Qualifying Conditions for Medical Marijuana Card in New Hampshire

How Many Medical Conditions Qualify for Medical Marijuana Treatment in New Hampshire?

There are a total of 36 qualifying medical conditions for medical marijuana treatment in New Hampshire. These include nine standalone medical conditions, 19 chronic and debilitating diseases, and 11 symptomatic outcomes of diseases and their treatments.

Qualifying Conditions for Medical Card in New Hampshire 2024

The New Hampshire medical marijuana law recognizes three classes of qualifying conditions. These are standalone medical conditions, qualifying diagnoses, and qualifying symptoms. To be eligible for a New Hampshire medical cannabis card, a patient must be diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition or have both a qualifying diagnosis and a qualifying symptom.

The following are the qualifying standalone medical conditions in New Hampshire:

• Autism spectrum disorder (for those aged 21 and older)
• Autism spectrum disorder (for those under the age of 21) - diagnosis must be confirmed by a certified provider of child and/or adolescent psychiatry, developmental pediatrics, or pediatric neurology who must also certify the patient for the therapeutic use of cannabis. The medical professional must confirm that the autism spectrum disorder did not responded to conventional therapy and medications or that these treatment options caused serious side effects
• Moderate or severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Moderate to severe chronic pain
• Severe pain
• Opioid use disorder, presenting with symptoms of cravings or withdrawal - only a board-certified Addiction Medicine or Addiction Psychiatry professional who is actively treating the patient for opioid use disorder can recommend therapeutic cannabis for this medical condition

New Hampshire’s list of qualifying diagnoses for medical cannabis treatment include:

• Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
• Alzheimer's disease
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Cancer
• Chronic pancreatitis
• Crohn’s disease
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C
• Lupus
• Multiple sclerosis
• Muscular dystrophy
• Injuries or conditions that has resulted in one or more qualifying symptoms
• Parkinson’s disease
• Positive status for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV+)
• Spinal cord injury or disease
• Traumatic brain injury
• Ulcerative colitis

Qualifying symptoms for medical cannabis access in New Hampshire include:

• Agitation of Alzheimer’s disease
• Cachexia
• Chemotherapy-induced anorexia
• Constant or severe nausea
• Elevated intraocular pressure
• Moderate to severe insomnia
• Moderate to severe vomiting
• Seizures
• Severe pain
• Severe, persistent muscle spasms
• Wasting syndrome

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

Yes. New Hampshire expanded its list of qualifying medical conditions for therapeutic cannabis through legislative acts. In 2017, it passed HB 160 which added chronic pain and severe pain unresponsive to conventional treatments as well as PTSD to the list. However, when HB 611 became law on October 7, 2023, it removed the requirement for qualifying severe pain to be unresponsive to conventional treatments (medications and surgical interventions). In 2021, New Hampshire added insomnia and autism spectrum disorder to this list through HB 89.

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

No. Certifying medical providers can only recommend therapeutic cannabis for qualifying conditions in New Hampshire. Patients and medical providers seeking to include non-qualifying conditions can contact their state legislators to advocate for the addition of these conditions to the list of qualifying conditions. Alternatively, they can appeal to the New Hampshire Therapeutic Cannabis Medical Oversight Board. This Board meets twice a year to consider the addition of new qualifying medical conditions and submit recommendations after hearing from the public.

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

Yes. Each patient applying for the New Hampshire therapeutic cannabis registry ID must submit a completed and signed written certification from their medical provider. A signed certification is valid for 6 months, after which the provider must resign and re-date it to be valid. New Hampshire will accept a written certification for medical cannabis from any:

• Doctor of Medicine (MD)
• Doctor of Osteopathy (DO)
• Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)
• Physician Assistant (PA)

In addition to MDs, DOs, APRNs, and PAs licensed to practice in the state, New Hampshire also accepts written certifications from MDs, DOs, and APRNs practicing in Vermont, Massachusetts, and Maine. A certifying medical provider must be the patient’s primary care provider or a specialist currently treating them for the qualifying medical condition for which they are seeking therapeutic cannabis access in New Hampshire.

Who Qualifies for a Medical Marijuana Card in New Hampshire?

In addition to getting a written certification confirming that they have a qualifying condition, New Hampshire requires anyone applying for its medical cannabis registry ID on their own to be 18 years or older. Applicants under the age of 18 must obtain the consent of their parent or legal guardian and must submit two written certifications, one of which must be from a pediatrician. New Hampshire also only issues medical marijuana cards to its residents.