What Conditions Qualify for Medical Marijuana Card in Rhode Island (2024)

How Many Medical Conditions Qualify for Medical Marijuana Treatment in Rhode Island?

There are 13 qualifying medical conditions approved for medical marijuana treatment in Rhode Island. These include specific debilitating illnesses (and their treatments) and symptomatic outcomes of chronic, debilitating diseases.

Qualifying Conditions for Medical Card in Rhode Island 2024

The Rhode Island Medical Marijuana Program recognizes the following qualifying medical debilitating medical conditions:

• Cancer
• Glaucoma
• Positive status for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV+)
• Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
• Hepatitis C
• A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its treatment that produces one or more of the following:
• Cachexia or wasting syndrome
• Severe, debilitating, chronic pain
• Severe nausea
• Seizures, including those presenting with epilepsy
• Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those presenting with multiple sclerosis or Crohn's disease
• Agitation of Alzheimer's Disease
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD, but only for patients aged 18 or older)
• Autism spectrum disorder

Does Rhode Island Add New Qualifying Conditions to its Medical Marijuana Program?

Yes. Rhode Island had added new qualifying conditions since the inception of its medical marijuana program. It added PTSD as a qualifying condition in 2016 through a legislative act. In 2018, the Rhode Island Department of Health ruled in favor of a petition to add autism spectrum disorder as a qualifying condition.

Does Rhode Island Allow Physicians to Recommend Medical Cannabis for Non-Qualifying Conditions?

No. Medical providers eligible to recommend medical marijuana in Rhode Island can only do so for conditions included in the state’s list of qualifying medical conditions for medical cannabis use.

Do You Need a Doctor’s Recommendation for Medical Marijuana in Rhode Island?

Yes. A patient applying to join the Rhode Island medical marijuana program must submit a completed Practitioner Written Certification Form (for Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis) along with their application. Rhode Island accepts certifications issued by doctors of medicine (MDs), doctors of osteopathy (DOs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and physician assistants (PAs) licensed in the state. It also accepts certifications from DOs and MDs licensed in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Who Qualifies for a Medical Marijuana Card in Rhode Island?

In addition to obtaining a provider certification confirming their diagnosis of a qualifying condition, anyone applying for a medical marijuana card in Rhode Island must also be a resident of the state. Minor and adult residents of Rhode Island can apply for the state’s medical marijuana card.