Minnesota

A LEGAL MEDICAL CANNABIS PATIENT ...

1. Is a resident of Minnesota. 

2. Has one of the following medical conditions: 

• • • Alzheimer's disease
    • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
    • Autism spectrum disorder (must meet DSM-5)
    • Cancer (*If the illness or its treatment produces one or more of the following: severe or chronic pain; nausea or severe vomiting; or cachexia or severe wasting)
    • Chronic motor or vocal tic disorder
    • Chronic pain
    • Glaucoma
    • HIV/AIDS
    • Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease
    • Intractable Pain
    • Irritable bowel syndrome
    • Obsessive-compulsive disorder
    • Obstructive Sleep Apnea
    • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
    • Seizures, including those characteristic of epilepsy
    • Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristic of multiple sclerosis (MS)
    • Sickle cell disease
    • Terminal illness, with a probable life expectancy of less than one year*
    • Tourette syndrome
    • Any medical condition for which a patient’s health care practitioner has recommended, approved, or authorized the use of cannabis by that individual to treat the condition.

3. Is enrolled with the Division of Medical Cannabis. 

4. Enrollment is up to date (expires every 3 years). 

ENROLLMENT PROCESS

1. Getting certified for your medical condition

Before you can participate in the program, you must get your medical condition certified online in the Medical Cannabis Registry by a participating Minnesota-licensed physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse.

The program suggests the following for finding a participating health care practitioner:

• Ask your current health care team if they participate in the medical cannabis program.
• Ask your current health care team for a referral to a practitioner who participates in the program.
• Search online, including the websites of medical cannabis retailers, for clinics and practitioners who are participating.
• Contact a nonprofit organization or support group related to your medical condition for recommendations.

Program Notes: 

• The Division of Medical Cannabis does not maintain or share a list of health care practitioners who are participating in the program.
•  The Division of Medical Cannabis requires an email address to send the enrollment/application link and other updates. They suggest creating a personal, non-employer-based email account if you do not already have one.

During your visit with your health care practitioner

• Supply an email address.
• Get a summary of your appointment and a list of your current medications (you are supposed to take these to the first visit at a medical cannabis dispensary). 

After your health care practitioner certifies your condition (or you submit a veteran self-certification form), you will receive an email from the Division of Medical Cannabis that contains:

• Confirmation of your condition being certified.
• Your unique online enrollment link for the Medical Cannabis Registry.

Note: Your certification expires if your enrollment application is not submitted and approved by the Division of Medical Cannabis within 90 days.  The application process can take up to 30 days; plan accordingly. 

2. Enroll online 

You will receive an email from the Division of Medical Cannabis that contains:

• Confirmation of your condition being certified.
• Your unique online enrollment link for the Medical Cannabis Registry.

Get these items together:

• Minnesota driver's license or identification card
• Mobile device to capture an image of your ID.
• Parent/legal guardian or spouse ID and birth certificate/marriage certificate, if applicable. Unless a patient is a minor, adding a parent/legal guardian or spouse is optional.

Now you are ready to enroll! Use your unique online enrollment link for the Medical Cannabis Registry.

Note: Your certification expires if your enrollment application is not submitted and approved by the Division of Medical Cannabis within 90 days.  The application process can take up to 30 days; plan accordingly. 

How to Register in the Medical Cannabis Program (PDF).

PATIENT RENEWAL

Patients registered in Minnesota's Medical Cannabis Program must re-enroll every 3 years to continue participating. For more details, visit How to Reenroll in the Medical Cannabis Program.

ENROLLING MINOR PATIENTS 

The application process for a minor is the same as that of an adult.

A caregiver

• must be at least 18 years of age,
• can be a spouse or guardian, and  
• must be enrolled with the Division of Medical Cannabis. 

Dispensaries: 

After your enrollment is approved. You can access your Medical Cannabis Registry account and pick up medical cannabis at your nearest medical cannabis dispensary. Find Medical Cannabis Dispensary Locations.

Before you go to your medical cannabis dispensary:

• Complete and submit the patient self-evaluation (PSE) online (available in your Medical Cannabis Registry account). Note: A registered caregiver can complete the PSE for you. You must complete a new PSE before your first purchase of medical cannabis. After the first purchase, PSEs are required on a quarterly basis in your first year as a medical cannabis patient. You will receive a notice in your Medical Cannabis Registry account and an email notification when a new PSE is available. 
• Schedule your appointment.

A pharmacist at the medical cannabis dispensary will review your account and recommend a medication.

What to bring:

• Your photo ID (your caregiver must bring theirs when picking up medicine).
• A list of your prescribed medications (for initial appointment or if your medications change).
• The visit summary from your health care practitioner who certified your condition (for initial appointment).
• Payment for your medicine. Payment options vary by location. Note: Insurance companies do not cover the cost of medical cannabis.

Home Cultivation:

Medical cannabis can be used on private property, but cannot be smoked or vaped in public places where it is illegal to smoke or vape commercial tobacco.

Patients CANNOT medicate or possess medical cannabis in these locations: 

• school bus or van
• any correctional facility
• state-operated treatment program, including the Minnesota sex offender program
• the grounds of a child care facility or a family or group family day care program
• the grounds of federal facilities (such as courthouses, post offices, airports, and national parks)

Vaping or smoking medical cannabis is prohibited: 

• all public transportation
• anywhere the vapor would be inhaled by a nonpatient minor or where the smoke would be inhaled by a minor
• any public place, including any indoor or outdoor area used by or open to the general public or a place of employment, as defined in section 144.413, subdivision 1b

Minnesota has an adult-use cannabis program, but registering as a medical cannabis patient still offers important benefits. While the medical program may require additional steps, registration can provide patients and caregivers with added support, stronger protections, and access to medical guidance.

Federal Protections Apply Only to Registered Patients

Some federal protections are now available, but only to patients who are officially registered in their state’s medical cannabis program.

A federal order issued April 28th,2026,  AG Order No. 6754-2026, treats a state medical cannabis certification or registration as similar to a prescription under federal law.  This means that being registered is not just a state requirement; it may also affect whether a patient qualifies for federal protections.

To receive these protections, a patient’s registration must stay active, current, and in good standing. Learn more here.

Access to Pharmacists:
Medical cannabis dispensaries have pharmacists on staff who can help patients choose products and approaches that best fit their condition, symptoms, and treatment goals.

Civil Protections:
Registered patients have legal protections that do not apply in the same way to adult-use consumers. Landlords cannot refuse to rent to, renew a lease for, or otherwise penalize someone solely because they are enrolled in the medical cannabis registry, unless complying would violate federal law or cause the landlord to lose a federal monetary or licensing-related benefit.

Registered patients are also protected from employment discrimination based solely on their status as patients in the registry program, unless the employer would lose a federal monetary or licensing-related benefit by employing them.

Keeping the Medical Program Strong:

Enrollment helps demonstrate continued patient need for Minnesota’s medical cannabis program. A strong registry helps protect and sustain the program, supports continued access for patients with serious health needs, and reinforces the importance of maintaining a medical pathway alongside adult-use access.

The state of Minnesota does not recognize out-of-state patients. For more information about traveling as a medical cannabis patient, check out our Travel Guide.

*UPDATE: AG ORDER NO. 6754-2026 CHANGED FEDERAL CANNABIS LAWS  ON APRIL 28, 2026: Learn more here.

Federal cannabis laws affect far more than whether a patient can access medical cannabis. For decades, federal prohibition has limited protections for medical cannabis patients under laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Housing Act (FHA). As a result, patients have often been denied the basic protections that people with other serious health conditions expect in employment, housing, healthcare, and access to federal programs.

Federal prohibition has also affected patients’ access to essential healthcare, housing, and financial support programs, sometimes forcing patients to choose between the medicine they need and the benefits they depend on. It has also created barriers to federal employment, healthcare autonomy, firearm ownership, and other aspects of daily life.

As federal and state cannabis laws change, implementation matters. Advocates must stay vigilant to ensure public agencies, private institutions, employers, housing providers, and healthcare systems update their policies in ways that respect patient rights and protect safe, legal access to medical cannabis.

It is important to stay active, engaged, and informed. Sign up to get ASA updates and learn more about ending patient discrimination. 

Rights and protections for medical cannabis patients are evolving. In some cases, outdated policies may impact how patients are treated. In other cases, like those in the military, policy changes will have to come from Washington, DC. In the case of organ transplants, stigma still plays a role in medical cannabis patients having access to life-saving treatment, even if state laws ban discrimination.  Please use the resources below to better understand patient rights and how to navigate these programs and services.