Texas Medical Marijuana Card Qualifying Conditions
Under the state’s Compassionate Use Program, Texans can use medical marijuana to treat persistent and debilitating medical conditions that alter their quality of life and overall well-being. If you suffer from a chronic disease or condition, you should consider getting a prescription for medical marijuana from a medical marijuana doctor.
While cannabis is not curative, treating yourself with medical marijuana can help manage symptoms of diseases and the side effects of conventional treatments. Doctors and researchers are learning more about the therapeutic value of cannabis as norms shift and ongoing success stories spur further study.
Medical marijuana is a viable treatment with a lower risk of addiction and milder side effects than many narcotic medications. In most cases, qualifying patients in the state of Texas enjoy a higher level of functioning with fewer limitations when they manage their symptoms with low-THC cannabis products from Texas dispensaries.
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1: Autism
Autism includes a broad spectrum of emotional and behavioral disorders that inhibit a person's ability to communicate, regulate mood, and control impulses. CBD and THC, the active compounds in marijuana, help patients control the symptoms of aggression and anxiety that can cause outbursts and withdrawal in those with autism.
Further study is needed, but researchers hypothesize that CBD increases the available levels of serotonin in the brain. They propose this may help individuals with autism balance their moods and respond to emotions better.
2: Cancer
One of marijuana's longest-standing and most trusted uses is managing the side effects of cancer and chemotherapy. Cancer patients experience loss of appetite, nausea, pain, depression, and anxiety during their treatment. These side effects compromise the quality of life and hinder recovery.
Marijuana can ease nausea and improve appetite, helping patients consume and absorb adequate nutrients to improve their overall health. Researchers believe the anti-inflammatory effect of medical cannabis can help reduce pain and support healing in patients as well. Marijuana treatment can also ease psychological symptoms, improving outlook during recovery.
3: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
ALS is a severe neurodegenerative disorder in which the patient loses the ability to carry signals from the brain to the body. It results in severe pain, loss of appetite, spasticity, and depression.
Medical marijuana can help patients manage the inhibiting pain associated with the disease, allowing them a better quality of life. The medication improves appetite. Cannabis also eases muscle tension that hinders function and contributes to pain.
4: Neuropathy
Neuropathy is extensive and severe nerve pain that results from injury, degenerative illnesses, medical treatments, or aging. The pain can be so severe it prevents participation in everyday activities.
Medical marijuana manages chronic nerve pain by muting communication between nerves. Cannabis binds to the endocannabinoid system, which exists parallel to the nervous system, blocking neurotransmitters from delivering pain signals to the brain.
Medical marijuana is often a lower-risk pain management solution than opioids, which carry a high addiction risk and severely alter function.
5: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Patients with PTSD experience a near-constant state of heightened arousal that leads to anxiety, fear, and a general sense of unease. There is strong anecdotal evidence that medical marijuana is more effective at controlling symptoms than conventional medications.
Researchers believe cannabis' effect on neurotransmitter availability and binding helps PTSD sufferers regulate their moods and lower their anxiety. Many patients find social interaction and general function easier when treating with cannabis.
Full List of Texas Medical Marijuana Card Qualifying Conditions
Under Texas law, the following conditions qualify a patient for a medical cannabis prescription:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Chronic pain
- Intractable epilepsy
- Seizure disorders
- Terminal cancer
- Parkinson’s disease
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Multiple sclerosis
- Spasticity
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Autism
- Incurable neurodegenerative diseases
- Cachexia
While Texas’s medical marijuana program has a relatively narrow list of qualifying medical conditions, they allow doctors to issue medical marijuana prescriptions for any condition as long as medical-use cannabis is being investigated as a potential treatment for it.
Don’t Have A Qualifying Condition on This List
Reach out to the Sanctuary if you suffer from any persistent medical conditions that diminish your quality of life. Our compassionate team can help determine if you meet Texas' criteria for an MMJ prescription.
We can refer you to a qualified physician in Texas who can review your health history, discuss the possibilities of cannabis treatment under the state’s medical cannabis program, and prescribe medical marijuana if appropriate. Once you have a prescription, you’ll be enrolled in the Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT) and made eligible to purchase cannabis products from licensed dispensaries.