Where Are the 9 Marijuana Dispensaries in Louisiana?

👀Is Smokable Medicinal Marijuana Legal in Louisiana?

👀What Ailments Warrant the Use of Medical Marijuana?

SHREVEPORT, LA – Medical marijuana has been available in Louisiana since the law was passed nearly 10 years ago. In the early days of the program, the law allowed for only very limited access to medical cannabis, but the program has expanded and now includes many more patients.

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Doctors across the state can now recommend medical cannabis for patients suffering from a wide range of qualifying conditions, including cancer, epilepsy, chronic pain, PTSD, and glaucoma, among others.

Louisiana's medical marijuana law was passed on June 30, 2015, when Governor Bobby Jindal signed HB 149. But it took many years to get the program up and going. The first medical marijuana was dispensed in Louisiana on August 6, 2019. In August 2020, Governor John Bel Edwards signed HB 819, which expanded access to medical cannabis.

Is Smokable Medicinal Marijuana Legal in Louisiana?

During the early years of the program, smokable marijuana was not allowed to be used for medicinal purposes, but that changed at the beginning of 2022 when raw smokable marijuana was added to the list of products available for patients.

To get medical marijuana in Louisiana, you do need to get a recommendation from a Louisiana doctor and you can pick it up at one of the few dispensaries in the state.

Prior to the change in 2022, patients could only consume medicinal marijuana in certain forms like oils, tinctures, topical applications, edibles, and inhalers.

It is not available at regular pharmacies because it is still considered a schedule 1 drug. If the federal government ever changes that, medicinal marijuana could be made available at all pharmacies. But right now, it is limited to only a select group of dispensaries.

What Ailments Warrant the Use of Medical Marijuana?

Qualifying conditions for medical marijuana in Louisiana include a wide range of serious medical issues. Some of the most common include cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, chronic pain, Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), severe muscle spasms, and multiple sclerosis. Additionally, the law allows physicians to recommend medical cannabis for any condition that they deem debilitating.