Signed by Governor Mark Dayton

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that establishes a patient registry for medical marijuana.

Highlights:

• Establishes a patient registry program for the purpose of reporting on the benefits, risks, and outcomes regarding patients with a “qualifying medical condition” who are engaged in the therapeutic use of medical marijuana (Sec. 7).

• Defines “qualifying medical condition” as a diagnosis of certain medical conditions, including, but not limited to, the following conditions (Sec. 2): 
• Cancer, if certain symptoms are present;
• Glaucoma; and
• Seizures. 

• Specifies that the authorized use of medical marijuana by an individual enrolled in the patient registry program is not a criminal violation (Sec. 12).

• Requires the commissioner of health to consider adding “intractable pain” to the list of qualifying medical conditions before considering any other addition. and report the findings of their consideration by July 1, 2016 (Sec. 20).

• Prohibits the commissioner from approving smoking as a delivery method for medical marijuana (Sec. 2). 

• Authorizes a patient to apply for enrollment in the registry program by submitting an application which includes a certification from the patient’s healthcare provider that the patient has been diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition within the past 9 days, and by agreeing to the following conditions (Secs. 7 & 10):
• The patient will continue to receive regularly scheduled treatment for their qualifying medical condition;
• The patient will report changes in their qualifying medical condition to their healthcare provider; and
• The patient will only receive medical marijuana from a registered manufacturer.

• Requires the commissioner of health to register 2 in-state manufacturers for the production of all medical marijuana within the state (Sec. 5). 

• Prohibits a manufacturer from operating more than 1 location where marijuana is cultivated, harvested, manufacture, packaged, and processed (Sec. 9).
• Requires a manufacturer to operate 4 distribution facilities, 1 of which must be operational by July 1, 2015, and may include the manufacturer’s single cultivation facility (Sec. 9).

• Requires a manufacturer to verify that an individual requesting medical marijuana is a registered patient, a registered caregiver, or the parent or legal guardian of a registered patient before distributing medical marijuana to the individual (Sec. 9).

• Requires a manufacturer to only allow employees licensed as pharmacists to distribute medical marijuana (Sec. 9).

• Classifies the transfer or sale of medical marijuana to anyone other than a registered patient, registered caregiver, or a registry verified parent or legal guardian as a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to 2 year, a fine of $3,000, or both (Sec. 13).

• Authorizes the commissioner to collect the following fees (Sec. 15):
• A $200 annual enrollment fee from patients;
• A $20,000 application fee from manufacturers; and
• An annual fee from manufacturers to reimburse the cost of regulating and inspecting that manufacturer. 

• Appropriates $2.79 million from the general fund to the commissioner of health for the implementation of the program in the 2015 fiscal year (Sec. 21).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that establishes a patient registry for medical marijuana.

Highlights:

• Establishes a patient registry program for the purpose of reporting on the benefits, risks, and outcomes regarding patients with a “qualifying medical condition” who are engaged in the therapeutic use of medical marijuana (Sec. 7).

• Defines “qualifying medical condition” as a diagnosis of certain medical conditions, including, but not limited to, the following conditions (Sec. 2): 
• Cancer, if certain symptoms are present;
• Glaucoma; and
• Seizures. 

• Specifies that the authorized use of medical marijuana by an individual enrolled in the patient registry program is not a criminal violation (Sec. 12).

• Requires the commissioner of health to consider adding “intractable pain” to the list of qualifying medical conditions before considering any other addition. and report the findings of their consideration by July 1, 2016 (Sec. 20).

• Prohibits the commissioner from approving smoking as a delivery method for medical marijuana (Sec. 2). 

• Authorizes a patient to apply for enrollment in the registry program by submitting an application which includes a certification from the patient’s healthcare provider that the patient has been diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition within the past 9 days, and by agreeing to the following conditions (Secs. 7 & 10):
• The patient will continue to receive regularly scheduled treatment for their qualifying medical condition;
• The patient will report changes in their qualifying medical condition to their healthcare provider; and
• The patient will only receive medical marijuana from a registered manufacturer.

• Requires the commissioner of health to register 2 in-state manufacturers for the production of all medical marijuana within the state (Sec. 5). 

• Prohibits a manufacturer from operating more than 1 location where marijuana is cultivated, harvested, manufacture, packaged, and processed (Sec. 9).
• Requires a manufacturer to operate 4 distribution facilities, 1 of which must be operational by July 1, 2015, and may include the manufacturer’s single cultivation facility (Sec. 9).

• Requires a manufacturer to verify that an individual requesting medical marijuana is a registered patient, a registered caregiver, or the parent or legal guardian of a registered patient before distributing medical marijuana to the individual (Sec. 9).

• Requires a manufacturer to only allow employees licensed as pharmacists to distribute medical marijuana (Sec. 9).

• Classifies the transfer or sale of medical marijuana to anyone other than a registered patient, registered caregiver, or a registry verified parent or legal guardian as a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to 2 year, a fine of $3,000, or both (Sec. 13).

• Authorizes the commissioner to collect the following fees (Sec. 15):
• A $200 annual enrollment fee from patients;
• A $20,000 application fee from manufacturers; and
• An annual fee from manufacturers to reimburse the cost of regulating and inspecting that manufacturer. 

• Appropriates $2.79 million from the general fund to the commissioner of health for the implementation of the program in the 2015 fiscal year (Sec. 21).

Full Bill Text