Qualifying Conditions for Medical Marijuana Card in Ohio

How Many Medical Conditions Qualify for Medical Marijuana Treatment in Ohio?

There are 26 medical conditions that qualify eligible patients for medical marijuana treatment in Ohio.

Qualifying Conditions for Medical Card in Ohio 2023

In Ohio, the following are the recognized qualifying medical conditions for granting the state’s medical cannabis card:

• AIDS
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Cachexia
• Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
• Cancer
• Crohn’s disease
• Chronic and severe or intractable pain
• Epilepsy or another seizure disorder
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C
• Fibromyalgia
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Huntington’s disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson’s disease
• PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
• Positive status for HIV (HIV+)
• Sickle cell anemia
• Spasticity
• Spinal cord disease or injury
• Terminal illness
• Tourette syndrome
• Traumatic brain injury
• Ulcerative colitis

In its 2021 Physician Annual Report, the Medical Marijuana Committee of the Medical Board of Ohio confirmed the inclusion of chronic migraines, arthritis, and complex regional pain syndrome to the list of qualifying medical conditions for cannabis treatment. The Committee classified these additions under chronic pain.

Does Ohio Add New Qualifying Conditions to its Medical Marijuana Program?

Yes. When the Ohio medical marijuana program became operational in 2018, it specified 21 qualifying medical conditions. However, this list of conditions was expanded in 2020 with the inclusion of cachexia and in 2021 with the addition of spasticity, Huntington’s disease, and terminal illness.

Ohio regularly accepts petitions to add new illnesses to its list of qualifying medical conditions. It does this annually during a petition window spanning November 1 to December 31. During this period, residents can petition the Medical Board’s Medical Marijuana Committee to consider new conditions. Each petition must be accompanied by evidence demonstrating cannabis can be used to treat or alleviate the condition as well as letters of support from licensed physicians.

In 2023, the following conditions are under consideration before the committee:

• Anxiety
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Bipolar II disorder
• Chronic migraine
• Degenerative disc disease
• Neuropathy
• Depression
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Uterine cancer

Does Ohio Allow Physicians to Recommend Medical Cannabis for Non-Qualifying Conditions?

No. Ohio does not allow physicians to recommend or prescribe cannabis for unlisted conditions even if they deem these ailments debilitating. The state only accepts medical cannabis use for diagnosed illnesses on its list of qualifying medical conditions.

Do You Need a Doctor’s Recommendation for Medical Marijuana in Ohio?

Yes. Ohio requires an eligible patient to visit a certified physician to confirm that they have one or more of the qualifying conditions recognised by the state for medical cannabis treatment. The consulting physician must have an active Certificate to Recommend (CTR) awarded by the Ohio State Medical Board. The CTR certification is open only to Doctors of Medicine (MDs) and Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DOs) with full, unrestricted Ohio license to practice.

Who Qualifies for a Medical Marijuana Card in Ohio?

In addition to living with a qualifying medical condition and obtaining a recommendation from a state-licensed medical provider with a CTR, Ohio requires anyone applying for its medical marijuana card to be:

• A resident of the state
• 18 years or older. A minor may apply but only with the consent of their parent or legal guardian who must serve as a caregiver