The Department of Health in Minnesota has approved the addition of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to the list of medical conditions for which patients can be certified to start using medical marijuana. This change is slated for implementation starting on Aug. 1, 2023.
Jan Malcolm, the state’s health commissioner, said that the health department was adding OCD and IBS to the list of qualifying conditions so that the patients suffering from these two conditions, which are debilitating, could have access to an expanded pool of treatment options to manage their medical conditions.
People who suffer from IBS often experience abdominal discomfort or pain. Their bowel movements are also irregular, and they are likely to be constipated or have diarrhea, or a combination of diarrhea and constipation along with stomach bloating. OCD patients have recurring, intrusive thoughts that are distressing and induce anxiety. These thoughts trigger behavioral patterns characterized by the patient feeling compelled to repeatedly perform certain actions so that they can relieve some of the anxiety that they feel. Existing research indicates that patients with IBS and those with OCD can derive benefits from using medical marijuana.
As has been the case in the past from the time that Minnesota legalized medical cannabis, the health department undertook an official petition process geared at gathering the views of the public regarding the conditions that they thought merited to be included on the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana. Views were also sought on what medical cannabis delivery methods needed to be approved by the state. June and July saw petitions turned in by members of the public, and the process moved onto the stage of receiving comments about the petitions, followed by having a panel review the data received.
This process resulted in the approval of IBS and OCD while opioid use disorder and gastroparesis weren’t approved for inclusion. The reason for the rejection of those conditions was that the scientific data available indicated that gastroparesis could be worsened by cannabis use while there was insufficient evidence to support the use of medical marijuana for opioid use disorder.
In accordance with the medical marijuana rules of Minnesota, patients with the recently added qualifying conditions can start applying for certification on July 1, and then they will start gaining access to medical marijuana at licensed dispensaries on August 1 the next year. With these additions, the state now has a total of 19 qualifying conditions.
This expansion of the patients who can receive certification for medical marijuana is yet another step forward that the entire marijuana industry, including companies such as Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC), is likely to applaud.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/FLGC
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