Michigan Medical Marijuana: Qualifying Medical Conditions to Increase
For the first time since receiving voter approval in 2008, the Michigan medical marijuana laws are expanding. To receive a medical marijuana card, a person must suffer certain medical conditions. The number of qualifying medical conditions is being increased under proposed amendments to the law.
The Michigan Medical Marijauna Review panel has recommended that PTSD be added to the list of qualifying medical conditions. The panel includes Michigan’s top medical executive and four licensed physicians from around the state.
“Thousands of victims across the country have turned to medical marijuana for help, and several studies support marijuana’s effectiveness as a treatment option,” says Chris Lindsey, legislative analyst for the national Marijuana Policy Project. “Those who suffer from PTSD in Michigan can now speak freely with their physicians to determine whether marijuana is an appropriate treatment option for them.”
Currently, the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act requires the state to accept and review petitions for new qualifying conditions. However, PTSD is the first new condition added since the 2008 medical marijuana laws were put into place.
Director of the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Steve Arwood, has signed off on the PTSD recommendation but is not enthusiastic about it. He has expressed concerns about being the decision maker when it comes to expanding the law. “Given that the legislature is currently discussing several marijuana related topics, further legalization efforts belong with our elected representatives,” Arwood said.
The Michigan Legislature regularly considers changes to the medical marijuana law. For example, the Michigan Senate recently approved legislation that would allow landlords greater control in regards to medical marijuana on their rental properties. Under the bill, a landlord would be legally permitted to prohibit the growing or smoking of medical marijuana on their private property if they prefer.
The House has also approved bills that would permit the return of regulated medical marijuana dispensaries and, in the wake of limiting state court rulings, expand the current definition of consumable marijuana to include edible and topical products.
Michigan’s medical marijuana laws have changed since their creation just a few years ago. They are complex and mutable, and may affect many people in different ways.
Do you have concerns about the law and how it applies to you? Are you facing charges related to medical marijuana? Be sure to seek the counsel of an experienced attorney who is familiar with the current medical marijuana laws in Michigan.