Qualifying Conditions

105 CMR 725.000 (Department of Public Health regulations) implementing Chapter 369 of the Acts of 2012, An Act for the Humanitarian Medical Use of Marijuana defines “Debilitating Medical Condition” to mean:

“cancer, glaucoma, positive status for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), hepatits C, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis (MS), when such diseases are debilitating, and other conditions as determined in writing by a qualifying patient’s certifying physician.”

The regulations from the Department of Public Health further define “Debilitating” to mean:

“causing weakness, cachexia, wasting syndrome, intractable pain, or nausea, or impairing strength or ability, and progressing to such an extent that one or more major life activities are substantially limited.”

Additionally, the regulations state:

“A patient who has had a diagnosis of a debilitating condition in the past but does not have an active condition, unless the symptoms related to such condition are mitigated by marijuana for medical use, and is not undergoing treatment for such condition is not suffering from a debilitating medical condition for which medical marijuana is authorized.”

In addition to the conditions specified in the law and regulations, the physician at MariMed Consults is qualified to evaluate whether the current medical condition for which you are being treated qualifies as one of the “other conditions” that may be considered “debilitating” for the purposes of receiving a certification for medical marijuana. Depending on the severity, some of the conditions that may qualify as “debilitating” include, but are not limited to:

• severe, debilitating, chronic pain.
• severe nausea of any cause.
• seizures, including but not limited to those characteristic of epilepsy.
• severe and persistent muscle spasms.
• sleep disorders including insomnia and sleep apnea.
• eating disorders resulting in weight loss.
• chemotherapy side effects.
• mood disorders including anxiety, panic attacks, bipolar disorder, depression, post traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder
• intestinal disorders (ulcers, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome).
• restless leg syndrome.
• peripheral neuropathy.
• tourette sydrome.
• menstrual cramps.
• migraine headaches.
• carpal tunnel syndrome.
• attention deficit disorder (ADHD).
• spinal injuries/disease.

Please note that the above list is not exhaustive and that “other conditions” that have progressed to “such an extent that one or more major life activities are substantially limited” may qualify as debilitating.