The South Dakota health department released a preliminary list of conditions for which medical marijuana can be recommended, and several could drive significant business to the state’s dispensaries.
According to Sioux Falls TV station KELO, the preliminary list includes:
- Cancer associated with severe or chronic pain, nausea or severe vomiting, or cachexia or severe wasting.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Epilepsy and seizures.
- HIV/AIDS.
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
- Multiple sclerosis.
- Crohn’s disease.
- Glaucoma.
These specific conditions are in addition to the broader definition of “debilitating medical condition” that voters approved in 2020.
The state’s medical marijuana program took effect July 1, with market launch expected in summer of 2022.
Getting doctors to recommend medical cannabis might be a roadblock for the state’s would-be patients.
The South Dakota State Medical Association, for one, was a vocal opponent of the 2020 voter-approved measure.
