Step 1

Confirm You Qualify

Minnesota has broadened its medical cannabis program: any condition a healthcare practitioner signs off on now qualifies. These are among the conditions patients most often certify for:

• Chronic Pain
• Cancer
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Seizures / Epilepsy
• Severe Muscle Spasms / MS
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease / Crohn’s
• Glaucoma
• HIV / AIDS
• Intractable Pain
• Tourette Syndrome
• ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
• Autism
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Terminal Illness
• Sickle Cell Disease
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• Chronic Motor or Vocal Tic Disorder

Not on the list? It doesn’t have to be. Any condition your practitioner considers appropriate is covered. Ask your provider whether medical cannabis makes sense for you.

See Official OCM Info

Step 2

Get Certified by a Practitioner

Certification has to come from a Minnesota-licensed physician, physician assistant (PA), or advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). Participation is optional for providers, so not all of them certify patients.

Ask your own provider first. If they don’t participate, you can look for one nearby who does.

Veterans*

Veterans no longer need a practitioner’s certification — a dedicated self-certification form lets you certify yourself, which cuts the process down considerably.

Veteran Self-Certification Form

How to Track Down a Participating Provider

• Start with the healthcare team you already see
• Ask them to refer you to someone who certifies
• Look up clinics currently taking certification patients
• Virtual visits are widely available alongside in-person appointments

Step 3

Enroll with the Office of Cannabis Management

After certification, an email arrives with directions for applying to Minnesota’s medical cannabis program through the Medical Cannabis Registry.

Have This Ready

• Government-issued photo ID (Minnesota driver’s license or state ID)
• Access to the email address on file with your provider
• Enrollment finished online within 60 days of being certified

Worth Knowing

• Registration costs nothing — state fees ended in July 2023
• Expect a decision within 30 days
• No word after 30 days? Email OCM at cannabis.info@state.mn.us
• Background checks for caregivers have been discontinued

Open the Medical Cannabis Registry

Step 4

File Your Patient Self-Evaluation

Once approved, sign in to your Medical Cannabis Registry account and file a Patient Self-Evaluation (PSE). It has to be on record before you set foot in a dispensary.

PSE Rules

• File one before your first-time patient consultation
• File a new one ahead of every dispensary pickup
• Once you’ve purchased, they’re due quarterly for your first year
• A registered caregiver may file on your behalf

Sign In to Your Registry Account

Step 5

Schedule Your First-Time Consultation

Last step. Reserve a first-time patient consultation at the location you prefer. A pharmacist will go through your account, talk through what you’re looking for, and point you to the medical cannabis product that fits.