Getting medicinal pot and CBD oil in Louisiana for certain health conditions has become easier than before, but you will still be expected to jump through a few hoops. The state's law still forbids marijuana for recreational use, and no vaping or smoking is allowed, even for medicinal purposes. Yet if you qualify for the Louisiana medical marijuana program, you will now be able to take your remedy in any of the following preparations:
- Oils
- Extracts
- Tinctures
- Sprays
- Capsules
- Pills
- Solutions
- Suspensions
- Gelatin-based Chewables
- Lotions
- Transdermal patches
- Suppositories [1]
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But you don't know where to buy CBD oil in Louisiana? Well, the recent enabling legislation dictates that no more than 10 pharmacies can legally dispense medical marijuana at any given time in the state. To date, nine have opened, one in each of the state's regions.
Only two agricultural centers are currently allowed to grow cannabis for medical purposes—Louisiana State University and the Southern University. [4]
Where to Buy Medical Marijuana and CBD Oil in Louisiana
At the time of writing, the following were dispensaries with permits issued by the Louisiana Pharmacy Board:
- H & W Drug Store, Inc., 4718 Paris Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70122-2553
- Capitol Wellness Solutions, 7491 Picardy Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70809-3536
- Green Leaf Dispensary, 6048 W. Park Avenue, Houma, LA 70364-1808
- The Apothecary Shoppe, 620 Guilbeau Road, Suite A, Lafayette, LA 70506-8709
- Hope Pharmacy, 1410 Kings Highway, Suite A, Shreveport, LA 71103-4227
- Delta Medmar, 111 McMillan Road, West Monroe, LA 71291-5319
- Willow Pharmacy, 1519 Highway 22 West, Suite 5, Madisonville, LA 70447-9489
- The Medicine Cabinet Pharmacy/The Pill Box Pharmacy, 403 Bolton Avenue, Alexandria, LA 71301-7026
- Medicis, 1727 Imperial Blvd, Building 4, Lake Charles, LA 70605-5362 [2]
Apparently, the Louisiana Pharmacy Board is mandated by state law to oversee these dispensaries, and they will award the last permit as deemed necessary, according to the New Orleans Business News. [6]
How Can I Get a Prescription for CBD Oil in Louisiana?
The only way to buy these products legally is to get a prescription from a physician. That sounds easy enough, but Louisiana law requires doctors to register with and be approved by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners before they will be able to prescribe medical marijuana products lawfully.
At the time of writing, only 21 have been successful in their application to register, and their names are available on the Department's website.
Their low numbers do raise concern. Will qualifying patients have to wait in long lines or be stuck on long waiting lists for a prescription? Hopefully not, as more physicians have applied to be approved and the process is ongoing.
If you need a prescription, your doctor will have to follow a set of rules before they can issue one.
First, they need to diagnose you with one or more of the qualifying medical conditions—read on for the list.
Then, after reviewing your prescription monitoring program, they need to draw up a personal treatment plan for you and obtain your written consent for this. They will also be expected to monitor your use of medical marijuana continuously and document it on your medical record.
Previously, physicians were only allowed to prescribe medical marijuana and related products to 100 patients. Fortunately, this cap was lifted in September 2018, much to the physicians' relief.
Said Dr. Chou from Baton Rouge in an interview with Marijuana Business Daily: "The 100-patient limit – I hit that limit a month ago." Apparently, he has a waiting list of 200 to 300 patients already. [5]
The requirement that patients have to visit their prescribing physician every three months has also been lifted recently. [4]
Physicians retain the right to discontinue your prescription if:
- they see that you don't really respond to the therapy;
- they determine that you are not, or that you no longer qualify for the medical marijuana program; or
- they pick up that you are misusing or abusing the medical marijuana. [1]
So, regulations are pretty strict in Louisiana, but at least the patients who direly need this type of intervention will be able to get it.
Do you qualify for medical marijuana or CBD oil in Louisiana?
Qualifying Medical Conditions for Medical Pot and CBD Oil in Louisiana
Technically, medical marijuana has been legal in Louisiana since the '70s. However, this law lacked enabling regulation and rules for growing, prescribing, or dispensing—this happened only in 2015. In 2018, more conditions were approved for treatment with medical cannabis, so, fortunately, the list of qualifying medical conditions now looks as follows (taken from the Louisiana Department of Health website):
- Cancer
- Positive Status for Hiv
- Aids
- Cachexia or Wasting Syndrome
- Seizure Disorders, including Epilepsy
- Spasticity
- Crohn’s Disease
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Glaucoma
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Severe Muscle Spasms
- Intractable Pain
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
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- Repetitive or self-stimulatory behavior of such severity that the physical health of the person with autism is jeopardized
- Avoidance of others or inability to communicate of such severity that the physical health of the person with autism is jeopardized
- Self-injuring behavior
- Physically aggressive or destructive behavior
- Multiple Sclerosis [3]
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But Are Medical Marijuana and CBD Oil Legal in Louisiana Even If It Isn't So by Federal Law?
Marijuana is still considered a Schedule 1 drug in the U.S., and possession of such can land you in trouble with law enforcement in most states. However, each state has the leniency to adapt their own marijuana laws for medical or recreational purposes, and most have done so or are in the process of doing it.
Thankfully, hemp-derived CBD is readily available and is 100% legal in all U.S. states. This year, the DEA's Diversion Control Division furthermore clarified that all CBD products derived from certain parts of the Cannabis sativa L. hemp plant are excluded from the law's definition of marijuana. Possession of such is therefore legal, including CBD oil in Louisiana. [7]
Sources:
- https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/louisiana-rolls-out-regulatory-scheme-56136/
- http://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/directory/category/385
- http://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/page/2892
- https://mjbizdaily.com/louisiana-lifts-medical-marijuana-patient-caps-for-doctors-to-boost-markets-viability/
- https://mjbizdaily.com/louisiana-regulators-consider-easing-medical-cannabis-patient-limits/
- https://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2018/05/heres_where_louisianas_9_medic.html
- https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/schedules/marijuana/m_extract_7350.html
