panel recently approved 11 new medical conditions to add to the medical marijuana program. However, anxiety, brain injury and depression were denied. In a four to two vote by the panel, both anxiety and depression were denied, and people don’t understand why.
What are the 11 New Medical Conditions?
The following 11 medical conditions were added to the list for qualifying conditions to receive a Michigan medical marijuana card:
- 1) Arthritis
- 2) autism
- 3) chronic pain
- 4) colitis
- 5) inflammatory bowel disease
- 6) obsessive compulsive disorder
- 7) Parkinson’s disease
- 8) Rheumatoid arthritis
- 9) spinal cord injury
- 10) Tourette’s syndrome
- 11) ulcerative colitis
How Many Michigan Residents Have a Medical Marijuana Card?
In Michigan, there are 269,533 people who hold a medical marijuana card. The list of ailments was approved by Shelly Edgerton, the director of LARA, and it now features 22 ailments which will allow medical professionals to recommend a medical marijuana card for a patient. A doctor must approve the card for the person and the state cost for the card is $150.00.
Why Were the Ailments Denied?
Edgerton states, “With the changes in the state law to include marijuana-infused products, and the advancement of marijuana research, and upon the recommendations of the panel members, I’ve added these eleven conditions to the approved.”
Her decision came after many hearings held over the summer which included testimony from people who were interested in having the medical ailments list expanded.
Conclusion:
The other conditions on the list include: PTSD, cancer, glaucoma, HIV-AIDS, hepatitis C, Chron’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, nail patella, wasting diseases/syndromes, chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures, severe muscle spasms and Multiple Sclerosis. Physicians are acknowledging that some researcher indicates some types of marijuana may make anxiety worse.
