South Dakota Department of Health releases conditions covered by state’s medical cannabis program

July 1, 2021
Mike Tanner

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Department of Health has announced a preliminary list of conditions that will be covered by the state’s medical cannabis program, which goes into effect today.

The preliminary list of conditions includes AIDS and HIV, Lou Gehrig’s disease, Multiple sclerosis, Cancer associated with severe or chronic pain, nausea or severe vomiting, Crohn’s disease, Epilepsy and seizures, Glaucoma, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

“Under the law passed by the voters, patients must be experiencing a ‘debilitating medical condition’ and be certified by a doctor that medical cannabis will help alleviate their condition,” said South Dakota Secretary of Health Kim Malsam-Rysdon. “This preliminary list of conditions meets the definition as passed by the voters, and is a result of feedback the department has already received. A process will be available for South Dakotans to petition to add more conditions to this list in the future.”

The conditions will be included in the final rules package proposed by the Health Department.