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Authorized Clinicians - Therapeutic Marijuana Guidance

Schedule I Authorization

Schedule 1 authorization must be granted by the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy prior to the authorized clinician recommending therapeutic marijuana to Louisiana patients. Authorized clinicians may submit a written request to add Schedule I; Limited to Therapeutic Marijuana to their Louisiana Controlled Dangerous Substance License.

All of the following licensed health professionals are deemed “authorized clinicians”:

  •  Any physician licensed by and in good standing with the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners to practice medicine in this state.
  • Any nurse practitioner licensed by and in good standing with the Louisiana State Board of Nursing to practice advanced practice registered nursing in this state and who has prescriptive authority conferred by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing.
  • Any medical psychologist licensed by and in good standing with the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners to practice medical psychology in this state.

You may submit your request to add schedules using the board's Online Services Portal. Once logged in select "License Status Change / CDS Schedule Change". Board staff will notify you by email when your request has been processed.

 

Patient Identification

At this time, Louisiana does not require or issue any identification card specific to patients utilizing  therapeutic marijuana. Patients may obtain a recommendation from their authorized clinician and have that recommendation filled at one of the permitted therapeutic marijuana pharmacies in the state.

A person who recommends marijuana tetrahydrocannabinols, or a chemical derivative of tetrahydrocannabinols shall review the patient’s information in the database of the prescription monitoring program prior to the recommending.

 

Recommending Therapeutic Marijuana

“Recommend” or “recommended” means an opinion of any authorized clinician, provided within a bona fide clinician-patient relationship, that, in the sincere judgment of the clinician, therapeutic cannabis may be helpful to the patient’s condition or symptoms and is communicated by any means allowed by the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy. Written recommendation requirements are outlined below.

The authorized clinician may recommend, in any form, raw or crude marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinols or a chemical derivative of tetrahydrocannabinols for therapeutic use by any patient clinically diagnosed as suffering from a debilitating medical condition.

The pharmacist may accept any request for a marijuana product which has been:

  • received directly from the authorized clinician and not from the patient or any third party other than the entity transmitting the request, either by electronic means conforming with the provisions of 21 CFR 1311 or its successor, or in the alternative, by facsimile bearing a handwritten or digital signature of the physician.
  • the request shall disclose the following information at a minimum:
    • name, address, telephone number, and national provider identifier (NPI) number of the authorized clinician issuing the request;
    • name, address, and date of birth (or age) of the patient for whom the request was issued;
    • identification of the debilitating medical condition for which the treatment has been requested;
    • type of marijuana product requested;
    • date request was issued;
    • self-certification that the authorized clinician holds a current and unrestricted license to practice in Louisiana or by telehealth.
    • Signature of the physician issuing the recommendation, excluding any proxy or agent.
  • Requests for marijuana products shall expire one year after the date of issue, unless a shorter period of time is indicated by the authorized clinician. A pharmacist shall not dispense marijuana product pursuant to an expired request.
  • Requests for raw or crude marijuana products intended for persons under 21 years of age shall specifically indicate a recommendation for raw or crude forms of marijuana for such persons.

 

Recommendation Limitations

No authorized clinician shall recommend medical marijuana for treatment of any condition associated with autism spectrum disorder for a patient who is under the age of eighteen unless the clinician consults with a pediatric subspecialist. A pediatric subspecialist is an individual licensed to practice medicine in any state in the United States who provides care to patients with autism spectrum disorder.

 

Required Reporting

 Authorized clinicians shall report adverse events and health outcomes associated with a patient’s use of medical marijuana to the established data system. In accordance with R.S. 40:1168, this system may be established  by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners. You are encouraged to contact that agency for further information.