How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Louisiana
Schedule an Evaluation with a Certified Physician
Schedule an appointment with a licensed medical marijuana doctor.
Receive Your Doctor’s Recommendation
Once your doctor approves you for medical marijuana, they’ll email you an electronic recommendation that you can use to shop at Louisiana dispensaries.
Apply for a Medical Marijuana Identification Card (Optional)
If you want the legal protection and tax benefits of a Louisiana medical marijuana identification card (MMIC), you can apply for one in person at the health department in your home county. The cost of an MMIC varies from county to county.
Louisiana Medical Marijuana Qualifying Conditions
To get certified for an MMJ card in Louisiana, you must be diagnosed with one of the state’s qualifying conditions. Those conditions are as follows:
- A concussion diagnosed by an authorized clinician
- Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
- Alzheimer's disease
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Any condition not otherwise specified in this Subparagraph that an authorized clinician, in his clinical opinion, considers debilitating to an individual patient and is qualified through his clinical education and training to treat.
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Cachexia or wasting syndrome
- Cancer
- Chronic pain associated with fibromyalgia
- Chronic pain associated with sickle cell disease
- Crohn's disease
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- Hospice care or palliative care
- Huntington's disease
- Intractable pain
- Lewy body dementia
- Motor neuron disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Muscular dystrophy
- Parkinson's disease
- Positive status for human immunodeficiency virus
- Posttraumatic stress disorder
- Seizure disorders
- Severe muscle spasms
- Spasticity
- Spinal muscular atrophy
- Traumatic brain injury
Where Can I Buy Medical Marijuana in Louisiana?
There are currently nine medical marijuana dispensaries operating in Louisiana. As a registered patient, you can purchase a variety of products, including capsules, metered-dose inhalers, tinctures, topicals, and cannabis flower. Those with an MMJ recommendation can purchase up to a 30-day supply of non-smokable medical cannabis products or up to two and a half ounces of smokable cannabis per 14 days.
About Louisiana Cannabis Program
The Louisiana medical marijuana program was established in 2015 when the state legislature passed SB 143. This act laid the groundwork for a medical marijuana program, allowing patients with qualifying conditions to access medical cannabis with the approval of licensed physicians. The state officially began selling medical marijuana in 2019.
To participate in the LA medical marijuana program, patients must obtain a written recommendation from a licensed physician. Medical cannabis is then dispensed through state-licensed pharmacies to ensure its quality and efficacy.
How to Renew Your LA Medical Marijuana Card
In Louisiana, medical marijuana patients must renew their MMJ recommendations annually. To renew yours, complete the following steps:
- Schedule Your Renewal Appointment:Book with with a licensed physician.
- Receive Your Doctor’s Recommendation: Once your doctor approves you for medical marijuana, they’ll email you a new electronic recommendation that you can use to continue shopping at Louisiana dispensaries.
- Apply for a New Medical Marijuana Identification Card (Optional): If you want the legal protection and tax benefits of a Louisiana medical marijuana identification card (MMIC), you can apply for a new one in person at the health department in your home county. The cost of renewing an MMIC varies from county to county.
How to Become a Medical Marijuana Caregiver in LA
The state of Louisiana does not require prospective caregivers to undergo an official application process. Rather, it allows medical marijuana patients to work with their respective dispensaries to designate someone to purchase and deliver their medicine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can get your MMJ recommendation online in Louisiana. The state allows patients to complete their doctor's evaluations via telehealth appointments.
There is no fee to register with Louisiana’s medical marijuana program, as the state does not issue physical cards. However, you may have to pay for your doctor's evaluation.
In Louisiana, once your doctor sends your MMJ recommendation to the dispensary of your choice, you should be able to start purchasing medical cannabis within 24-48 hours
No, Louisiana does not have anxiety listed as a state approved qualifying medical condition.
Yes, a minor can obtain medical marijuana in Louisiana as long as a parent or legal guardian provides consent and serves as their caregiver.
In Louisiana, qualifying patients can purchase up to a 30-day supply of non-smokable medical cannabis products or up to two and a half ounces of smokable cannabis per 14 days.
Louisiana does not issue physical MMJ cards. As a registered patient, you must purchase your medical cannabis from the dispensary that received your doctor’s recommendation.
Yes, Louisiana honors out-of-state medical marijuana cards.
No, recreational marijuana is not legal in Louisiana.
In Louisiana, a medical marijuana recommendation is valid for one year from the date of its issuance.
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