Medical Cannabis Program Update

Medical Cannabis Program Forms & Information

Updates to the Medical Cannabis Program

"May 6, 2009 - Health Secretary Adds Severe Chronic Pain with Specific Criteria to Medical Cannabis Program" (Click for a version in Spanish)

Attention Certified Patients: The Department of Health has issued a license for the first non-profit to produce and distribute medical cannabis to certified patients in the program. Please note that the Department of Health just licensed the non-profit, and the licensed non-profit will now begin production of medical cannabis. The licensed non-profit will not have medical cannabis available immediately since the set up and production processes take time. You will soon receive a letter from the Department of Health notifying you of how to contact the licensed non-profit directly. As a reminder, the Department of Health will not release your confidential patient information

Department of Health Approves First Producer for Medical Cannabis Program Patients Can Legally Access Medical Cannabis Under State Law (Santa Fe)

The New Mexico Department of Health has approved the first nonprofit in New Mexico to produce medical cannabis for patients in the Department’s Medical Cannabis Program. Nonprofits are allowed to produce up to 95 mature plants and seedlings as well as a usable inventory of medical cannabis to meet the needs of patients in the program.

“We are proud that we have accomplished the last and most challenging phase of our program and now New Mexico patients who are suffering from chronic, debilitating conditions can legally access medical cannabis under State law,” said Health Secretary Alfredo Vigil, MD.

Due to safety concerns, the Department will not release the name or location of the producer to the public. The Department will notify certified patients of how to contact the licensed producer. The Department cannot release patient information to the producer because of patient privacy laws.

The Department is reviewing another producer application from a nonprofit. The Health Secretary will consider the health needs of qualified patients and the public safety in determining the number and location of licenses that the Department approves. Patients in the Medical Cannabis Program can also apply to produce up to 4 mature plants and 12 seedlings for their personal use. So far, the Department has approved 23 patients to be their own producers.

The program’s Medical Advisory Board will meet April 13 at 9 a.m. at the Harold Runnels Auditorium in Santa Fe to review petitions that have already been submitted to add new conditions to the program. The Board will also reconsider the following petitions discussed at the March hearing: chronic pain, bipolar disorder, arthritis, asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic fatigue syndrome and chronic sinus congestion from blunt-facial trauma.

Once a condition is approved, anyone with that medical condition can apply to the Medical Cannabis Program. The 14 current qualifying conditions are: cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with intractable spasticity, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, painful peripheral neuropathy, intractable nausea/vomiting, severe anorexia/cachexia, hepatitis C infection currently receiving antiviral treatment, Crohn’s disease, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease). Hospice patients may also be eligible.

Since the Medical Cannabis Program began July 1, 2007, the Department of Health has approved 250 patient applications. For more information about the Medical Cannabis program, look up http://www.nmhealth.org/marijuana.html or e-mail Melissa.Milam@state.nm.us.

For all conditions, physicians must certify that patients have an eligible condition, and the condition is debilitating and not helped by standard treatments. Physicians must also attest that they have informed patients of the potential risks and benefits associated with using medical cannabis for their condition. For post traumatic stress disorder, a psychiatrist must certify that patients have the disorder.

The New Mexico Department of Health has finalized regulations for the registry identification cards and a production/distribution system for its medical cannabis program. The Department will accept applications from nonprofit businesses interested in producing and distributing medical cannabis for patients in New Mexico. Qualified patients can also apply to produce medical cannabis for themselves.

NOTE: There is no application form to be completed. In order to be considered for a production license, you must submit all the requirements outlined in the Application Requirements for a Licensed Producer or Application Requirements for Licensure of Qualified Patients to Produce Cannabis Plants for Personal Use Only documents available in the links above. The documents are very specific in the Application Requirements for Submitting a Proposal. Incomplete proposals will not be considered for a production license.

Attention Medical Providers:

Medical Doctors, Doctors of Osteopathy and Family Nurse Practitioners who can legally prescribe medication in New Mexico can write a recommendation for medical cannabis. No special certification is required. Recommendations written on Rx pads cannot be accepted.

If your patient is applying to the program, fill out the “Medical Provider Certification for Patient Eligibility” form (link listed below) and attest that the patient has a debility resulting from a medical condition where the patient is likely to benefit from the use of medical cannabis.

Under current state law, the only qualifying conditions for the medical cannabis program are:

Cancer
Glaucoma
Multiple Sclerosis
Epilepsy
Spinal Cord Damage with Intractable Spasticity
HIV/AIDS
painful peripheral neuropathy
intractable nausea/vomiting
severe anorexia/cachexia
hepatitis C infection currently receiving antiviral treatment
Crohn’s disease
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease)
Severe Chronic Pain (this must be accompanied by two referrals, one from a primary care provider and a second from a specialist)

Also, any patient in hospice care could qualify.

If your patient does not have a qualifying condition and you feel they would benefit from the medical use of cannabis, that person can petition the Medical Advisory Board to add their condition to the current list. Please contact the Medical Cannabis Program Coordinator at (505) 827-2321 or melissa.milam@state.nm.us for more information.

Attention Patients:

Below are links to application forms for the program. The following forms are required, along with a copy of your NM driver license or state ID card.

Participant Application
Medical Provider Certification
Release of Information

Mail or fax the forms to:
Department of Health
1190 St. Francis Drive
Suite S1203
Santa Fe, NM 87502
Fax: (505) 476-3637

If you have questions, please contact the Medical Cannabis Program Coordinator at (505) 827-2321 or melissa.milam@state.nm.us.

Medical Cannabis Program Brochure - Updated 2/18/09
en Espańol