Arkansas Medical Marijuana Qualifying Conditions

The Statutory List

Amendment 98 enumerates the qualifying conditions directly in the constitution rather than delegating them to an agency. The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) administers the registry under Amendment 98 § 5 and the ADH Medical Marijuana Rules.

Named Diseases (12)

Symptom-Based Pathways (6)

In addition to the named diseases, a patient qualifies if a chronic or debilitating disease or its medical treatment produces one of the following symptoms:

• Cachexia or wasting syndrome
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Intractable pain (unresponsive to ordinary treatment for at least six months)
• Severe nausea
• Seizures (including epilepsy)
• Severe and persistent muscle spasms (including multiple sclerosis)

What the ACHI/UAMS Study Found

A joint Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI) and UAMS study published in Health Affairs (March 2025) examined the Amendment 98 patient population. The leading pathways:

• PTSD — 41.9% of patients cited PTSD as their qualifying condition, reflecting Arkansas’s sizeable veteran population and the comparative ease of certification.
• Intractable pain — 39.8%, requiring a documented six-month treatment history.
• Severe arthritis — 14.7%, the third-most-cited pathway and a major opioid alternative.
• Smaller fractions cite cancer, severe muscle spasms, seizures, Crohn’s, fibromyalgia, and the other named conditions.

What Is — And Is Not — on the List

The Arkansas list is narrower than several other state programs. Conditions not on the Arkansas list include:

• Anxiety disorders (general, social, panic)
• Opioid use disorder / addiction
• Autism spectrum disorder
• ADHD
• Depression as a stand-alone diagnosis
• Insomnia
• Migraines
• Inflammatory bowel disease other than Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis

Some other state programs cover these (Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut all have broader lists). Arkansas’s 2024 Issue 3 ballot measure would have removed the 18-condition cap entirely and allowed certifying providers to recommend cannabis for any condition they reasonably believed cannabis could treat — but the Arkansas Supreme Court enjoined Issue 3 before votes were tabulated. See Issue 3 (2024).

Amendment 98 § 2(13) enumerates the qualifying medical conditions for the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Program.

Arkansas Department of Health — Medical Marijuana Section

Documenting a Qualifying Condition

• Named diseases (cancer, MS, Crohn’s, ALS, PTSD, etc.): Standard treating-physician records of diagnosis. The certifying provider verifies, not establishes, the diagnosis.
• Symptom pathways (intractable pain, severe nausea, seizures, muscle spasms): Treatment record showing the underlying chronic disease and the failure of standard treatment. The six-month requirement for intractable pain is the most-litigated piece.
• PTSD: Trauma history, current symptoms, impairment of daily function. VA-validated PTSD diagnoses, mental-health clinician records, or treating-physician records all suffice.

The Petition Process

Section XIX of the ADH Medical Marijuana Rules permits any Arkansas resident to petition to add a new qualifying condition. Each petition is limited to a single condition, must include peer-reviewed medical evidence, and triggers a public hearing. Despite multiple petitions, ADH has not added any new condition since 2016. Anxiety and autism petitions have been formally denied.

For Research-Backed Information

For evidence-based summaries on how cannabis may affect specific conditions, see TryCannabis.org’s conditions guide. Always consult your treating physician.

Next Steps

• If you match one of the 18 pathways, see how to apply for an Arkansas medical card.
• Compare costs on the cost & renewal page.
• Out-of-state visitors should review Arkansas visiting-patient card.