Utah Medical Cannabis Program (2024) Guide

What is the Utah Medical Cannabis Program?

The Utah medical cannabis program allows approved individuals to sell, possess, and use cannabis legally in the state. The program was created following the approval of Proposition 2 by Utah voters in November 2018. However, following kickbacks against specific provisions in the law, a compromise bill called HB 3001, or the Utah Medical Cannabis Act, was finally enacted on December 3, 2018.

Under the Utah medical cannabis program, patients with active medical cannabis cards can obtain a 30-day supply of medical cannabis products. A 30-day medical cannabis supply may not exceed 113 grams of unprocessed cannabis flower and 20 grams of total composite THC in other dosage forms. The standard Utah medical cannabis card is valid for 1 year. However, recommending medical providers can select a shorter expiration date of 3 or 6 months for new patients or others requiring more frequent follow-ups.

The Utah medical cannabis program is overseen by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services and permits non-Utah residents with cannabis cards from their home states to obtain temporary Utah medical cannabis cards.

How Old to Join Utah Medical Cannabis Program?

Patients aged 18 or older are allowed to join the Utah medical cannabis program. However, you can still access cannabis under the Utah medical cannabis program if you are a minor by obtaining a provisional patient card. If you are a minor who meets the eligibility conditions to consume medical cannabis in Utah, getting a provisional patient card gives you approval from the Compassionate Use Board to use medical cannabis.

Note that the provisional medical cannabis patient card must be used with guardian cards. Guardian medical marijuana cards are issued to parents or legal guardians of minors who qualify to use medical cannabis. Once you turn 18, you can obtain a standard medical cannabis patient card, which can be used alone without a guardian card to purchase medical cannabis from licensed dispensaries.

Utah Medical Cannabis Program Qualifying Conditions in 2024

The following are qualifying conditions for which you may be issued a medical cannabis certification in Utah:

• HIV or AIDS
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Alzheimer's disease
• Cachexia
• Cancer
• Persistent nausea significantly unresponsive to traditional treatment, except for nausea related to:
• Pregnancy
• Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome
• Cannabis-induced cyclical vomiting syndrome
• Epilepsy or debilitating seizures
• Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
• Multiple sclerosis or persistent and debilitating muscle spasms
• PTSD being treated and monitored by a licensed health therapist, and that:
• Has been diagnosed by a healthcare practitioner by the Veterans Administration and documented in the patient's record; or
• Has been diagnosed or confirmed by evaluation from a psychiatrist, masters prepared licensed clinical social worker, masters prepared psychologist or a psychiatric APRN
• Autism
• A terminal illness where the life expectancy of the patient is less than six months
• A condition or disease resulting in the patient receiving hospice care
• A rare condition affecting less than 200,000 individuals in the United States, as defined in federal law, that is not adequately managed despite treatment attempts using conventional medications or physical interventions
• Persistent pain lasting longer than two weeks that is not adequately managed, in the QMP's opinion, despite treatment attempts with conventional medications other than opioids or opiates or physical interventions
• Acute pain expected to last for 2 weeks or more for an acute condition, including surgery, for which a medical professional may generally prescribe opioids for a limited duration

Patients with medical conditions not included in the approved list above may petition the CUB (Compassionate Use Board) for a medical cannabis card. The CUB reviews petitions and recommends eligibility on a case-by-case basis.

What Practitioners are Eligible to Recommend the Use of Medical Cannabis?

The following categories of practitioners are eligible to enroll in th Utah medical cannabis program to recommend medical cannabis:

• Medical Doctors
• Osteopathic Doctors
• Doctors of Podiatric Medicine
• Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
• Physician Assistants

Must a Practitioner Obtain a License Before Issuing a Medical Card Recommendation?

To be able to issue medical cannabis certifications, a physician must:

• Hold an active Utah license to practice as an MD, DO, DPM, PA, or APRN in Utah
• Hold a valid Utah controlled substance license

Do Physicians Need to Manage Patients Before Recommending Them for the Utah Medical Cannabis Program?

The Utah medical cannabis program only requires that a physician-patient relationship exists between the QMP and the patient before a recommendation to use medical cannabis can be issued. Per Utah medical cannabis laws, a physician-patient relationship can be established in one in-person appointment with the patient.

Do Physicians Have to Join the Utah Medical Cannabis Program to Recommend Medical Marijuana to Patients?

Yes, physicians are required to register with the Utah Department of Health and Human Services and be approved as Qualified Medical Providers (QMPs) before they can issue medical cannabis recommendations. Note that practitioners must complete a mandatory 4-hour DHHS-approved education on medical cannabis before they can complete QMP registrations.

Can a Utah Medical Cannabis Program Practitioner Use Telemedicine for Patient Assessment?

Per Utah medical statute, in order to obtain a medical cannabis recommendation, a patient must have at least one face-to-face visit with a QMP.

How to Find Utah Medical Cannabis Program Doctors

The DHHS maintains a list of QMPs who have authorized the department to post their names, specialties, and contact information on the DHHS website. If your current provider is not participating in the Utah medical cannabis program, you may consult with other healthcare providers covered by your health insurance about their registration status or see if your provider can recommend a QM.

How to Apply for the Utah Medical Cannabis Program

To join the Utah medical cannabis program, you must meet in person with a Qualified Medical Provider to obtain a medical cannabis recommendation. After, create a Utah ID account if you do not already have one. Subsequently, use the ID to create your profile on the EVS (Electronic Verification System). While your profile is in the "awaiting certification" mode, your medical provider will enter a certification and recommendation to use medical marijuana. Note that if you have been diagnosed with a non-qualifying condition, your QMP will complete the CUB petition form. Next, pay your medical cannabis card application fee ($15) online and submit your application.

If you are an adult patient applicant, your submission will be reviewed and finalized within 15 days. If you are a minor or adult patient without a qualifying condition, the application review process may take up to 90 days. If you fall into the latter category, you will receive updates from the CUB regarding the status of your petition from the cubcmc@utah.gov email address.

If all application requirements have been met, the DHHS will issue your medical cannabis card and email a copy of your medical cannabis card to your email address. You can save the medical cannabis card on your smartphone or print it out. Subsequently, you can visit Utah-licensed medical cannabis pharmacies to purchase medical cannabis.

For more information about obtaining Utah medical cannabis cards, visit the patients page of the Utah medical cannabis program website. Alternatively, contact:

Department of Health and Human Services Multi-Agency State Office Building 195 North 1950 West Salt Lake City, UT 84116 Phone: (801) 538-6504 Email: medicalcannabis@utah.gov