Minnesota's medical cannabis program has expanded to include any condition approved by a healthcare practitioner. Below are some of the most common qualifying conditions:

• Chronic Pain

• Cancer

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• Seizures / Epilepsy

• Severe Muscle Spasms / MS

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease / Crohn's

• Glaucoma

• HIV / AIDS

• Intractable Pain

• Tourette Syndrome

• ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease)

• Autism

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea

• Alzheimer's Disease

• Terminal Illness

• Sickle Cell Disease

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

• Chronic Motor or Vocal Tic Disorder

If your condition is not listed, it may still qualify. That decision belongs to your healthcare practitioner, not to us.

Veterans with a veteran ID card can self-certify using the state's veteran certification form instead of being certified by a practitioner.

Before you can take part, a Minnesota-licensed physician, physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse must certify your condition in the state's Medical Cannabis Registry. You also need to be a Minnesota resident.

• Ask your current care team whether they take part in the program, or for a referral to someone who does.

• Set up a personal, non-work email address first — the state sends your enrolment link there.

• Ask for an appointment summary and a list of your current medications, and bring both to your first visit here.

Once you are certified, the state emails you a confirmation and your own enrolment link. That certification expires if your enrolment is not approved within 90 days, so the state advises applying within the first 60.

Your enrolment link arrives by email — check spam if it is not in your inbox. Before you start, gather:

• Your Minnesota driver's licence or state ID card.

• A mobile device to photograph that ID.

• ID and a birth or marriage certificate for a parent, legal guardian or spouse, if you are adding one. That is optional unless the patient is a minor.

The state reviews completed applications and may take up to 30 days. Registered patients re-enroll every three years.

Once your enrolment is approved, complete your Patient Self-Evaluation in your registry account. A new one is required before your first purchase, and quarterly through your first year.

Then book your consultation. We run three kinds:

• Initial Patient Consultation — for patients new to the Minnesota program who have not yet spoken with a pharmacist.

• Follow Up Consultation — questions about your current medical cannabis medications, or what to try next.

• New Product Consultation — to be approved for a product type you have not used before.

Bring your photo ID, a list of your prescribed medications, and the visit summary from the practitioner who certified you. Insurance does not cover medical cannabis, and payment options vary.