RECOMMENDING CANNABIS IN OREGON

If you are a medical professional who wishes to recommend cannabis, you must be a doctor of medicine (MD), doctor of osteopathy (DO), Physician Assistant, Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, or Naturopathic Physician licensed to practice without any disqualifying restrictions. Chiropractors cannot write recommendations. Recommending physicians must provide primary health care or medical specialty care as defined by the American Board of Medical Specialties or serve as a consultant who has been asked to examine and treat the patient by a primary care physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner. In order to issue a written certification for the medical use of marijuana, a physician is required to:

  • Review a patient's medical records
  • Conduct a thorough physical examination of the patient
  • Provide a plan for follow-up care
  • Document the above in the patient's medical record

An Attending Provider Statement (APS) form must be signed by the attending provider attesting that the patient has been diagnosed with a debilitating medical condition and that the medical use of marijuana may mitigate the symptoms or effect of the individual’s debilitating medical condition. As an alternate, the attending provider may supply the patient with relevant portions of the patient’s medical records containing the same information on the APS.

The patient is responsible for submitting the APS, or relevant medical records, with other required application documents, to the OMMP. The APS or relevant medical documents must be submitted within 90 days of the attending provider’s signature when a patient applies for the first time. When a patient is renewing with OMMP, application material must be submitted within 90 days of their registration card expiration date and the APS must be signed within that 90-day period.

Guidelines for Attending Physicians when Recommending the Medical Use of Marijuana (pdf)

Qualifying conditions include: Cancer, Glaucoma, Alzheimer's Disease, HIV/AIDS or any other medical condition producing symptoms such as cachexia, severe pain or nausea, seizures and persistent muscle spasms including but not limited to those caused by Multiple Sclerosis, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or any other condition approved by the Oregon Health Authority.

You can find more information on the OMMP's Physician page, including a medical marijuana recommendation form (PDF).

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.