Minnesota Medical Marijuana Program

State Jurisdiction: Minnesota Department of Health

Mailing Address: Office of Medical Cannabis
PO Box 64882, St. Paul, MN 55164-0882

Phone: 844-879-3381 (toll-free)

Email: health.cannabis@state.mn.us

Website: Minnesota Office of Medical Cannabis

How to Get Medical Marijuana in Minnesota

As long as you qualify for the registered conditions and obtain marijuana recommendation from a certified doctor in Minnesota, getting medical marijuana is not that tough. All you have to do next is register yourself with the Medical Marijuana Program within the state.

Minnesota (MN) Medical Cannabis Registration

Patients are required to have a recommendation from a licensed marijuana physician before they can start their application for a Minnesota medical marijuana card. You will also need to provide your doctor with a filled-out Patient Email and Acknowledgment Form. Following your appointment, the doctor will submit an initial registration for you in Minnesota’s online Medical Cannabis Patient Registry.

Your medical marijuana recommendation is sent via email from the Office of Medical Cannabis. Then, you may register with the Medical Cannabis Program. Take note of the following registration criteria:

  • Patients must be at least 18 years of age in order to apply. 
  • Minor patients may designate a caregiver, such as one of their parents, to apply on their behalf. 
  • You must be diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition recognized by the state of Minnesota (listed below). 
  • You must be a Minnesota resident with proof of residency. This may come in the form of a state-issued driver’s license or a Minnesota State ID Card.
  • All patients must pay a state application fee of $200. 
  • Out-of-state applicants are not eligible to receive a medical card in Minnesota.

Once you have received your approval email, and have registered with the MMP database, you should head to a Cannabis Patient Center. When doing so, make sure you bring your appointment summary and a list of medications you currently use.

The pharmacist will then review your account and recommend a specific dose and type of medical marijuana. Take note of the fact that patients enrolled in the Minnesota Medical Cannabis Program do not have the freedom to choose their own products.

A Brief History of the Minnesota Medical Marijuana Program (MMP)

With the approval of the SF 2470 document on May 29th, 2014, immediately signed into law the next day, all state-level criminal penalties for the use and possession of medical marijuana were removed, paving the way for the creation of the Minnesota marijuana laws. 

Following this monumental signing, the Minnesota Department of Health allowed its patients access to the state’s MMP. Henceforth, all patients holding a physician recommendation that stated their qualifying condition could now benefit from medical marijuana treatment.

And the progress did not stop there. Minnesota’s marijuana laws received significant updates in 2020 as well. For example, the program’s qualifying condition list includes a variety of patient symptoms, from intractable pain to PTSD, to some of its more recent additions, sickle cell disease, and chronic motor disorder, which were added in August 2020.

Getting your Marijuana Recommendation

Getting a medical marijuana recommendation in Minnesota is easier than you might think. 

We can help you schedule an online appointment with a licensed medical marijuana doctor today. To get started, fill out our sign-up form – it only takes a few minutes!

Once you’ve done that, you and your chosen doctor will have a conversation about why medical marijuana may be beneficial for your treatment, and they will make a decision based on your specific medical condition. Appointments usually take between 10 to 15 minutes and are all done online via Doxy.

How to Qualify for the MN Medical Marijuana Program

Please note that a simple diagnosis does not mean you’re automatically qualified, and it is still up to your recommending physician to decide whether or not medical marijuana is the best option for your health and well-being. 

If you are suffering from one (or more) of the MN medical marijuana 2021 list of conditions, and you have not responded to traditional medical treatments, then you might be eligible for medical marijuana treatment in Minnesota. 

Minnesota Medical Marijuana Laws

While obtaining a medical marijuana ID card in Minnesota involves an easy application process, coupled with a beneficial end result, your newly-earned patient status is as much a privilege as it is a responsibility. Being an MN medical marijuana patient means that:

  • Your patient status provides you with access to a 90-day supply of marijuana. The recommending physician will determine the right quantity for your treatment. There is no legal reason for you to have any marijuana beyond that limit.
  • Your patient status does NOT allow the growing of cannabis in Minnesota. Any and all medical marijuana you intend to use need to be purchased from a licensed Minnesota dispensary.
  • The only authorized locations for marijuana-related purchases are state-approved dispensaries. Personal sales are prohibited by the court of law and you should NOT engage with them in any way, shape, or form.
  • If your treatment includes hashish-based products OR any other type of marijuana concentrate, know that the regulations for unlawful use remain the same. The state of MN treats hash and concentrates as it treats marijuana – as a schedule I drug.
  • Marijuana paraphernalia (such as bongs, tobacco blunts, rolling paper) is NOT necessary for any type of marijuana treatment. You have no legal excuse for possessing such an item, or, similar to cultivation, to be using it to create your own medication.
  • Minnesota drug testing laws apply in relation to medical marijuana and employment law. Legally speaking, Minnesota employers can engage in pre-employment drug testing only after giving the applicant a job offer. Moreover, as per MN drug testing policies, the applicant must receive written notice before being subject to a test of this nature.

Minnesota Medical Marijuana Card

Learn all you need to know about what it means to be a medical marijuana patient in Minnesota. 

Check out how to get a Minnesota Medical Marijuana Card for extensive information on obtaining a med card, renewing it, as well as any other questions that you might have.

Minnesota Dispensaries

Minnesota’s dispensary locations are spread out throughout state borders, with notable Green Goods dispensaries in Bloomington and Rochester, as well as Leafline Labs dispensaries in Eagen and St. Paul.

For a full account of the registered dispensaries in Minnesota, check out the MDOH official list of licensed cannabis patient center locations.