The Top 5 Qualifying Conditions for Arkansas Medical Marijuana
To get a medical cannabis card in Arkansas, you need to have a qualifying condition defined by the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment and identified by the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH). Here are five of common qualifying conditions we see when Arkansas residents apply for cannabis cards -- and why medical marijuana works for their treatment. Scroll to the bottom to see the full list.
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1: Crohn’s Disease
Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that can lead to damage to your digestive tract, pain, diarrhea, weight loss, and fatigue. There is no cure for this condition -- but using medical marijuana could help relieve some of its symptoms.
Marijuana can help relieve pain, reducing abdominal discomfort in Crohn’s disease patients. It can also increase appetite and control nausea, allowing you to eat on a regular schedule and avoid rapid and dangerous weight loss.
2: Cancer
While marijuana cannot cure cancer, cannabis can help relieve a great deal of symptoms that cancer patients have to live with. According to the American Cancer Society, medical marijuana can help with:
- Treating neuropathic pain
- Alleviating nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy
- Improve food intake
- Decrease reliance on pain medications
In conjunction with regular treatment, medical cannabis can provide a number of benefits for Arkansas cancer patients. However, experts caution that marijuana cannot treat cancer alone. Adding cannabis to an existing treatment program can provide significant symptom relief.
3: HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS affect our immune systems and can cause a number of severe side effects, including appetite loss, nausea, and pain. If you are an HIV/AIDS patient, adding cannabis to your treatment program can help you alleviate these unpleasant effects.
Cannabis promotes appetite and pain relief, along with feelings of euphoria. Medical marijuana can provide relief for these symptoms, which can stem from the condition itself and its treatment.
4: Severe Nausea
Nausea can be difficult to live with, preventing you from eating, concentrating, or enjoying your daily activities. In many cases, severe nausea is a side effect from a treatment regimen for a serious condition, such as cancer.
Medical cannabis helps alleviate severe nausea and vomiting. Consuming marijuana triggers certain receptors in the brain that can help control symptoms of nausea and increase appetite, helping you obtain the nutrients you need and avoid dangerous, rapid weight loss.
5: Intractable Pain
Intractable pain is defined as pain that does not respond to medications, surgeries, or other treatments for at least six months. Living with this type of pain can be difficult -- but the pain-relieving effects of medical marijuana can help alleviate it.
Full List of Arkansas Medical Marijuana Card Qualifying Conditions
- ALS
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Cachexia
- Cancer
- Crohn’s disease
- Fibromyalgia
- Glaucoma
- HIV/AIDS
- Hepatitis C
- Intractable pain
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Seizures
- Severe and persistent muscle spasms
- Severe arthritis
- Severe nausea
- Tourette’s syndrome
- Ulcerative colitis
Don’t Have a Qualifying Condition on This List
If you still can’t find your qualifying condition, don’t worry. The ADH may approve other qualifying conditions or treatment plans for medical cannabis use not on the current list. To do this, you will need to speak to a licensed Arkansas physician and receive a certification for medical marijuana. Contact the Sanctuary Wellness Institute today to connect with an Arkansas marijuana doctor who can evaluate your condition.