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Missouri Medical Marijuana Card Qualifying Conditions

As of August 2022, there are over 197,000 patients with active medical marijuana cards in Missouri. Individuals with chronic and life-altering medical conditions rely on the symptom management achieved with cannabis to live their lives without significant physical and emotional limitations.

The acceptance and prominence of medical marijuana are growing as the research on its effectiveness expands. If you suffer from a condition that limits your function and diminishes your quality of life, you should talk to a qualified medical marijuana doctor about treatment.

While cannabis is not curative, it effectively engages the immune and nervous systems to manage the symptoms of many medical conditions and the side effects of standard treatments.

The following conditions are some of the ones most commonly treated with medical marijuana in Missouri.

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1: Alzheimer’s Disease

The cognitive changes associated with Alzheimer's disease lead to agitation, aggression, and atypical behavior. The calming effects of THC and CBD, the cannabinoids present in marijuana, help soothe Alzheimer's patients, allowing them to regulate emotions.

Research is ongoing, but studies also indicate THC and CBD may have a neuroprotective effect, helping to protect brain cells from the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

2: Chronic Pain

Doctors often recommend medical marijuana to treat chronic pain caused by nerve damage, autoimmune disorders, and other medical conditions. Providers embrace the treatment as an alternative to opiate medications, which carry significant addiction risks and multiple detrimental side effects.

You can purchase cannabis in transdermal patches, topical gels, and edibles which provide a slower release of cannabinoids for sustained symptom relief. Many patients report that medical marijuana allows them to stay active without the disorienting effects of prescription pain medicine.

3: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

PTSD is a life-altering condition that causes limiting anxiety, depression, and feelings of isolation. Medical marijuana can help balance mood and ease tension. Many patients rely on cannabis to reorient themselves and maintain emotional stability.

Multiple studies on PTSD and cannabis report that patients experienced less severe symptoms with cannabis. One recent study found that individuals with PTSD who used medical cannabis were 2.5 times more likely to no longer meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD than non-cannabis users.

4: Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) causes severe muscle spasms and pain that impedes motor function and compromises patients' quality of life. Cannabis reduces inhibiting pain while easing the muscle tension that restricts movement.

Patients turn to medical cannabis because there are only a few conventional treatment options for the extensive nerve pain associated with MS. For many individuals, cannabis effectively controls symptoms without traditional medications' sedative and dulling side effects.

5: Crohn’s Disease

Medical marijuana helps many patients manage nausea and abdominal pain caused by Crohn's disease and irritable bowel disease. Researchers speculate the calming effect of cannabis helps Crohn's sufferers manage the anxiety caused by the disease's unpredictability.

Gastroenterologists are currently studying marijuana's impact on the intestinal inflammation that causes Crohn's, but further research is needed.

Full List of Missouri Medical Marijuana Card Qualifying Conditions

You must suffer from a qualifying medical condition recognized by Missouri and receive a certificate from a doctor who endorses your use of medical cannabis to manage symptoms. Beyond the diagnoses listed above, Missouri recognizes the following qualifying conditions:

  • Cancer
  • Intractable migraines
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Tourette’s syndrome
  • Multiple sclerosis or a chronic medical condition that causes severe, persistent pain or muscle spasms
  • Epilepsy/seizure disorder
  • Agitation due to Alzheimer’s disease
  • Cachexia or wasting syndrome
  • Hepatitis C
  • Huntington’s disease
  • Neuropathies
  • Autism
  • Chronic pain
  • Sickle cell anemia
  • Glaucoma
  • PTSD or a debilitating psychiatric disorder
  • Any terminal illness
  • HIV or AIDS
  • Inflammatory bowel disease or Crohn’s disease
  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

A full list of the chronic medical conditions and psychiatric disorders that can qualify Missouri residents for participation in the Missouri Medical Marijuana Program is available on the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services' website.

Don’t Have A Qualifying Condition on This List

Even if you don’t have one of the aforementioned conditions, you may be able to become an official medical marijuana patient in the state of Missouri. The state accepts any chronic, debilitating, or other medical condition as qualifying when a licensed-Missouri physician determines medical marijuana will be beneficial.

If you believe cannabis could help you cope with the effects of your condition, contact the Sanctuary. A staff member will refer you to an experienced medical marijuana doctor who can assess your health history and suitability for cannabis.

Once you receive a certificate from a licensed physician, we can also help you navigate Missouri's online application process to secure approval for your cannabis card. If you have a qualifying condition, we want you or your caregiver to be able to purchase medical cannabis from official Missouri dispensaries with a state-issued MMJ identification card as soon as possible.