Delaware no longer requires patients to have specified medical conditions to qualify for medical marijuana treatment.
Delaware eliminated its list of qualifying medical conditions on July 1, 2024. While the state’s medical marijuana program previously required medical providers to recommend medical cannabis for patients diagnosed with certain named debilitating conditions, it now allows healthcare providers to decide whether their patients’ medical conditions would benefit from medical cannabis use. This change was made when House Bill 285 was passed into law.
With the elimination of its list of qualifying conditions, and giving medical providers the authority to determine which debilitating conditions would benefit from medical cannabis treatment, Delaware no longer needs to debate adding new qualifying conditions to its medical marijuana program.
Delaware allows eligible physicians to determine whether their patients’ diagnosed conditions qualify for medical cannabis use or not.
Yes. Obtaining a written certification from an eligible medical provider is one of the requirements for registering in Delaware’s medical marijuana program. To obtain the state’s medical marijuana card, eligible patients must submit written certifications from licensed health providers. Such health care practitioners must have bona fide care relationships with the patients they are recommending for medical marijuana use. Delaware only accepts a written certification issued by a health care practitioner licensed to practice in the state. Such a practitioner can be a:
In addition to obtaining a written certification for medical cannabis, Delaware also requires anyone applying for its medical marijuana card to be a resident of the state. While adults can apply for this card on their own, Delaware mandates minors applying for the card to get the consent of their parents/legal guardians and name them as “Responsible Parties”.