North Dakota’s medical marijuana program growing

BISMARCK, N.D. – The number of qualifying patients in North Dakota’s Medical Marijuana Program continues to grow.

A 2023 report shows there were 9,596 registered patients with ID cards for the Fiscal Year ending June 30th. That compares to 7,958 the previous year and just 707 during the start-up year in 2019.

Jason Wahl is the Director of North Dakota’s Division of Medical Marijuana. Wahl says medical professionals diagnosed 15,568 different conditions – with anxiety disorder being tops on the list:

“Healthcare providers are allowed to select more than one medical condition when they complete a written certification. The number of conditions is far greater than the actual number of qualifying patients,” Wahl says.

Wahl told a recent legislative committee hearing that they are aware of some cases where a patient resells the product for recreational purposes and that there will be consequences for those actions.

Among counties with qualifying patients Cass is tops at 24%…followed by Ward at 13%…Burleigh at 12% and Grand Forks at 9%.