To help develop a clear picture of the scope and nature of patient demand for medical cannabis, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will be conducting a voluntary survey of prospective Minnesota patients this month. The information generated by the survey will be kept confidential, and will be used to fine tune the state’s new medical cannabis program.
The survey asks potential medical cannabis patients several questions designed to provide program planners with more information such as patients’ qualifying conditions, likelihood of participating in the program, and location in the state. It can be accessed online from January 20 to February 6. MDH invites any Minnesotans with potentially qualifying conditions to participate. The list of qualifying conditions under state law includes:
- Cancer with severe/chronic pain.
- Cancer with nausea or severe vomiting.
- Cancer with cachexia or severe wasting.
- Glaucoma.
- HIV/AIDS.
- Tourette’s Syndrome.
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
- Seizures, including those characteristic of epilepsy.
- Severe and persistence muscle spasms, including those characteristic of multiple sclerosis.
- Terminal illness (life expectancy of less than one year) with severe/chronic pain.
- Terminal illness (life expectancy of less than one year) with nausea or severe vomiting.
- Terminal illness (life expectancy of less than one year) with cachexia or severe wasting.
“We’re making good progress in the development of this program, and as we move into the next phases we are looking for Minnesotans to help give us a bit more information about patients’ conditions, location and level of interest,” Assistant Commissioner Manny Munson-Regala said. “This information will help us and the certified manufacturers refine plans and set up the program in a manner that best serves patients.”
One of the state’s newly approved growers will be located in Otsego.
The Minnesota Department of Health’s Office of Medical Cannabis is on track to provide medical cannabis products to patients by the statutory deadline of July 1, 2015. For more information about the medical cannabis program, please visit the MDH medical cannabis website.