Crohn's disease, IBD and a Pennsylvania medical marijuana card
Two entries, not one
Pennsylvania's list of 24 serious medical conditions includes both "Crohn's disease" and "inflammatory bowel disease" as separate entries. Crohn's is named specifically. Inflammatory bowel disease is a broader category, and the list does not name the diagnoses inside it. Whether yours falls within that category is a question for the certifying physician.
The separate listing has a practical effect. If you have Crohn's disease, the specific entry describes your situation directly. If you have another inflammatory bowel condition, the category entry is the one to discuss. A physician can select up to 10 conditions on a certification, so both can appear if both fit. The full conditions list shows the official wording for every entry.
Your specialist and the certifying physician may be different people
Only an MD or DO with an active Pennsylvania license who has registered with the Department of Health and completed its four-hour training can certify patients. Your gastroenterologist may not be registered. That does not stop you: a registered physician can evaluate you using your gastroenterologist's records, such as colonoscopy reports, pathology results and treatment history.
Under Act 44 of 2021, the evaluation can take place by real-time audio or video, which can be easier than travel during a flare. Our page on online evaluations explains how to confirm the physician's registration.
Need a physician certification?
Online evaluations are available for Pennsylvania residents. Code DRWDY85872 takes 5% off. The physician, not the booking service, decides whether you are certified.
Book my PA evaluation →Questions worth asking before you start
- Ask your gastroenterologist whether medical marijuana could interact with your current medications.
- Ask the certifying physician which listed entry fits your diagnosis, and why.
- Ask which forms might suit your situation, given how your digestive system handles medications.
- Ask what to watch for in the first weeks, and when to report back to your specialist.
Forms allowed in Pennsylvania
Dispensaries may sell pills, oils, tinctures, liquids, topical forms, forms for vaporization or nebulization, and flower for vaporization. Smoking is illegal everywhere in the state. Dispensaries do not sell edibles, but the law lets patients mix medical marijuana into food or drink to help with ingestion. Our guide to edibles for Pennsylvania patients explains how to do that carefully. A dispensary may provide up to a 90-day supply of individual doses at a time, and unused product stays in its original package.
What research says
Research on cannabis and inflammatory bowel disease has looked at symptoms such as pain, appetite and nausea, as well as at inflammation itself. Some studies suggest some patients report symptom relief, but evidence that cannabis changes the underlying disease is limited and inconsistent. Medical marijuana is not a replacement for the treatment plan your gastroenterologist manages. A registered physician can weigh the evidence against your history.
Keep your gastroenterologist informed if you are certified. Symptom changes are easier to interpret when the specialist knows everything you are taking.
A chronic condition, a yearly card
Crohn's disease and other inflammatory bowel conditions are long-term, but Pennsylvania's certification is not. A certification lasts no more than a year, and the physician may set a shorter period. The Department of Health emails you 60 days before your certification and card expire, and you can be recertified any time after that email by any registered practitioner. The new card starts when the old one ends, so renewing promptly costs nothing.
Practical points
Medical marijuana can affect alertness. Pennsylvania has long applied zero-tolerance DUI rules to marijuana, so check current law and do not drive after using it. If a flare makes dispensary trips hard, you can designate up to two registered caregivers to shop for you. At work, an employer may not fire you solely for being certified, though it need not allow use on its premises.
Next steps
Collect your gastroenterology records, open a registry account with a Pennsylvania driver's license or state ID showing your current address, and book a registered physician. After certification, pay the $50 annual fee within 60 days, or $0 if you are enrolled in Medicaid, CHIP, PACE/PACENET, SNAP or WIC; the cost guide has the details. Our application guide covers every step.
Questions people ask
Is ulcerative colitis covered?
Ulcerative colitis is not named on its own. Pennsylvania lists inflammatory bowel disease as a category, and the registered physician decides whether a particular diagnosis falls within it.
Can my gastroenterologist certify me?
Only if he or she is an MD or DO who has registered with the Department of Health and completed its training. Otherwise, the gastroenterologist's records can support an evaluation by a registered physician.
Can I buy medical marijuana edibles for IBD?
No. Pennsylvania dispensaries may not sell edibles, though patients may mix medical marijuana into food or drink themselves.
Worth reading next
Sources
This page explains Pennsylvania law and Department of Health guidance in general terms; it is not medical or legal advice, and only a registered physician can certify a patient.