Apply for Your Rhode Island Medical Marijuana Card
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Rhode Island Medical Marijuana Card Qualifying Conditions
Any Rhode Islander with a qualifying medical condition may apply for a medical marijuana card under the Medical Marijuana Act. You can buy cannabis flower and other medical marijuana products as an approved patient to treat the symptoms of your burdensome illness (s).
Conventional therapies frequently have negative side effects that impair patients’ quality of life or fail to control the symptoms of the condition they are used to treat. With regard to many physical and psychological symptoms that have a negative impact on functional ability, marijuana for medical purposes is a widely accepted alternative.
Keep reading to learn more about the Rhode Island Medical Marijuana Program’s list of qualifying conditions and how cannabis can help treat them.
Crohn’s Disease
Chronic pain is crippling and restricts one’s mobility and ability to perform daily tasks. Opioid medications are frequently prescribed, but they come with a high risk of addiction and a host of negative side effects.
Rhode Island doctors can recommend cannabis for chronic pain resulting from any condition. Numerous conditions, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic neck or back pain, sickle cell anemia, and arthritis, are common causes.
By interfering with nerve signals, the THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids in medical marijuana quickly relieve pain without causing discomforting cognitive or physical side effects.
Cancer
Due to their disease and its treatment, cancer patients frequently experience excruciating pain, loss of appetite, nerve damage, nausea, depression, and anxiety. Medical marijuana is widely accepted as a low-risk pain reliever that blocks the nerve signals that cause neuropathic and persistent pain.
Additionally, marijuana reduces nausea while increasing appetite. Many patients benefit from these effects by maintaining their body weight and vitamin levels, which keeps them healthy throughout their treatment. When patients are adjusting to their diagnosis and the demands of treatment, the uplifting effects of marijuana can help balance mood and fight symptoms of depression.
Seizures
Seizure disorders, including epilepsy, are characterized by neurological episodes that feature convulsions, muscle contractions, and potentially harmful movement. Studies on medical marijuana are encouraging as doctors gain more understanding of the condition.
Patients using cannabis have less frequent and milder seizures overall, according to researchers. Although more research is required, one popular theory postulates that marijuana’s neuroprotective properties may protect the brain.
Researchers are also looking into the endocannabinoid system’s role in cannabis’ capacity to repair malfunctioning communication pathways that cause seizures.
Hepatitis C
The virus known as hepatitis C causes chronic liver disease and must be treated with a variety of antiviral medications. Many of the negative side effects of traditional hepatitis treatment can be effectively managed by medical marijuana.
Cannabis lowers nausea and pain, increasing patients’ tolerance for exercise and making it simpler for them to follow their antiviral regimens. Patients who use marijuana frequently report having more of an appetite. Studies have also shown that marijuana has no negative effects on medication safety or liver function.
Alzheimer’s Disease
Confusion, difficulty with cognition, and memory issues are all symptoms of the neurodegeneration that leads to Alzheimer’s disease. Many people experience mood swings as a result, including agitation that escalates to verbal and physical aggression.
The psychological effects of medical cannabis can help patients relax while reducing the anxiety and depression that impair their quality of life. Alzheimer’s patients may find it simpler to comply with treatment and cooperate with caregivers if their agitational symptoms are under control.
Physicians are even investigating whether adult-use medical marijuana can halt the progression of Alzheimer’s symptoms, though this research is still in its early stages.
Full List of Ohio Medical Marijuana Card Qualifying Conditions
The following conditions qualify prospective patients for medical marijuana treatment in Rhode Island:
- Agitation related to Alzheimer’s disease
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Cancer
- Crohn’s disease
- Glaucoma
- Hepatitis C
- HIV/AIDS
- Multiple sclerosis
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (patients must be 18 years or older)
Additionally, if a condition or its treatment results in one or more of the following symptoms, a doctor may recommend treatment for it:
- Cachexia or wasting syndrome
- Seizures
- Severe and debilitating chronic pain
- Severe and persistent muscle spasms (including those characteristic of epilepsy)
- Severe nausea
Don’t Have a Qualifying Condition on This List?
The Sanctuary can help if you have a chronic medical condition that is not on the state’s list of acceptable diagnoses.
Our staff can connect you with a sympathetic medical marijuana doctor and explain the regulations of the medical marijuana program run by the Rhode Island Department of Health. That provider will also conduct a thorough consultation and issue a practitioner written certification form (if you’re eligible for one).
Once you have an MMJ card, we can then give you advice on how to fill out the patient application form so you can start visiting Rhode Island dispensaries, also known as “compassion centers,” as soon as possible. It should be noted that you must provide proof of residency as part of the application process to demonstrate that you are a resident of the state of Rhode Island. Acceptable forms of proof of residency include a voter registration card, auto insurance statement, Rhode Island driver’s license, or a similar document. Additionally, you’ll need to pay the application fee.
To find out more, call us today.