Patients and Caregivers

• How do I register as a patient in the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program and receive my patient card?

  Visit a certified physician who can confirm that you have a qualifying condition for medical marijuana. The physician will create your profile in the Patient & Caregiver Registry.

  Confirm and complete your registration for the program through the Patient & Caregiver Registry (see medical marijuana patient registration guide).

• How do I register as a caregiver in the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program and receive my caregiver card?

  A patient must notify a certified physician that they would like you to serve as their caregiver. The physician will then create your profile in the Patient & Caregiver Registry. If the patient is a minor or has a court-appointed legal guardian, they must have a caregiver.

  Confirm and complete your registration for the program through the Patient & Caregiver Registry (see “Completing Caregiver Registration” video on the patient and caregiver page). NOTE: Caregiver registration will be activated after approval by the Board of Pharmacy.

• How do I find a physician who is certified to recommend medical marijuana?

  The Medical Board maintains a list of all Ohio licensed physicians who are certified to recommend medical marijuana. The list can be found by clicking here.

• How do I apply as a patient with veteran or indigent status, or a caregiver associated with a patient with veteran or indigent status?

  Follow the instructions found in the Quick Reference Guide - Registering With Indigent Or Veteran Status. PLEASE NOTE: If a patient does not qualify for veteran or indigent status, their caregiver will not receive a registration fee reduction, even if the caregiver qualifies for special status.

• If I am applying as a patient with veteran or indigent status, how will my fee reduction be applied?

  Individuals seeking to qualify for a reduced registration fee due to a special status should not submit payment for their registration fee until their status, or the status of the patient they are associated with, is approved by the Board of Pharmacy.

  The registration fee will be reduced once the Board receives necessary documentation and approves the special status. The Board will not issue any refunds for registration fees paid before special status approval.

• Once I receive my activation email, how long will the link within be active?

  The link found in the activation email will be active for 90 days. However, the link can only be accessed once.

• Do I have to complete my registration the first time I click the link in the activation email?

  No. By clicking the link in your activation email, you will be asked to create a password for your Registry profile. Once you create your password and choose your time zone, you will be logged into your Registry profile.

  While the link in your activation email will no longer be active, you can log back into the Registry by visiting www.ohiomedicalmarijuanaregistry.com and entering your username (email address) and password.

• What if I do not receive an email containing a link to activate my Registry profile?

  If, after checking your junk and spam folders, you cannot find your activation email, please contact the MMCP by phone at 1-833-464-6627, or by email at MMCPRegistry@pharmacy.ohio.gov with your first name, last name, date of birth and preferred email address for your Registry profile so that a new registration link can be sent to you. Please refrain from submitting any additional identifying information.

• Do I create a username for my Registry account?

  No. Your username will be the email address associated with your account. Each Registrant account will have its own unique username.

  Changing your email address will also change your username. Please be aware of any autofill settings your web browser may have.

• Can a caregiver purchase medical marijuana if they are not tied to a patient?

  No. Only caregivers who have been linked to a patient by the patient’s physician and have had their registration approved by the Board of Pharmacy are eligible to purchase medical marijuana on behalf of a patient(s).

• Can the same email address be used for a patient profile and a caregiver profile?

  Only if a patient registers using their caregiver’s email address. In that scenario, the patient’s registration cannot be activated until after the caregiver’s registrant profile is created, the caregiver is linked to the patient by the physician, and the caregiver’s registration is approved by the Board of Pharmacy. Otherwise, all registrants must use a unique email address for their account.

• What if a patient does not have an email account, but wants to use the email address of a family member who will not be serving as their caregiver?

  Individuals registering as a patient should use a trusted email address that can be easily accessed.

• What if I experience issues with creating my password and/or choosing my time zone (e.g. my internet connection drops during the process)?

  Please contact the MMCP by phone at 1-833-464-6627, or by email at MMCPRegistry@pharmacy.ohio.gov with your first name, last name, date of birth and preferred email address for your Registry profile so that a new registration link can be sent to you. Please refrain from submitting any additional identifying information.

• As a patient, how can I view the list of my associated caregivers? Or, as a caregiver, how can I view the list of my associated patients?

  On the Registry Details section of your Registry page, if you are registered as a patient, there is a tab that says “Caregivers”; if you are registered as a caregiver, there is a tab that says “Patients”. Click the tab, and the list of caregivers or patients will be displayed.

• Is there help available for those who are misusing or abusing medication or other drugs?

  If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, call 877-275-6364 for information and a referralor visit https://findtreatment.gov.

• What are the qualifying medical conditions that may be treated with medical marijuana?

  Certified physicians may recommend medical marijuana only for the treatment of a qualifying medical condition. Under Ohio law, qualifying medical conditions include all of the following: AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, cachexia, cancer, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy or another seizure disorder, fibromyalgia, glaucoma, hepatitis C, Huntington’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, pain that is either chronic and severe or intractable, Parkinson’s disease, positive status for HIV, post-traumatic stress disorder, sickle cell anemia, Spasticity, spinal cord disease or injury, terminal illness, Tourette syndrome, traumatic brain injury, and ulcerative colitis.

  In February 2021, the State Medical Board of Ohio determined the following conditions are considered covered by an existing qualifying condition: arthritis chronic migraines and complex region pain syndrome. These conditions were determined to be covered by pain that is either chronic or intractable. More information can be found here.

• HOW CAN NEW QUALIFYING MEDICAL CONDITIONS BE ADDED?

  The State Medical Board of Ohio established an annual process where members of the public may petition the Board to add new qualifying medical conditions. The next petition period is scheduled to open on November 1, 2020 and close on December 31, 2020. More information will be posted on the MMCP website and sent out to all program subscribers. To subscribe to program updates, visit the MMCP homepage. For more information about the 2019 petition process, click here.

  As a reminder, the following are the current qualifying medical conditions for medical marijuana use in Ohio: AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, cachexia, cancer, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy or another seizure disorder, fibromyalgia, glaucoma, hepatitis C, Huntington’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, pain that is either chronic and severe or intractable, Parkinson’s disease, positive status for HIV, post-traumatic stress disorder, sickle cell anemia, Spasticity, spinal cord disease or injury, terminal illness, Tourette syndrome, traumatic brain injury, and ulcerative colitis.

• Do I need to register?

  Yes. All medical marijuana patients and their caregivers are required to register with the State Board of Pharmacy. More information on this process can be accessed here.

• How long will registration be valid?

  A patient or caregiver registration will be valid from the date of issuance and expire one year later, on the last day of the month it was issued.

• Will my registration status be made publicly available?

  No. The law prohibits the Board of Pharmacy, as well as licensed dispensaries, from making personal identifying information public. Physicians and those employed by dispensaries will be able to verify a patient or caregiver’s registration.

• Where will I be able to obtain medical marijuana?

  Medical marijuana will be available from retail dispensaries licensed by the Board of Pharmacy. A map of licensed dispensaries is available here.

• What forms of medical marijuana will be available?

  The following forms of medical marijuana are authorized: oils, tinctures, plant material, edibles, lotions, creams, and patches. The law prohibits the use of medical marijuana by smoking or combustion but does allow for vaporization (vaping). The law prohibits any form that is attractive to children.

• Can new forms be approved?

  Yes. An individual may petition the Board of Pharmacy to approve an additional form or method of using medical marijuana. The petition form can be found by visiting: www.medicalmarijuana.ohio.gov/AddFormMethod.

  REMINDER: The law prohibits any form or method considered attractive to children and the use of medical marijuana by smoking or combustion.

• Will medical marijuana be available to minors?

  Yes. However, a certified physician may recommend treatment with medical marijuana only after obtaining the consent of a parent or another person responsible for providing consent to treatment. Minors are also required to have an adult caregiver.

• Will I be permitted to grow medical marijuana for personal consumption?

  No. The law prohibits the cultivation of medical marijuana for personal, family, or household use.

• How much medical marijuana will a registered patient or caregiver be able to possess at one time?

  The amount of medical marijuana possessed by a registered patient or caregiver must not exceed a 90-day supply. Visit the patient and caregiver page for more information on how a 90-day supply is calculated.

• Will I be able to use my medical marijuana registration card in other states? Will an out-of-state card be recognized in Ohio?

  The law requires that the Board of Pharmacy attempt to negotiate and enter into reciprocity agreements with other states. Before entering into an agreement with another state, the Board must determine that both of the following apply:

  (1) The eligibility requirements imposed by the other state in order to obtain a registry identification card are substantially comparable to Ohio’s requirements; and,

  (2) The other state recognizes a patient or caregiver registration and identification card issued in Ohio.

• Does Ohio recognize medical marijuana cards issued by other states?

  Currently, Ohio does not recognize medical marijuana registry cards issued in other states. The law requires that the Board of Pharmacy attempt in good faith to negotiate and enter into reciprocity agreements with other states. If Ohio does enter into a reciprocity agreement with another state, more information will be posted to the OMMCP website.