Medical Marijuana in Louisiana: Qualifying Conditions and Eligibility

• You must meet Louisiana's medical marijuana program requirements and receive a recommendation from an authorized healthcare professional.
• Licensed physicians can recommend cannabis for unlisted conditions if they find them truly debilitating.
• The state uses a digital recommendation system sent straight to regional pharmacies.
• Recommendations must come from practitioners in good standing with state medical or nursing boards.
• Patients under 18 may qualify, with additional requirements applying in certain circumstances, including for autism spectrum disorder.

The Louisiana Department of Health oversees the state’s medical marijuana program. To qualify, you must meet state requirements and receive a medical recommendation from an authorized healthcare professional, such as a qualified physician or nurse practitioner.

Louisiana allows recommendations for certain debilitating conditions and other conditions that an authorized healthcare professional determines may benefit from therapeutic cannabis.

Let’s look at the conditions recognized under state law:

Severe or chronic pain conditions

This includes intractable pain, which the state defines as chronic pain severe enough to otherwise warrant an opiate prescription. It also covers chronic pain caused by fibromyalgia or sickle cell disease.

Neurological and neurodegenerative disorders

This group includes Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). It also includes Multiple Sclerosis (MS), muscular dystrophy, motor neuron disease, spinal muscular atrophy, and Lewy body dementia.

Brain injuries and traumatic conditions

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a primary qualifying condition. Traumatic brain injuries and concussions diagnosed by an authorized physician also qualify.

Severe physical symptoms

This includes severe muscle spasms, spasticity, seizure disorders, epilepsy, and Crohn's disease. It also includes cachexia, which is also known as wasting syndrome.

Other major medical diagnoses

Cancer, glaucoma, and a positive status for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are on the list. Autism Spectrum Disorder also qualifies if it presents with repetitive behaviors that could cause self-injury or jeopardize physical health.

If you do not see your specific condition on the list, you may still qualify for medical marijuana in Louisiana.

State law allows an authorized healthcare professional to recommend therapeutic cannabis for a debilitating condition or another condition they determine may benefit from it.

This means eligibility is not limited to a fixed list of diagnoses. An authorized healthcare professional can evaluate your individual condition and determine whether medical cannabis may be appropriate under Louisiana law.

Getting a medical marijuana recommendation starts with a consultation with an authorized healthcare professional. During the evaluation, you discuss your condition, symptoms, medical history, and previous treatments.

Depending on the provider and your situation, the evaluation may be completed online, allowing you to consult from home. If the practitioner determines that medical cannabis may be appropriate for your condition, they can issue a recommendation. Louisiana does not issue a physical medical marijuana card.

Instead, the digital recommendation is sent to a permitted medical cannabis retailer, where you can purchase medical cannabis according to state requirements.