WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - People diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease can register for medical marijuana in Minnesota, starting July 1, 2019. There are currently more than 94,000 people diagnosed with Alzheimer's in Minnesota.
Under current state rules, patients certified to have Alzheimer's disease are eligible to enroll in the state's medical cannabis program on July 1, 2019, and receive medical cannabis from the state's two medical cannabis manufacturers beginning August 1, 2019.
As with the program's other qualifying conditions, Alzheimer's patients will need advance certification from a Minnesota health care provider.
In December 2018, the Minnesota Department of Health or MDH said it will add Alzheimer's disease as a new qualifying condition for the state's medical cannabis program.
Petitioners had proposed adding seven new qualifying conditions last year - Alzheimer's disease, hepatitis C, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, opioid use disorder, panic disorder, psoriasis, and traumatic brain injury. However, after reviewing the research summaries and other input, Minnesota Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm approved only Alzheimer's disease.
Malcolm noted at that time that there is some evidence for potential benefits of medical cannabis to improve the mood, sleep and behavior of patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that mainly affects elderly people. It is the most common cause of dementia. Other symptoms include cognitive impairment, delusion, depression and agitation.
The MDH research brief cited two available studies, which found that some patients saw improvements in disruptive night-time behavior and agitation after cannabis use.
With the addition of Alzheimer's disease, Minnesota now has fourteen conditions that qualify patients for medical marijuana.
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