Qualifying Conditions for Medical Marijuana Card in Arkansas

How Many Medical Conditions Qualify for Medical Marijuana Treatment in Arkansas?

There are 18 qualifying medical conditions that are eligible for medical cannabis treatment in Arkansas.

Qualifying Conditions for Medical Card in Arkansas 2024

The Arkansas Department of Health recognizes the following medical conditions as qualifying for medical cannabis use:

• Cancer
• Glaucoma
• HIV+/AIDS
• Hepatitis C
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Tourette’s syndrome
• Crohn’s disease
• Ulcerative colitis
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Severe arthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Cachexia or wasting syndrome
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Intractable pain unresponsive to ordinary medications, treatment, or surgical measures for more than 6 months
• Severe nausea
• Seizures including those caused by epilepsy
• Severe and persistent muscle spasms including those caused by multiple sclerosis

Does Arkansas Add New Qualifying Conditions to its Medical Marijuana Program?

The Medical Marijuana Section of the Arkansas Department of Health is authorized by law to add new qualifying conditions to the state’s medical marijuana program if it deems such conditions as suitable for medical cannabis treatment. The Department receives petitions to add new conditions at any time from members of the public. As of early 2024, Arkansas has not added any new condition to the qualifying medical conditions named in the state’s Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2016, the original law modifying the state’s constitution to make medical cannabis legal there.

Does Arkansas Allow Physicians to Recommend Medical Cannabis for Non-Qualifying Conditions?

No, recommending physicians in Arkansas cannot certify or prescribe medical cannabis for conditions not included in the state’s list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana use.

Do You Need a Doctor’s Recommendation for Medical Marijuana in Arkansas?

Yes. Arkansas requires patients applying for its medical marijuana card to provide physicians’ certifications indicating they are living with a qualifying condition that can be alleviated with medical marijuana treatment. Only Doctors of Medicine (MDs) and Osteopathy (DOs) can provide medical marijuana certifications in the state. These MDs and DOs must also:

• Be licensed in the State of Arkansas
• Be in good standing to practice in Arkansas
• Obtain the DEA (US Drug Enforcement Agency)’s Controlled Substances License
• Have bona-fide physician-patient relationships with the patients they certify

Who Qualifies for a Medical Marijuana Card in Arkansas?

Besides a diagnosis of at least one of the qualifying conditions and a physician certification to prove this, Arkansas also requires anyone applying for its medical marijuana card to also:

• Be 18 years or older. A minor must apply with their parent or legal guardian who must also serve as a caregiver
• Reside in the Arkansas
• Not be a member of the Arkansas National Guard or the US Military

Arkansas does issue visiting patient cards to out-of-state patients who are visiting the state. To be eligible for this card, a visiting patient must:

• Have a medical marijuana card, or the equivalent document, issued in their home state
• Have a medical condition that is a qualifying condition for medical cannabis use in their home state and Arkansas