How to Become a Medical Cannabis Patient in Minnesota
Getting started with Minnesota’s medical cannabis program is more straightforward than most people expect. Follow the five steps below and you’ll go from “is this right for me?” to your first dispensary visit with confidence.
Step 1: Confirm You Have a Qualifying Condition
Minnesota has broadened its medical cannabis program significantly. It now covers any condition a licensed healthcare practitioner considers appropriate for treatment. Some of the conditions patients are certified for most often include:
- Chronic Pain
- Cancer
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Seizures / Epilepsy
- Severe Muscle Spasms / Multiple
- Sclerosis (MS)
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease / Crohn’s
- Glaucoma
- HIV / AIDS
- Intractable Pain
- Tourette Syndrome
- ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
- Autism
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Terminal Illness
- Sickle Cell Disease
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Chronic Motor or Vocal Tic Disorder
Not seeing your specific diagnosis? You still may qualify. Because the program now recognizes any condition a practitioner deems appropriate, the best next step is a simple conversation with your provider about whether medical cannabis fits your treatment plan.
Step 2: Connect With a Certifying Healthcare Practitioner
To move forward, you’ll need a Minnesota-licensed physician, physician assistant (PA), or advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) to certify your qualifying condition. Participation in the program is optional for providers, so keep in mind that not every clinic offers certification.
The easiest place to begin is with the provider you already see, just ask whether they take part in the medical cannabis program. If they don’t, you can look for a nearby practitioner who does.
Veterans: A Faster Path
If you’ve served, you may be able to skip practitioner certification entirely. Veterans can now self-certify through a dedicated form, which streamlines the process considerably.
Veteran Self-Certification Form
How to Find a Participating Provider
- Ask your current care team whether they certify patients
- Request a referral to a practitioner who participates in the program
- Search online for clinics actively certifying new patients
- Look for providers offering virtual as well as in-person visits
Step 3: Register With the Office of Cannabis Management
After your practitioner certifies your condition, you’ll get an email walking you through how to enroll in Minnesota’s program via the Medical Cannabis Registry.
What to Have Ready
- A government-issued photo ID (Minnesota driver’s license or state ID)
- Access to the email address your provider has on file for you
- Time to finish your online enrollment within 60 days of being certified
Good to Know
- There’s no registration fee, the state eliminated enrollment fees in July 2023
- Applications are typically processed within 30 days
- Haven’t heard anything after 30 days?
- Reach out to the OCM at cannabis.info@state.mn.us
- Caregivers are no longer required to pass a background check
Go to the Medical Cannabis Registry
Step 4: Submit Your Patient Self-Evaluation
Once your registration is approved, sign in to your Medical Cannabis Registry account and complete a Patient Self-Evaluation (PSE). You’ll need to finish this before you can visit a dispensary for the first time.
What the PSE Involves
- Complete your first PSE before your initial patient consultation
- Submit a fresh PSE before every dispensary pickup
- During your first year, PSEs are also required quarterly after your initial purchase
- A registered caregiver may fill out the PSE for you if needed
Log In to Your Registry Account
Step 5: Schedule Your First-Time Patient Consultation
This is the final step. Book a first-time patient consultation at the dispensary location you prefer. A pharmacist will go over your account, talk through your goals and symptoms, and help you choose the medical cannabis product that’s the best match for your needs.
That’s it, you’re ready to begin!