RECOMMENDING CANNABIS IN MISSOURI

A medical professional recommending medical cannabis must be a practicing physician or nurse practitioner in good standing with the state board of health such as a Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) licensed in Missouri. Physicians/Nurse Practitioners are responsible for creating their own accounts for the purpose of submitting electronic physician certification forms on behalf of qualifying patients. 

A certifying physician must have a current license to practice medicine or osteopathy. A certifying nurse practitioner must:

  • Hold a current Missouri or compact RN license.
  • Maintain national certification in a population focus.
  • Be recognized by the Missouri State Board of Nursing as an advanced practice registered nurse.

Physicians submit certifications electronically in a system provided by the state health department. Certifications must be issued no more than 30 days before the date of the patient's application. Signing this document certifies that a physician has:

  • Met with and examined the qualifying patient.
  • Reviewed the qualifying patient's medical records or medical history.
  • Reviewed the qualifying patient's current medications and allergies to medications
  • Discussed the qualifying patient's current symptoms
  • Created a medical record for the qualifying patient regarding the meeting. 
  • Discussed the qualifying patient risks associated with medical cannabis, including known contraindications applicable to the patient, risks of medical cannabis use to fetuses, and risks of medical cannabis use to breastfeeding infants.

A Physician/Nurse Practitioner must:

  • Submit a “Physician/Nurse Practitioner Registration” application type.
  • Upload their medical license.
  • Become verified with the department as a Missouri licensed physician (MD, DO)/nurse practitioner (NP) who is active and in good standing pursuant to Missouri law.

A Physician/Nurse Practitioner can create an account by clicking here. 

"Qualifying Patients" must have one or more of the following debilitating medical conditions:

  • Cancer
  • Epilepsy
  • Glaucoma
  • Intractable migraines unresponsive to other treatment
  • A chronic medical condition that causes severe, persistent pain or persistent muscle spasms, including but not limited to those associated with multiple sclerosis, seizures, Parkinson’s disease and Tourette’s syndrome
  • Debilitating psychiatric disorders, including, but not limited to, post-traumatic stress disorder, if diagnosed by a state-licensed psychiatrist
  • Human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immune deficiency syndrome
  • A chronic medical condition that is normally treated with a prescription medication that could lead to physical or psychological dependence, when a physician determines that medical use of marijuana could be effective in treating that condition and would serve as a safer alternative to the prescription medication
  • A terminal illness
  • In the professional judgment of a physician, any other chronic, debilitating or other medical condition, including, but not limited to, hepatitis C, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, Huntington’s disease, autism, neuropathies, sickle cell anemia, agitation of Alzheimer’s disease, cachexia, and wasting syndrome.

Medical professionals have a legal right to recommend cannabis as a treatment in any state, as protected by the First Amendment. Established by a 2004 United States Supreme Court decision to uphold earlier federal court rulings that found doctors and their patients have a fundamental Constitutional right to freely discuss treatment options.

More resources for medical professionals can be found here.