How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Minnesota
Schedule an Evaluation with a Certified Physician
Schedule an appointment with a licensed medical marijuana doctor.
Register with the State
Using the unique enrollment link emailed to you after your doctor’s certification, submit an online enrollment application to the Minnesota Office of Medical Cannabis. The state does not charge a fee.
Receive Your Certification
Once your application is approved, you’ll receive an email granting you access to your Medical Cannabis Registry account. This means you’re now certified to purchase medical cannabis from local dispensaries.
Minnesota Medical Marijuana Qualifying Conditions
To be eligible for medical marijuana in Minnesota, you must be diagnosed with one of the following qualifying conditions:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Autism spectrum disorder (must meet DSM-5)
- Cancer (if your illness or its treatment causes severe/chronic pain, nausea/severe vomiting, or cachexia/severe wasting)
- Chronic motor or vocal tic disorder
- Chronic pain
- Glaucoma
- HIV/AIDS
- Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease
- Intractable pain
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Seizures, including those synonymous with epilepsy
- Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those typical of multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Sickle cell disease
- Terminal illness, with a probable life expectancy of less than one year (if your illness or its treatment causes severe/chronic pain, nausea/severe vomiting, or cachexia/severe wasting)
- Tourette syndrome
Where Can I Buy Medical Marijuana in Minnesota?
There are over a dozen marijuana dispensaries operating in Minnesota. As a registered patient or caregiver, you can purchase a variety of products, including edibles, topicals, tinctures, and cannabis flower. In terms of limits, you can buy up to a 30-day supply of cannabis per 23-day period.
About Minnesota Cannabis Program
Minnesota's medical marijuana program was established in 2014 with the passage of the Minnesota Medical Marijuana Act. The program is regulated by the Minnesota Office of Medical Cannabis, which oversees patient and caregiver registration and the distribution of cannabis products.
To participate in the program, patients must receive certification from a licensed healthcare practitioner indicating they have a qualifying condition like cancer, glaucoma, or chronic pain. Once they register and get certified by the state, they can purchase medical cannabis from licensed dispensaries.
How to Renew Your Card in Minnesota?
In Minnesota, medical marijuana patients must renew their MMJ certifications every three years. 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 Minnesota dispensaries.
- Apply for a New Medical Marijuana Identification Card (Optional): If you want the legal protection and tax benefits of a Minnesota 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 MN
A caregiver is someone who assists a qualifying medical marijuana patient with the purchase, transport, administration, and/or cultivation of medical marijuana. In Minnesota, caregivers must be at least 18 years old.
Parents and legal guardians don’t need to register as designated caregivers to serve as them. But if you’re not the parent or legal guardian of the patient you wish to care for, you can become a caregiver in Minnesota by completing the following steps:
- Submit Your Application: Using the email sent to you after your patient adds you to their Medical Cannabis Registry profile, submit an online registration form to Minnesota’s Medical Cannabis Program. The state doesn’t charge a fee.
- Receive Approval: Once your application is approved, you’ll receive an email confirming your ability to serve as a caregiver in Minnesota.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can get an MMJ certification online in Minnesota. The state allows virtual doctor's evaluations.
There is no charge to apply for a medical marijuana certification in Minnesota.
The Minnesota Department of Health can take up to 30 days to process medical marijuana applications. Once yours is approved, you’ll receive a confirmation email.
No, anxiety is not listed as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis in Minnesota.
Yes, a minor can get certified for medical marijuana in Minnesota as long as a parent or legal guardian consents and serves as their caregiver.
In Minnesota, certified medical patients can purchase up to a 30-day supply of cannabis per 23-day period.
Adults who’re 21 and older can purchase recreational cannabis without an MMJ certification in Minnesota, but to purchase medical cannabis, you’ll need a certification.
No, medical patients in Minnesota are not permitted to grow their own cannabis plants.
No, Minnesota does not honor out-of-state medical marijuana cards.
Whether you can use your Minnesota MMJ certification in another state will depend on that state's reciprocity laws. Some states honor out-of-state medical cards, while others don't. Be sure to research other states' cannabis laws before traveling.
Minnesota has legalized recreational cannabis, but the state is still in the process of setting up retail sales.
In Minnesota, a medical cannabis certification is valid for three years.
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