Getting a Pennsylvania medical marijuana card for anxiety

Anxiety disorders are one of the 24 serious medical conditions on Pennsylvania's medical marijuana list. They were added effective July 20, 2019, along with Tourette syndrome, three years after the original Medical Marijuana Act. If you have an anxiety diagnosis, you can ask a registered physician to consider certifying you. The physician, not the list, makes the final call.

What the official wording says

The Department of Health's entry reads simply "anxiety disorders." Two things about that wording matter.

First, it is plural. The entry names a category, not a single diagnosis, so it is not limited to one specific type of anxiety. Second, it says "disorders," not "anxiety." Everyday worry or stress is not the same as a diagnosed disorder, and the certifying physician will be looking for a diagnosis supported by your history.

Pennsylvania has no catch-all clause letting a physician certify conditions outside the list, so the fit between your diagnosis and this entry is the whole question. The full list of qualifying conditions shows the other entries, in case more than one applies to you.

Who can certify you

Only an MD or DO who holds an active Pennsylvania license, has registered with the Department of Health and has completed the Department's four-hour training can issue a certification. That rules out several people who may already be part of your anxiety care:

• psychologists and licensed counselors, who are not MDs or DOs
• nurse practitioners, including psychiatric nurse practitioners
• physician assistants

Their notes are still useful. A certifying physician who can see your treatment history has more to work with than one who has only your description.

The visit does not have to be in an office. Since Act 44 of 2021, registered physicians may certify patients through real-time audio or video. For some people with anxiety, a call from home is simply easier than a waiting room. Our page on online evaluations explains what counts as a valid remote visit.

Raising it with the physician

You do not need a script, but a little preparation keeps the conversation on the questions that matter:

1. Bring or send records of the diagnosis, whether from a psychiatrist, primary care doctor or therapist.
2. List the treatments you have tried, including medications and therapy, and how each one went.
3. Write down every medication and supplement you take now, so the physician can consider interactions.
4. Say plainly that you are asking about the "anxiety disorders" entry, and mention any other listed condition you have, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

If PTSD is part of your history, our PTSD guide covers that separate entry. A physician can select up to 10 conditions on one certification.

The forms you could use

Pennsylvania dispensaries may sell pills, oils, tinctures, liquids, topical products, forms for vaporization or nebulization, and flower for vaporization. Smoking is illegal, and dispensaries sell no edibles, though patients may mix medical marijuana into food. Which form makes sense for anxiety is a question for the physician, who can weigh how quickly each acts and how predictable the dose is. The patient rules page lists the forms and limits in full.

What the research says, carefully

Research on cannabis and anxiety is still developing, and the results are mixed. Some studies suggest that certain cannabinoids may ease anxiety symptoms for some people. Other research suggests that THC, particularly at higher doses, can make anxiety worse in some people. Responses vary from person to person.

That uncertainty is one reason the decision belongs with a physician who knows your history. Nothing here is a prediction that medical marijuana will help you.

Practical cautions

Medical marijuana can affect alertness and coordination. Pennsylvania has long applied zero-tolerance DUI rules to marijuana, and the medical law has no driving exemption, so check current law and do not drive after using it. Tell your other prescribers that you are certified, particularly if you take medications for anxiety or sleep. Store products in their original packages, away from children.

Next steps

If your diagnosis fits, the process is the same as for any condition: create a registry account with your Pennsylvania ID, get certified by a registered physician, pay the $50 annual fee within 60 days (or $0 if you are enrolled in Medicaid, CHIP, PACE/PACENET, SNAP or WIC) and wait about three weeks for the card. The application guide covers each step. If you were hoping the card might also help with sleep, read our honest answer on insomnia and the Pennsylvania list first.

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