Medical Marijuana Licensing: Department Of Health

Renewal applications are sent out 60 days before your expiration date. If you have lost your renewal application or did not receive one contact us for a new copy.

The Rhode Island Department of Health Medical Marijuana Program implements the provisions of the Medical Marijuana Act and regulations for registered patients, caregivers and authorized purchasers. The Medical Marijuana Program accepts, reviews, and approves patient, caregiver and authorized purchaser applications and renewals. Rhode Island's Medical Marijuana Act does not alter federal statutes and regulations prohibiting the possession and use of marijuana.

Approved Qualifying Debilitating Medical Conditions

- Cancer or the treatment of this condition
- Glaucoma or the treatment of this condition
- Positive status for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or the treatment of this condition - Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or the treatment of this condition - Hepatitis C or the treatment of this condition - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - Patient must be 18 years of age or older - A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its treatment that produces one or more of the following: - Cachexia or wasting syndrome
- Severe, debilitating, chronic pain
- Severe nausea
- Seizures, including but not limited to those characteristic of epilepsy
- Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including but not limited to those characteristic of multiple sclerosis or Crohn's disease
- Agitation related to Alzheimer's Disease

Expedited applications

Applications for patients receiving chemotherapy or who are eligible for hospice care will be expedited and approved within seventy-two (72) hours. The certifying physician will indicate on the Practitioner Written Certification Form.the need to expedite an application based on these criteria

Registration card expiration and renewal

Patient and caregiver registrations issued or renewed after January 1, 2017 will expire one year from the date of issuance. Registrations issued or renewed on or before December 31, 2016 will expire on the date indicated on the registry identification cards. Registrations renewed after January 1, 2017, will expire one year after the date it was issued.

The Rhode Island Department of Health will approve or deny an application or renewal within 35 days of receiving it.

Authorized purchasers

This is a new category requiring registration with the Rhode Island Department of Health. A patient may designate an authorized purchaser to assist in purchasing. Delivering marijuana from a compassion center. Each authorized purchaser can only assist one patient. An authorized purchaser must be 21 years old. Satisfy a National Criminal Identification Check. An authorized purchaser may live out of state. Patients are limited to one authorized purchaser. A primary caregiver must be at least 21 years of age. A resident of Rhode Island. A primary caregiver can assist no more than five patients with their use of medical marijuana. Patients are limited to one caregiver.

As of January 1, 2017 anyone applying for a primary caregiver registration must be a resident of Rhode Island. Caregivers who received registrations on or before December 31, 2016 will retain their primary caregiver status, but will need to show proof of Rhode Island residency to qualify for renewal when their caregiver registration expires.

Growing marijuana

Patients must indicate on their application whether they plan to grow medical marijuana plants for themselves. Patients who will grow marijuana and all primary caregivers must register their grow location with the Rhode Island Department of Health.

Everyone who grows marijuana, whether a patient or primary caregiver, must purchase plant tags from the Department of Business Regulation and is subject to their rules and regulations for tag use. If you have any questions regarding growing marijuana or plant tags, please contact them.