Maine

Under the Maine Medical Use of Cannabis Act and Maine OCP regulations, the following licensed Maine practitioners are authorized to certify patients:

• Physicians (MD or DO)
• Nurse Practitioners (NP)
• Physician Assistants (PA)

All must hold an active, valid Maine license, be in good standing, and use the mandatory online certification portal. This is one of the few states where PAs are fully authorized to certify patients.

Maine does not require a separate state registration before certifying patients. However, all certifying providers must create an account in the Maine Medical Cannabis Certifications Online Service. You will need your License Number and Access Code to establish your account.

Use of this portal is mandatory. All certifications must be issued through this system. The portal generates a standard printed certification; patient information is not stored.

Initial Education Requirement

Maine does not require providers to complete a cannabis-specific education course before issuing their first certification. The Maine OCP has noted that providers who have not previously issued a certification should consider familiarizing themselves with medical cannabis through available training resources before doing so. 

Continuing Education (CME/CEU)

No cannabis-specific continuing education requirement has been identified for Maine providers beyond standard professional licensure renewal requirements. 

Maine has no fixed list of qualifying conditions. Certifying providers exercise clinical judgment to determine whether a patient may benefit from cannabis. See the patient page section above for reference, and consult the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy for current program guidance.

Step 1: Evaluate the patient.

Conduct a clinical evaluation. Telehealth is permitted under Maine’s telehealth requirements applicable to your licensing board.

Step 2: Issue the certification through the mandatory portal.

Log in to the Maine Medical Cannabis Certifications Online Service using your license number and access code. Complete and submit the certification. Print the certification and provide it to the patient. They may use it immediately at any licensed dispensary.

Step 3: Maintain records.

Recommending physicians must:

• Demonstrate a bona fide physician/patient relationship that will include ongoing monitoring of the patient's medical condition.
• Caution patients are not to engage in hazardous activities while under the influence of cannabis.
• Inform patients of the risks and benefits of the medical use of cannabis and that the patient may benefit from its use.
• Use a DHHS-approved certification form on tamper-resistant paper.
• Not disclose the patient's specific medical condition on the issued written certification. This written certification must include the date that it was issued and the expiration date of the certification (a written certification expires one year after it is issued by the recommending physician).
• Maintain records supporting their decision to recommend medical cannabis.

With respect to minors, a physician must:

• Explain the risks & benefits of the medical use of cannabis to the patient and parent or legal custodian/guardian.
• Obtain a second opinion from a consulting physician.

The parent or legal custodian/guardian of the minor must also provide written consent of the minor's medical use of cannabis and must serve as the minor's caretaker.

The DHHS-approved certification can be found at:https://www1.maine.gov/online/medmarijuana/index.html

Medical professionals have a legal right to recommend cannabis as a treatment in any state, as protected by the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act (Title III, Section 301), which became law on December 2, 2022, and the First Amendment, as established by a 2004 United States Supreme Court decision upholding earlier federal court rulings that physicians and their patients have a fundamental constitutional right to freely discuss treatment options.

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