Virginia Medical Marijuana Card Qualifying Conditions
According to the dictates of the Virginia Board of Pharmacy can obtain a written certificate to purchase medical marijuana in Virginia for any medical conditions that a registered practitioner believes can be treated with cannabis. If you experience a physical or psychological disorder that affects your ability to function or keeps you from enjoying life, you should speak to a qualified medical marijuana doctor.
If you or a loved one is grappling with limitations due to a chronic illness, cannabis could be life-changing. Although it is not curative, qualified medical marijuana doctors qualified medical marijuana doctors can explain the benefits of cannabis and advise you on its potential role in your careCannabis is a viable alternative to opioids and other narcotic pain medications for many patients. It can also help reduce the side effects of many conventional medical treatments.
Research is ongoing, but medical cannabis patients across the country have reported a substantially improved quality of life and increased functional tolerance thanks to medical marijuana flower, cannabis oil, topicals, tinctures, gels, and edibles.
While cannabis cannot cure any illness or disease, it provides symptom management for many chronic and debilitating medical conditions with a lower risk of side effects and dependence than many conventional interventions.
The following are some of the conditions most commonly cited by registered patients in the state of Virginia.
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1: Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a degenerative neurological disorder that impacts the central nervous system, changing muscle control, strength, vision, balance, emotions, and cognition. According to a recent survey of MS patients, over 30% of respondents reported ever using cannabis to manage their symptoms.
The most common reason patients use cannabis is to manage cramping, spasms, and muscle spasticity, which cause pain. For many MS patients, cannabis improves sleep quality by soothing muscle symptoms. Medical marijuana can also help manage mood changes, depression, anxiety, and stress that result from the disease.
2: Cancer
Many individuals rely on medical marijuana to manage the side effects of their cancer treatment. Chemotherapy and radiation attack rapidly dividing cells to halt tumor progression. As a result, many patients experience pain, neuropathy, loss of appetite, and nausea.
Cannabis helps ease pain from treatment and chronic nerve pain, which often persists when treated with opioid medications, by blocking pain signals across the nervous system. Medical marijuana also stimulates appetite and eases nausea, improving patients' day-to-day life while enhancing their nutritional intake.
3: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) affects the brain stem, diminishing one's ability to control their body. Medical cannabis can manage muscle contracture, pain, and appetite loss that result from altered nervous system function.
Cannabis has a calming effect on the body, helping relax tight muscles that cause pain and disrupt sleep. This muscle release also allows patients to increase their level of function. The medication induces hunger to help patients obtain adequate calories and vitamins to fortify their underlying health.
4: Crohn’s Disease
Crohn's disease flare-ups are painful and unpredictable, forcing patients into an elevated state of anxiety as they await their next attack. The pain-relieving effect of cannabis helps patients cope with abdominal distress caused by Crohn's while the calming effect can help them relax.
Cannabis can also help those with a history of abdominal surgery by easing pain and stimulating appetite. Further research is needed, but investigators speculate medical marijuana's anti-inflammatory effects may soothe the intestines to ease digestion and reduce the intensity and occurrence of flare-ups.
5: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Many states have embraced cannabis as a way to help patients manage the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Researchers believe the relaxing effect of medical marijuana reduces tension and anxiety in patients with PTSD.
The medication can also help individuals balance their moods, making socializing and engaging with the world easier. Some patients have reported lower side effects when managing their PTSD symptoms with cannabis instead of conventional medications.
Full List of Virginia Medical Marijuana Card Qualifying Conditions
Unlike most states, Virginia does not have an official list of qualifying conditions. Registered providers can issue written certificates to patients for any medical condition as long as they believe cannabis will help treat it. Some conditions that qualifying patients report include epilepsy, chronic pain, glaucoma, and Parkinson’s disease.
If the day-to-day effects of a physical, emotional, or psychological condition impact your life, you may be a viable candidate for a medical marijuana certificate. Cannabis can address the effects of many chronic and terminal conditions whose symptoms don't respond sufficiently to conventional interventions.
The best way to assess your suitability and potential benefit from cannabis is by consulting an experienced medical marijuana doctor.
Don’t Have A Qualifying Condition on This List
Virginia’s comprehensive cannabis program offers excellent patient access, but its expansiveness may leave you questioning your eligibility for medical marijuana treatment. The Sanctuary can help you determine if you meet the requirements for a written certificate and answer your questions about the Virginia medical cannabis program.
We can then refer you to a medical marijuana doctor for a marijuana evaluation to discuss your symptoms and how the use of medical cannabis might be able to address them. They will issue an MMJ certificate if appropriate, after which you or your legal guardian will be able to visit Virginia cannabis dispensaries and purchase medical cannabis products containing THC and CBD.