State Comparison: Illnesses
A State by State comparison of Illnesses
Alaska
Patients diagnosed with the following illnesses are afforded legal protection under this act: cachexia; cancer; chronic pain; epilepsy and other disorders characterized by seizures; glaucoma; HIV or AIDS; multiple sclerosis and other disorders characterized by muscle spasticity; and nausea.
Other conditions are subject to approval by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.
California
Conditions typically covered by the law include but are not limited to: arthritis; cachexia; cancer; chronic pain; HIV or AIDS; epilepsy; migraine; and multiple sclerosis.
Colorado
Patients diagnosed with the following illnesses are afforded legal protection under this act: cachexia; cancer; chronic pain; chronic nervous system disorders; epilepsy and other disorders characterized by seizures; glaucoma; HIV or AIDS; multiple sclerosis and other disorders characterized by muscle spasticity; and nausea.
Other conditions are subject to approval by the Colorado Board of Health.
Hawaii
Patients diagnosed with the following illnesses are afforded legal protection under this act: cachexia; cancer; chronic pain; Crohn’s disease; epilepsy and other disorders characterized by seizures; glaucoma; HIV or AIDS; multiple sclerosis and other disorders characterized by muscle spasticity; and nausea.
Other conditions are subject to approval by the Hawaii Department of Health.
Maine
Patients diagnosed with the following illnesses are afforded legal protection under this act: epilepsy and other disorders characterized by seizures; glaucoma; multiple sclerosis and other disorders characterized by muscle spasticity; and nausea or vomiting as a result of AIDS or cancer chemotherapy.
Montana
Patients diagnosed with the following illnesses are afforded legal protection under this act: cachexia or wasting syndrome; severe or chronic pain; severe nausea; seizures, including but not limited to seizures caused by epilepsy; or severe or persistent muscle spasms, including but not limited to spasms caused by multiple sclerosis or Crohn's disease.
Nevada
Patients diagnosed with the following illnesses are afforded legal protection under this act: AIDS; cancer; glaucoma; and any medical condition or treatment to a medical condition that produces cachexia, persistent muscle spasms or seizures, severe nausea or pain.
Other conditions are subject to approval by the health division of the state Department of Human Resources.
Oregon
Patients diagnosed with the following illnesses are afforded legal protection under this act: cachexia; cancer; chronic pain; epilepsy and other disorders characterized by seizures; glaucoma; HIV or AIDS; multiple sclerosis and other disorders characterized by muscle spasticity; and nausea.
Last year the Oregon Board of Health approved agitation due to Alzheimer’s disease to the list of debilitating conditions qualifying for legal protection.
Rhode Island
Patients diagnosed with the following illnesses are afforded legal protection under this act: cachexia; cancer; glaucoma; Hepatitis C; severe, debilitating, chronic pain; severe nausea; seizures, including but not limited to, those characteristic of epilepsy; or severe and persistent muscle spasms, including but not limited to, those characteristic of multiple sclerosis or Crohn's Disease; or agitation of Alzheimer's Disease.
Other conditions are subject to approval by the Rhode Island Department of Health.
Vermont
Patients diagnosed with the following illnesses are afforded legal protection under this act: HIV or AIDS, cancer, and Multiple Sclerosis.
Washington
Patients diagnosed with the following illnesses are afforded legal protection under this act: cachexia; cancer; HIV or AIDS; epilepsy; glaucoma; intractable pain (defined as pain unrelieved by standard treatment or medications); and multiple sclerosis.
Other conditions are subject to approval by the Washington Board of Health.
AMENDMENTS: Yes. Last year, the Washington’s Medical Quality Assurance Commission approved Crohn’s disease, Hepatitis C, and "any disease, including anorexia, which results in nausea, vomiting, wasting, appetite loss, cramping, seizures, muscle spasms, and/or spasticity, when these symptoms are unrelieved by standard treatments."
State Comparison: Issues | State Comparison: Illnesses | State Comparison: Possession
CPN Interviews Suzanne Jones of Missouri
Suzanne's misdiagnosis almost claimed her life. The seemingly endless flow of pharmaceuticals only exacerbated her fragile condition. Her form of cancer, Systemic Mastocytosis, seemed hopeless to treat until she discovered cannabis.
CPN Interviews Kathleen Wolff of Missouri
In July of 1993, Kathleen's life changed forever when her car was struck from behind. Suffering a traumatic brain injury (TBI), Kathleen seemed trapped between her debilitating condition and the pharmaceuticals that sapped her humanity in exchange for temporary relief.
CPN Interviews Heath Poland of Missouri
Heath suffers from ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and Bipolar Disorder. Like so many who suffer from mental illness, he spent much of his life mis-diagnosed and improperly and/or over-medicated.
CPN Interviews Greg Terry of Missouri
Ever since Greg was 17, he has battled Crohn's Disease, Though he has run the gamut of of surgeries and pharmaceutical meds to treat this debilitating disease, only one holistic treatment has given him lasting relief from his symptoms. So, for 34 years, Cannabis has been his medicine of choice.
CPN Interviews Cory Harlan of Missouri
Cory has suffered greatly in his 29 years. Because of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as an infant, he developed a condition called Mesial Temporal Sclerosis. He has been in and out of hospitals and institutions ever since. Cannabis relieves his pain and seizures and has helped him return to college.
CPN Interviews Brian Chitwood of Missouri
I first met Brian at the 2009 Joplin Cannabis Revival. Brian is a Hodgkin's Lymphoma survivor. He attributes his recovery to his use of cannabis as an adjunct to the chemotherapy he received.
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