What Conditions Qualify for Medical Marijuana Card in Iowa (2024)

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

In Iowa, 14 medical conditions qualify eligible patients for medical marijuana treatment.

Qualifying Conditions for Medical Card in Iowa 2024

To obtain a medical cannabidiol registration card in Iowa, the applicant must be diagnosed with one or more of these qualifying debilitating medical conditions:

• Cancer but only if the illness or its treatment causes severe or chronic pain; nausea or severe vomiting; and/or cachexia or severe wasting
• Seizures
• Crohn’s disease
• Chronic pain
• Multiple Sclerosis presenting with severe and persistent muscle spasms
• AIDS or HIV (as defined in Iowa Code, section 141A.1)
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Parkinson’s disease
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Any terminal illness with a probable life expectancy of under one year as long as the illness or its treatment causes severe or chronic pain; nausea or severe vomiting; and/or cachexia or severe wasting
• Ulcerative colitis
• Severe, intractable pediatric autism presenting with self-injurious or aggressive behaviors
• Severe, intractable autism presenting with self-injurious or aggressive behaviors
• Corticobasal Degeneration

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

Iowa’s Medical Cannabidiol Act makes provision for the addition of new medical conditions, including medical treatments of debilitating diseases, to the state’s list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana access. It empowers a Medical Cannabidiol Board to seek, accept, review, and rule on petitions submitted by members of the public. The Board then passes their decisions to the state’s Board of Medicine for their approval or denial. Conditions approved, and added to the qualifying list, by both Boards include ulcerative colitis, autism, and corticobasal degeneration.

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

No. Under the Iowa medical cannabis program, healthcare providers can only recommend medical marijuana for approved qualifying medical conditions listed in the state’s Medical Cannabidiol Act.

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

Yes. Before considering an application for a medical cannabis card, the Bureau of Cannabis Regulation of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services requires a written certification from a healthcare practitioner. This certification must be from a provider with a bona fide provider-patient relationship with the patient and clearly state that the patient has a qualifying debilitating condition. They are the only healthcare practitioners that can recommend patients for medical marijuana in Iowa are state-licensed:

• Doctors of Medicine and Surgery (MDs)
• Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery (DOs)
• Physician Assistants (PAs)
• Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (ARNPs)
• Podiatrists

Who Qualifies for a Medical Marijuana Card in Iowa?

Besides living with a qualifying condition, Iowa requires an eligible patient applying for its medical cannabidiol registration card to also be a permanent resident of the state. Any resident aged 18 or older can apply for the state’s medical cannabis card. Eligible applicants under the age of 18 require the consent of their parents or legal guardians.