Intractable Pain Now a Qualifying Medical Cannabis Condition in Minnesota
Cannabis pills being sold at a dispensary in Minnesota. (Photo: BizJournals.com)
As of July 1st in Minnesota, those with intractable pain are authorized to become registered medical cannabis patients, allowing them to purchase, possess and use cannabis and cannabis products.
“July 1 marks the start of intractable pain registration and the anniversary of the availability of medical cannabis in Minnesota,” says Health Commissioner Dr. Ed Ehlinger. “During this first year, Minnesota has succeeded at setting up a medically focused program that provides consistent and quality-controlled cannabis products to patients. According to our early surveys, about 90 percent of Minnesota patients reported some level of benefit.”
According to the new law, intractable pain is defined as pain that “cannot be removed or otherwise treated with the consent of the patient and in which, in the generally accepted course of medical practice, no relief or cure of the cause of the pain is possible, or none has been found after reasonable efforts.”
In total, there are eight “Cannabis Patient Centers” throughout the state, located in the towns of Bloomington, Eagan, Hibbing, Minneapolis, Moorhead, Rochester, St. Cloud and St. Paul.
A full list of this locations, including their phone numbers, addresses and hours of operation, can be found on the official site for the Minnesota Department of Health, by clicking here.