Ohio Adds Irritable Bowel Syndrome to Medical Cannabis Qualifying Conditions

LOS ANGELES– On July 12, the State Medical Board of Ohio announced its decision to include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in the state’s list of qualifying conditions for medical cannabis. However, the board rejected the addition of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) to the list.

The Ohio Medical Cannabis Industry Association (OMCIA), a trade group representing the state’s cannabis industry, had been advocating for the inclusion of autism, which has been reviewed as a potential qualifying condition every year since 2019 but has been consistently rejected. The OMCIA cited increasing scientific evidence and testimonies from medical professionals in support of using medical cannabis to treat autism. Currently, at least 16 states explicitly recognize autism as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis, while other states allow physicians to recommend it at their discretion.

Charlie Trefny, the OMCIA’s Director of Government Affairs, expressed gratitude for the addition of irritable bowel syndrome to the qualifying conditions but expressed disappointment that autism and OCD were not approved. Trefny emphasized that the OMCIA will continue to work with the board to advocate for patients suffering from these conditions who could benefit from medical cannabis treatment.

With the inclusion of irritable bowel syndrome, Ohio now has a total of 26 qualifying conditions for medical cannabis. The addition of any new conditions has the potential to expand the patient base and benefit the medical cannabis industry by increasing the number of eligible patients. This is particularly significant as the state’s active patient group has plateaued at around 175,000 people, raising concerns among operators about the lack of patient growth and a surplus of cannabis inventory, indicating a potentially oversupplied market.

As per the annual process, there will be an opportunity for the public to submit recommendations for additional medical cannabis qualifying conditions towards the end of the calendar year. This will be followed by a public comment period. A medical board committee will review the proposed additions and provide recommendations to the full medical board on which conditions to approve or reject. Historically, the medical board has followed the recommendations of its committee.